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health fears mean young should not use mobile phones
Children should not use mobile phones because of continuing concerns over the possible health risks, a leading expert warned yesterday. Sir William Stewart of the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) urged parents not to give the phones to children under the age of eight, and said those between eight and 14 should use them only when absolutely necessary.
"I don't think we can put our hands on our hearts and say mobile phones are totally safe," Prof Stewart said.
Scientists have yet to find proof that the electromagnetic radiation emitted by mobile phones and their transmitter masts could be dangerous, but Prof Stewart said new evidence suggested there might be possible health implications.
He said there was enough uncertainty about mobile phones to adopt a "precautionary approach" - particularly when it comes to children. If electromagnetic radiation poses a risk it will affect children more than adults because their skulls are thinner and their brains are still developing.
"If you have a teenager and you feel they can benefit in terms of security by having a mobile phone, it is a personal choice, it is a personal decision, although mobile phones have not always helped on that basis," Prof Stewart said. "But if mobile phones are available to three- to eight-year-olds I can't believe for a moment that can be justified.
"What about kids from eight to 14 years? I believe that is a judgment that parents have to make but they have to have the evidence available to them. My belief is that they should take a precautionary approach and that they should use them for as short a time as possible and they should use text messaging as much as possible."
Read More
http://www.guardian.co.uk/mobile/article/0,2763,1388306,00.html
Scientists have yet to find proof that the electromagnetic radiation emitted by mobile phones and their transmitter masts could be dangerous, but Prof Stewart said new evidence suggested there might be possible health implications.
He said there was enough uncertainty about mobile phones to adopt a "precautionary approach" - particularly when it comes to children. If electromagnetic radiation poses a risk it will affect children more than adults because their skulls are thinner and their brains are still developing.
"If you have a teenager and you feel they can benefit in terms of security by having a mobile phone, it is a personal choice, it is a personal decision, although mobile phones have not always helped on that basis," Prof Stewart said. "But if mobile phones are available to three- to eight-year-olds I can't believe for a moment that can be justified.
"What about kids from eight to 14 years? I believe that is a judgment that parents have to make but they have to have the evidence available to them. My belief is that they should take a precautionary approach and that they should use them for as short a time as possible and they should use text messaging as much as possible."
Read More
http://www.guardian.co.uk/mobile/article/0,2763,1388306,00.html
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Sir William Stewart, head of the National Radiological Protection Board, said he was more concerned about the risks to health from mobile phones than in 2000, when the first report into their safety was published.
Although there was "no hard evidence" they caused harm, the number of mobile phone users had doubled to 50 million since 2000 and there were now 40,000 base stations. "Use of mobile phones has escalated and they have become part of everyday life," he said. "They are essential to business, widely used by the man in the street and have become a fashion accessory. But just because 50 million people use them it does not mean they are absolutely safe."
Mobile phones had a short history and health problems could take decades to emerge, he added. Some studies had indicated possible adverse effects, including an increase in acoustic neuromas - a non-cancerous brain tumour - in long-term users in Sweden, and changes to cognitive function in Dutch users.
The studies were not all robust and their findings might never be confirmed but they could not be dismissed, Sir William said. "Against that, it is important for us to continue to have a precautionary approach." If anyone was at risk, the most vulnerable group was likely to be young children with thinner skulls and developing brains.
Sir William said parents might give teenagers mobiles for security reasons but added: "When it comes to three- to eight-year-olds, I can't believe [giving them mobiles] can be readily justified. For eight- to 14-year-olds that is a judgement parents have to make. My view is that on the evidence we have, children should use mobile phones for as short a time as possible, they should use text messaging where possible and should choose a phone with a low SAR value [specific energy absorption rate, a measure of the microwave radiation emitted]."
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health_medical/story.jsp?story=599976