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A12 - The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, February 20, 2007 afrm DATIEUNE on page Ali Dr. No appointmenî's necessary For more information, cati Mimmo Rizzo at (905) 856- 9926 or Valeria Citton at (905) 507-3189. Registration for Town of Milton spring and summer recreation programs begins at 9 a.m. (February 27 for non-residents). Residenis can use Milton Online Registrations to register via Internet, or by automated touch-tone tele- phone. Registration can also be donc in-person ai the Milton Leisure Centre, Milton Sports Centre, Milton Seniors' Activity Centre or Town Hall Annex 555. For more information, sec the Spring and Summer Community Services Guide, visit www.miiîon.ca or cali (905) 878-7252, ext. 2189. The Deck youth centre, 200 Main St. (rear enîrance), invites high schoot students to drop by between 7 and il p.m. to play a gamne of pool or just bang out. Milton District Hospital holds a group ses- sion breastfeeding cîiei wiîh a ccrtified lacta- tion consultant front il a.m. to 12:30 p.m. For more information or to make an appointmcnî, cati jili Hicks at (905) 878-2383, cxi. 7610. Saturday Feb. 24 Milton Concert Presentations hosts the Kitchener Waterloo Symphony in an explo- ration of Spanish ciassics at 8 p.m. ai Soutbside Communiîy Church, 5850 Dcrry Rd. Tickets cost $30 for aduits and $25 for students and seniors. For more information, cali (905) 878- 1526. A free performance of the play 'Once Upon this Iland' takes place at 7 p.m. ai Neison High School in Burlington in ceichration of Black History Month. its a Caribbcan version of Hans Christian Andersons Little Mermaid and is being put on by partners including the Burtington Caribbean Connection, the Halton Distnict School Board and the Halton Regionat Police Service. For tickets, cati (905) 332-9098 or e-mail thebcc2000@Lyahoo.ca. The Milton branch of the Royal Canadian Legion, 21 Chartes St., holds a meat roll in the clubroom at 4 p.m. The Milton Public Library holds its Rise 'n Shine drop-mn ait 10 a.m. wiîh stories, songs and dance for kids agcd six months to îhree ycars. Kids must be accompanicd by an adut. Its Famnity Storytime takes place ai il a.m. for prc-schoolcrs. Kîds under îhrce are wclcome but must be accompanied by a caregiver. Saturday Feb. 24 - 25 The Halton Womcns Centre, suite 229 in Hopedale Mati, 1515 Rebecca St. in Oakvilie, holda a semninar cnîiîtcd 'Learning to Move Forward', which teaches skiits to idenîify, release and change our responses to the chal- lenges in lîfe. h runs from 9.30 a.m. o 3:30 p.m. The cosi is $35. For more information, cail (905) 847-5520 or visît www.haltonwom- cnsccntre.org. Sunday Feb. 25 Thc Haton-Peel branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society mecîs ai 2 p.ins ai thc Oakvillc Public Lîbrary (lowcr lcvcl), 120 Navy St., with speakers îatkîng about usîng DNA to fînd relatives and îips on geîîîng yolir famtily hisiory pîblîshcd. Vîsîtors arc welconic For more information, cati Ann Logan ai (905) 845-7755 or Susan Ramsay at (905) 846-0408. Monday Feb. 26 The Betonging adoption support group meets at 7:15 p.m. ai Compass Point Bible Church, 2501 Faglesfietd Dr., in Burlîngion. is open to anyonc îouched by adoption issues. The Hatton Womens Centre, suite 229 in Hopedale Mati, 1515 Rebecca St. in Oakville, hotds a free incomne tax clinic from 10 a. m. 10 noon. For financial etigibility information, cati (905) 847-5520 or visit www.haltonwomcn- scentrc.org. The Lightbousc Program for Grieving Children in Oakvittc holds its peer support group from 6 to 7:30 p.m. for childrcn and icens agcd îhree to 18 who've losi a parent or sibting. For more information or to register, cati (905) 337-2333 or e-mail lighîhousepro- gram@beltnet.ca. Milton District Hospital hotds a one-on-one hreastfeedmng cîii with a cerîified lactation consultant from. 1:30 to 3 p.m. For more infor- mation or to make an appoînîmeni, cati Jill Hicks at (905) 878-2383, cxi. 7610. A speech-tanguage pathologist is ait the Milton Communîîy Resource Centre/Ontanio Earty Years Centre, 410 Bronie Si. S., to provide haîf-hour consultations fo--r kids up îo five ycars old. To book an appoîntmcnî, caîl (905) 876- 1244, ext. 10. The Halton His Quilters Guild mcci', ai the Halton His Cultural Centre, 9 Chtîrch St. in Georgetown ai 7 15 p.m. wiîh speaker Rossalie Tennison discussing quili appraisals. New inembers arc wetcomce For morc infor- imation, caîl group presîdeni Ann Toîten ai (905) 877-6038. Tuesday Feh. 27 The Halton Womcns Centre, suite 229 in Hopedale Malt, 1515 Rebecca St. in Oakvillc, hotds its Emptoyment Network for unem- ptoycd womcn from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. For more information, cati (905) 847-5520 or visit www.haltonwomenscentre.org. Calltmg New Parents, a free drop-in pro- gram for parents and babies aged 6 monîhs and younger, meets with a public healîh nurse to dîscuss parenîing and infant care. The group meets ai the new Ontario Early Years Centre ai 410 Bronie St. from 1.30 te, 3.30 p.m. For more information, cali (905) 825-6000, ext. 7299. The Milton AI-Anon group meets ai 8 p.m. ai St. Paul's United Church, 123 Main St. E., for family and fniends of atcoholîcs. St. Paul's United Church, 123 Main Si. F., hotds its Parents Mornmng Oui from 9:30 to il a.m. For more information, cati (905) 878- 1286. Help for Parents, a Hatton parent support group, mecîs in the evcnîng in the basement of Si. Flizabcihs Church, 