(Rockville, MD - June 26, 2007) With nearly 20 million Americans reportedly interested in listening to their music through Apple's new iPhone after it goes on sale June 29th, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) today renewed its call for the public to follow three simple safety tips to ensure their safety when listening to any personal audio technology.
Over the past year, ASHA has led a national public education campaign, America: Tuned In Today...But Tuned Out Tomorrow? which encourages safe usage of such technology.
Campaign tips include:
- keep the volume down
- avoid prolonged, continuous listening by taking frequent breaks
- wear headphones that isolate wanted music from background noise
"We want the public to have the hearing health to be able to enjoy personal audio technology throughout their lives," ASHA President Noma B. Anderson explains.
"To help ensure that, we strongly believe that it is wise to follow safe listening tips like those at the heart of our campaign."
According to ASHA, nearly 10 million Americans have hearing loss because of excess noise exposure. Last year, the organization of audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and hearing and speech scientists commissioned polling which indicated that Americans listen to personal audio technology too loudly and for too long.
ASHA's campaign is supported by the Consumer Electronics Association, Arlington, Virginia; Califone International, Inc., San Fernando, California; Pause Parent Play, Washington, DC; and, the rock group, O.A.R., which plans to make public service announcements that encourage safe listening.
ASHA, located in Rockville, Maryland, is the professional, scientific, and credentialing association for more than 127,000 speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and speech, language, and hearing scientists in the United States and internationally. For more information on speech, language, and hearing disorders, consumers can log on to the ASHA website or call 1-800-638-TALK.
Taken from www.asha.org/about/news/2007/iPhone.htm
