The book that could save a child's life

Dec. 11, 2012 - PRLog -- The first book of its kind anywhere in the world, Wireless-wise Kids, includes dozens of useful safety tips and colourful, pictures designed to appeal to kids of all ages.

‘Today’s kids love their wireless technology. It’s not unusual for them to spend hours each day on their mobile phones, cordless phones, wireless laptops and tablets,’ said McLean, the book’s author. ‘But until now there’s been no accessible information about how they can use these devices more safely.’

‘In Wireless-wise Kids we’ve created colourful, animated pictures and cartoon characters designed to appeal to kids of all ages,’ said the book’s illustrator, Australian artist Janet Selby. ‘We’re confident we’ve created a product that is suitable for both the young and the very young.’

The current generation is the first to grow up in a world of wireless technology and the first to be exposed, even before birth, to the microwave radiation they emit.

‘Young people are often thought to be at more risk of radiation from these devices than adults – but they know less about how to protect themselves,’ said McLean, who has monitored the research on microwave radiation for 16 years and is author of two previous books on the subject. ‘In Wireless-wise Kids we’ve created some very positive messages about using this technology sensibly.’

‘Of course, we don’t get into the whole health debate in the book. We simply illustrate some of the precautions that many international experts have been advising. For example, did you know that many mobile phone user manuals advise people not to hold a mobile phone directly against the heads? But how many kids are aware of that?’ said McLean.

The book contains dozens of tips that young people can easily understand an implement.

‘We think that kids will derive as much information from the pictures as the text,’ said Selby, who, like McLean, is a trained teacher.

The book’s message is in line with recommendations from many international authorities to limit children’s exposure to microwave radiation. These include Russia’s peak radiation authority, the European Environment Agency, the European Parliament, governments in Britain, Israel and France and medical organisations in Ireland, Germany, Vienna and the US.

‘We’ve spoken to so many young people who really wanted to know how to use wireless technology safely,’ said McLean and Selby. ‘Now there’s an easy way for them to find out.’

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