You are here

Many Nations Banning or Limiting Cell Phone Use by Children

While nations around the world are either banning or limiting cell phone use by children, and some by those under the age of 12 years-old, Health Canada has remained mum on the subject.

France is nearing the point where it will make it illegal to market cell phones to children.

Russian officials have recommended that children under the age of 18 years not use cell phones at all.

Similarly, the United Kingdom, Israel, Belgium, Germany and India have discouraged use of cell phones by children.

In Finland, the Radiation and Nuclear Power Authority has urged parents to err on the side of caution, because despite there being no definitive research indicating health risks related to the use of cell phones, there is also no definitive research indicating the absence of health risks from cell phone use. The truth is, cell phone use, and especially its wide use among children, is a relatively new phenomenon which has not yet enabled study of possible long term effects.

CBC-TV conducted a survey of 1,000 children in Canada; the results indicated that almost half of the children in the 9-13 year-old range have cell phones.

An epidemiologist, Professor Devra Davis, at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute has been quoted as stating, "Because the latency between exposure and brain cancer could be 20 or 30 years...we are basically treating ourselves like lab rats in an experiment without any controls" (CBCNews.ca. 2009, January 22).

The fact is, children's brains are less dense--more porous--than adult brains. Radio frequency signals penetrate a child's brain more deeply than they do an adult's brain. Scans have confirmed that the low-level radiation emitted by cell phones penetrate the brain of a 5-year-old child more than halfway through.

Source: CBCnews.ca (2009, January 22). "Health Canada has little to say about cellphone risks for kids".

Note from Ben Kim: Another reason for keeping cell phones away from children is that the bones that make up their skulls are thinner than those of adults. Consequently, children have less protection against deep penetration of radio frequency signals into their brains.

Here are a few additional thoughts on minimizing exposure to radio frequency signals:

  1. The greatest exposure to radiation from a cell phone occurs within about half a foot of the emitting antenna, so be sure to keep your cell phone at least six inches away from all of your body parts whenever it's turned on.

  2. When you must use a cell phone, try to use it where reception is strong; weak reception requires that your phone emits more radiation, which leads to stronger radio waves that can affect your deeper tissues.

  3. Use a headset or at the very least, the speaker phone function when you must use your cell phone.

  4. When you're not using your cell phone, keep it turned off. Cell phones that are not in use but left on emit radiation on an intermittent basis.

  5. Minimize use of all other wireless devices, including cordless phones at home and at work. If you must use a wireless/cordless phone, choose an older version that operates at 900 MHz - though such phones still emit harmful waves when in use, they don't broadcast nonstop like higher frequency phones (2.4 GHz, 5.8 GHz, etc.).

If you're interested in getting a simple device - called a Gauss meter - that you can use to detect EMF activity around cell phones, cordless home phones, and other wireless devices, have a look at the Cell Sensor EMF Detector - it's relatively inexpensive, and it's what I use to look for "hot spots and devices" in our home and office from time to time.

Holding a Cell Sensor EMF Detector up against a cell phone and having it give off a strong and steady beep is a good way to help children and skeptical adults become more aware of the presence of electromagnetic fields.

 
 

Join more than 80,000 readers worldwide who receive Dr. Ben Kim's free newsletter

Receive simple suggestions to measurably improve your health and mobility, plus alerts on specials and giveaways at our catalogue

Please Rate This

Your rating: None Average: 4.7 (106 votes)
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.
 
 
 

Comments

I live in Israel and despite the official Ministry of Health guidelines regarding cell phone use and children, nothing has happened. Children can be seen talking on their cells phones while walking home from school, just hanging out in the mall, etc.

It is good advice to limit cell phone use, however the experts warn that there is no safe level of exposure and exposure is cumulative.

Regarding headset use - research has shown that an earpiece or BlueTooth actually attract the ambient, or environmental, radiation and concentrate it in the ear. Also, we found when testing with an MSAS (Seridian Stress Assessment System)that the body's systems were stressed while wearing an earpiece, and the phone in the pocket - without even making a call. One more thing to consider when using an earpiece is: where is the phone? Most people hold it in their hand, keep it in their pocket, or hang it on their belt. The radiation exposure isn't minimized in this case, only shifted to another part of the body.

Regarding the phone on the belt: studies have shown that men who carry their phone either on their belt or in their pocket have a 300% increased risk for testicular cancer and a 35% decrease in sperm count.

I acknowledge Dr. Kim for bring this issue to his readers attention and hope that people will use their phones for emergency calls only. Keep your calls short. Make them outdoors. Use the speaker phone. Be considerate of others who have not given permission to be radiated and make your calls away from them.

Esti Allina-Turnauer

I also live in Israel and despite Ministry of Health warnings, Knesset rulings, and Israeli research, neighbors contract with cell companies to install cell towers on their premises! You read that right. Our absentee neighbors get $3,000 per month for two cell towers located right next door to our apartment. Those two towers and the box which powers them are still up despite public protests in front of their apartment, calls to the police, the city council, and the Knesset. We've met with lawyers and religious authorities. We've contacted friends of the owner of the company. All efforts to remove the towers has failed. Any ideas?

Thanks,

Dr.Rosenberg

Dear Dr. Ben Kim,

I have been using Biopro products to help my body combat the harmful effects of all the EMF that are out there. Regardless of whether we use a cell phone or not.

I was a very heavy cell phone user for many years and had experienced a constant pain from my inner ear all the way down my jaw bone, for almost a year and a half. A knew about devices that could be put on a cell phone. When I found Biopro and attached the BioPro 'sticker' on my cell phone, WITHIN 10 (ten) minutes the pain was gone and hasn't been back since, years later. I am still a heavy cell phone user and also use their special headset that has a HOLLOW tube connect up to the ear, so that no metal wires act as an antenna beaming into the ear.

I just wanted to share with you and your readers that there ARE ways to protect yourself and your family and loved ones.

Hope this helps spreading the word on this great solution.

Marcella, San Francisco Bay Area, CA

Sadly, I doubt the US will follow suit.... since most vendors are independent businesses, and not selling to kids would cut into their bottom line. "Family Plans" "Pick Your Circle" and "ADD a Line" all target the multiple members of a family group. Let's not forget the "Pay As You Go" market available too.
This country is run on 'money' and how much can be made. Health is a 5th or 6th consideration, "IF" at all and that's obscene. If they can 'make money' selling cell phones, they will, and they "DO". Children are just another 'Target Marget' for sales.
Thank goodness other countries aren't strangled by the money hold, and consider their citizens first, especially the youngest of them. Maybe in time the US will 'do something' about the dangers of 'cell phone usage' but I doubt it. Adults drive cars with these phones attached to their ears, ultimately not paying the attention demanded by being behind the wheel of a lethal weapon and causing deadly consequences. Cells phones are a modern and amazing convenience.... damage is caused by these technological marvels every day. They've have been in the mainstream now for over 20 years...
What has the US done so far to protect it's own?