5324 Bromley. Rd., in Burlîngion. This non-denominaîtonal self-sup- port group helps parents of childrcn who are in trouble ai home, ai sclhool or with the law or who are abusive or îakîng drugs. The group is a member of the Association of Parent Support Groups in Ontanio, For more informnation, cali 1-800-488-5666 or vîsît wwvw.apsgo.ca. Milton Distrnct Hospital hoids a one-on-one breastfccding clinic wîîlî a ccrîified lactation consultant fromn 9:30 to il:30 arn. For more informatiton or to make an appoînîmient, cati JitI Hicks ai (905) 878-2383, ext. 7610. S Hearng for Lite Audiologyi Centre & Dispensary Noise exposure/music/MP3 players/risk for hearing loss. These topics spark one's curiosity given the resurgence of personal listening devices (PLD's) in our socieiy. .. .in our homes. Similar concernis were brought 10 lighi many years ago, for those of you who remember or perhaps even owned a Walkman. n terms 0f present day technology, the fîrsi IPOD was introduced Oct. 23 2001. Between lune 2004 and 2005 MP3 sales tripted in Canada. 40% of householdsi n Canada own MP3 players. Receni studies reveal that 30% of eilîdren under 12, 61% if teens and 23% of aduits own MP3 players. Some recent studies have shown that more ihan haîf of users surveyed reporied ai leasi one of the 4 symptoms commonly associated wih hearing loss including tinnitus (ringing in ears) and voices appearing muffled. What Is a Noise-induced Hearlng Loss? Hearing lois due 10 noise exposure is also, known as noise-induced hearing loss. The type oi noise does not malter. Il can be music or industrial noise. Whai matters are the exposure lime (lime speni listening) and the intensity of the noise (measured in decibels (dB)). The louder the intensity of the noise, the shorter exposure lime before damage cao occur to our hearing. When the humain ear is exposed to excessively loud noise a person will experience a iemporary shift in hearing ihat generally recovers within a short period of lime. This is a temporary ihreshold shift or UTS. You may have experienced being in a noisy environment and when you leave thai noise your hearîng seems dulI and you may also have ringîng (or linnitus) after tis noise exposure. These are early warnlng signs ihai you have esposed your ears 10 excessively loud noise. This generally recovers when you wake up the nexi day. Over lime and continued exposure 10 noise, ihese TTS's wilI accumulate and evenlually become permanent threshold shifts (PTS) and wilI resulti n a permanent hearing losi. MP3's wiih the ability 10 store 1 000's cof songs and increased batiery life means thal people can lisien for longer duralions. What Leveis of Nolise Are Safe? Sounds under 85 decibels are generally considered safe. Prolonged exposure 10 sounds above 85 dB can cause graduai hearing loss. In lad, according 10 some standards the maximum exposure 10 85dB of noise is consîdered 10 be 8 hours before risking hearîng damage. Sludies show ihat indîviduals who chose 10 use iheir personal listening device ai volumes close 10 or full on wilI be ai risk for noise induced hearing loss in a very short period of lime. Some of Ihese devices (lpods with ear buds, for example) can reach levels in excess of il 0dB in the ear canal when the volume is sel full on. The maximum allowable daily dose ai this level is jusi over a minute before the potential for damage becomes apparent. Regular exposure 10 sounds above 1 00dB3 for more ihan one minute tan cause permanent hearîng loss. The good news is, based on curreni research, Ihal the average lîstening level of mosi youlhs does flot exceed hazardous levef s. MP3 Players and Hearing Loss: Are you at Risk? It seems, however, ihai environment plays a role in determining the level that individuais set their MP3's. In quiet environmenîs individuals ofien lisien to these devices ai acceptable levels. In the presence of street noise for example of ihere s a tendency to nrease the volume of the MP3 10 overcome the background noise. This can increase esposure 10 noise and reduce the acceptable exposure urne. How to Listen Safeily Playing your music ioo loud for ioo long can cause a lifelong hearing loss. We need 10 ieach our children good listening habits and also lead by example. Moderation is key and being in tune wiih your ears. i. Turn dlown the Volume. PLD's do not have meters that tell us thai ihis volume is ok or ibis is 100 loud. A good guideline would ble haîf volume. If you tan hear someone's music from his or ber headphones, then the volume is 100 loud and the individual is ai risk for hearing loss. 2. Find MP3 players with a volume-limiting feature aiid keep the volume ai a safe range (85dB) or find a sale level on the volume control and mark il for your child. 3. Take breaks from the noise. 4. Be aware of the warning signs 5. Consider upgrading your ear buds 10 the over the ear style or a more snug!cusîom fit 10 prevent the need 10 turn up the volume on your MP3 10 camouflage background noise. If you have any questions regardîng noise esposure, hearîng conservation or hearîng in general, please feel f ree 10 caîl us. If you have been exposed 10 noise ai work or leisure you may want 10 have your hearîng iesied 10 rule oui any hearing loss. For some helpful information for parents, educators and children please visit the foflomîng sites. www.listentoyourbuds.com www.soundsense.ca For more information, please cali us or visit our office at: 497 Laurier Avenue, Suite 3, Milton, Ontario L9T 3K8 905.693HEAR (4327)