Wireless headphones: What parents need to know

More and more, our kids are using wireless listening devices, whether at home, at school, or on the go. But how safe are they, and what guidelines do experts recommend?

Concerns about a link between wireless devices and health risks were raised in 2015, when an international group of over 200 scientists raised the alarm over our increasing exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF).

The risks they cited? Cancer, neurological disorders, reproductive issues, and memory and learning deficits.

Collectively, they appealed to the World Health Organization (WHO) to review their guidelines around EMF exposure.

Cell phones v. headphones

But the wireless devices of most concern were not headphones or earbuds but cell phones. In fact, the radiation emitted by the highest-quality wireless headphones is nearly 1000 times less than the average cell phone.

That’s because, while our phones need to communicate with distant towers to achieve connection, Bluetooth listening devices only connect to a nearby device.kitten

What’s more, these listening devices - because they are placed directly in or on our ears - are actually protective against the EMF exposure, compared to holding a device close to the body.

That said, scientists have warned that there are no studies of prolonged and excessive use of wireless listening devices - and caution parents to restrict their children from prolonged exposure. 

Hearing loss

But what about the impact on hearing? According to the Centers for Disease Control, an estimated 12.5 percent of kids aged 6-19 (and a whopping 17% of adults) have experienced hearing loss due to loud noise. And children who listen to digital audio at maximum volume through headphones are at highest risk.

Once such hearing loss occurs, it cannot be reversed.

Hearing loss can result from damage to structures and/or nerve fibers in the inner ear that respond to sound. This type of hearing loss, termed “noise-induced hearing loss,” is usually caused by exposure to excessively loud sounds and cannot be medically or surgically corrected. Noise-induced hearing loss can result from a one-time exposure to a very loud sound, blast, or impulse, or from listening to loud sounds over an extended period."

- The Centers for Disease Control

High-quality wireless listening devices that are made specifically for children often have built-in volume limits that are aimed at preventing hearing loss. But recent reports have found that some of them exceed their advertised limits. And perhaps more worryingly, savvy older children are often able to bypass the “kid-friendly” manufacturer’s limits. 

Suggested guidelines

WHO recommends volume levels no higher than 85 decibels for children. To get a sense of that, consider that the average face-to-face conversation registers at around 60 dB. 

Parents are also advised to limit children’s use of wireless headphones to no more than an hour at a time.

Family Zone keeps you on top of all the latest research and trends in today's fast-moving digital world.

Create a cyber-safe home where children thrive - and start your free trial today!

 

 

Tell me more!

Topics: Parental Controls, Screen time, Mobile Apps, online safety, wireless headphones, bluetooth

    Try Family Zone for FREE

    Sign up now to try Family Zone for 1 month, totally free of charge.

    Free Trial
    Subscribe to our newsletter
    Follow us on social media
    Popular posts
    Parental Controls | Mobile Apps | Cyber Safety | teens on social media
    Can we talk? 100 questions your teen might actually answer
    Parental Controls | Screen time | youtube | smartphones | WhatsApp | suicide | self-harm | momo
    MOMO unmasked
    Parental Controls | Cyber Safety | Cyber Experts | parenting | roblox
    Roblox: What parents need to know about this popular gaming platform
    Parental Controls | Cyber Safety | tinder | Cyber Experts | parenting | yellow
    Yellow: The Tinder for Teens
    Parental Controls | Social Media | privacy | decoy app
    Hide It Pro: A decoy app to look out for
    Cyber Bullying | Parental Controls | Screen time | Mobile Apps | Cyber Safety | online predators | tiktok | paedophile | child predator | Likee
    LIKEE: What parents need to know about this risky TikTok wannabe

    Recent posts

     
    Press the reset button on your kid’s online routine

    COVID blew up our teens’ screen-time. It’s time to get them back on track. In the wake of the COVID pandemic, our children are facing a ...

     
    Bigger families face super-sized screen-time challenges

    If you have more than one child - and statistics show 86 percent of families do - then managing screen-time can be double trouble. Or ...

     
    'Bigorexia' a growing risk for today's boys

    We’re starting to understand how social media can damage girls’ self-esteem - but what about our boys? New research finds disturbing ...

     
    The metaverse: Brave new world - or an upgrade for predators?

    Mixing kids and adult strangers in a self-moderated online environment ... What could possibly go wrong?