I am sure you have already found that risks and dangers stand behind every corner. Here is the next one called cell phones radiation. When I got familiar with this issue, I suddenly remembered how many times I have let my toddler playing with my mobile or “speaking” with his grandmas. I know you will not throw away your phone when you read this, but hope that it will at least make you smarter when using a cell phone, buying a new one and especially when your kids are nearby such a device.
What is Cell Phones Radiation?
I won’t give you a lesson on cell phones radiation. I will just say that mobile phones emit energy in waves (electromagnetic radiation or EMR) that penetrates the human head and body. And what’s the big deal with this? Television, computers, coffee blenders, hair dryers, and even the vacuum cleaners, they all emit EMR…
In order to sell mobile phones in the USA the manufacturer has to receive an approval from the FCC (Federal Communications Commission). To get that approval there should be SAR (specific absorption rate) tests done. In other words, the manufacturer should prove that the radiation emitted by his phones are within the FCC standards of acceptable radiation absorbed by a cell phone user’s brain and body.
You will ask what the problem is? Actually, there are a few:
- usually cell phones radiation tests are done by the manufacturer himself or by Telecommunications Certification Bodies. The latter take active part in determining the compliance of cell phones together with FCC;
- current SAR measurement is based on animal studies done in the late 70s and early 80s;
- FCC standards give adults only a thin margin of safety over radiation levels that harm animals;
- the cell phones radiation standards ignore children.
Cell phones radiation effects & Why kids are at greater risk?
The World Health Organization classifies cell phones radiation on the IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) scale in Group 2B, which means possibly carcinogenic. Long-term (over 10 years) cell phone users can get
- glioma: brain tumor,
- acoustic neuroma: tumor of the nerve that connects the year to the brain,
- parotid gland tumors.
Cell phones are around for 2 decades only. I imagine that you are old enough to have had a childhood without cell phones. What about our kids? Approximately at 15 years of age they will be already considered long-term users. Moreover, research shows that kids have thinner and softer skull, which means that their heads absorb more radiation that adults. A recent study of Danish kids that use cell phones and whose mothers have also used cell phones during pregnancy reveals that they are 80% more likely to have hyperactivity and emotional problems. What would these same kids suffer when they reach our age?
How to reduce kids’ exposure to cell phones radiation?
1. Don’t let kids to use cell phones. If this is necessary, it is better for them to send text messages or use a headset or speaker rather than speaking on the phone.
2. Buy them a low-radiation phone. Check the EWG Guide to choose a cell phone with the lowest possible radiation.
3. Don’t let your kids use any antenna caps or keypad covers. This forces the cell phone to use more power and consequently to emit more radiation.
4. Don’t let your baby or toddler play with cell phones.
Next time when you plan to buy a cell phone, apart from the look and features, consider also the radiation level. Be informed and take the best decisions to protect your family and yourself.
