If your child uses a cell phone, take note. A recent news report has prompted renewed concerns about the safety of cell phone use, especially by children.

In January, 2005, The National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB), an independent research organization in the UK, announced that they are now advising parents not to let children under the age of eight use cell phones. Evidence of the potentially harmful effects of cell phone use, the NRPB explained, has become more persuasive over the past five years.

The NRPB's parental warning is based on four recent studies, conducted in Europe, indicating that the potential hazards of cell phone use have been underestimated:
- A ten-year study in Sweden suggests that heavy cell phone users are more prone than non-users to develop non-malignant tumors in the ear and brain
- A Dutch study has suggested impaired cognitive function as a result of cell phone use
- A German study points to a probable increase in cancer around cellular base stations
- A project supported by the EU has shown evidence of cell damage resulting from exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) typical of those of cell phones

MALIGNANT AND NON-MALIGNANT TUMORS

While the tumors linked to cell phone use in the Swedish study were benign, other scientists suggest that the reality could be worse. They are concerned that prolonged contact with the radio waves emitted by cell phones could actually cause malignant tumors.

"Studies show there has been a 40 per cent across-the-board increase in the number of brain tumors in the past 20 years," explains Senator Lyn Allison of Australia, where brain tumor is now the leading cause of death in children under 15. Senator Allison, who spent a year listening to scientists to find out what the risks are, points out, "That 20 years has coincided with the use of mobile phone and many other radio frequencies."

In the U.S., Dr. George Carlo, a leading epidemiologist, was hired by the cell phone industry in 1993 to prove that cell phones are safe. After 6 years of revealing research, however, he found compelling evidence that cell phone use is NOT safe. Following his conscience, Dr. Carlo became a whistleblower.

"One by one, alarming signs appeared in Dr. Carlo's research: that cell phones interfere with pacemakers, that developing skulls of children are penetrated deeply by the energy emitted from a cell phone, that the blood brain barrier which prevents invasion of the brain from toxins can be compromised by the cell phone radiation and, most startling, that radio frequency radiation creates micronuclei in human blood cells, a type of genetic damage known to be a diagnostic marker for cancer." ~ from Cell Phones: Invisible Hazards in the Wireless Age by Dr. George Carlo and Martin Schram

Dr. Carlo proved, and shared in his book, that there is a significant risk of brain tumors for those who use cell phones. In many cases doctors who perform surgery on brain tumors and lesions can tell on which side of the head the patient holds his or her cell phone.

Children are more susceptible to cell damage because the tissues in their brains and bodies are still growing and their cells are rapidly dividing. Damage to the genetic material in growing cells can lead to disruption of cellular function, cell death, the development of tumors, and damage to the immune and nervous systems.

But it is not only long term use of cell phones that deserves concern; short-term use has also shown to have immediate adverse effects...

IMPAIRED LEARNING ABILITY

Scientists at the Spanish Neuro Diagnostic Research Institute in Marbella have discovered that a two-minute cell phone call can alter the electrical activity of a child's brain for up to an hour afterwards. This finding has raised fears among doctors that disturbed brain activity in children could lead to psychiatric and behavioral problems and impair learning ability.

As Dr. Gerald Hyland, a government adviser in the UK said, "The results of the Spanish study show that children's brains are affected for long periods even after very short-term use.... This could affect their mood and ability to learn in the classroom if they have been using a phone during break time, for instance. We don't know all the answers yet, but the alteration in brain waves could lead to things like a lack of concentration, memory loss, inability to learn and aggressive behaviour."

The implications are serious; even a slight impairment in learning ability, sustained over years of education, is likely to significantly impact a child's future potential and achievement.

PROTECT YOUR CHILDREN

The reports mentioned here are only the more recent of many years of studies indicating the serious potential health hazards of cell phone use. Numerous clinical studies reveal links between cell phone use and brain tumors, genetic damage, fatigue, asthma, heart disease, depression, impaired learning ability, and cancer. Yet parents are pampering children as young as age four with cell phones. In the U.S., 40 percent of children between the ages of four and eighteen use some kind of wireless device (such as a cell phone, PDA, pocket PC, or pager), and one in three U.S. teenagers uses a cell phone.

It's predicted that by the year 2006 there will be over 2 billion cell phone users in the world... and that 500 million of them will be children.

The dangers of EMF exposure from cell phones and other wireless/electronic devices are very real, yet the government and the cellular industry have been very slow to admit these dangers exist. Given the reluctance of the industry to acknowledge the implications of this research and to initiate improved safety standards, concerned parents are wise to take matters into their own hands.

Fortunately, you don't have to confiscate your child's cell phone. Increasing public awareness of the dangers of cell phone use has spawned a new EMF protection industry. Concerned scientists and experts in the fields of biophysics, bioenergetics, and material science have been developing new technologies and products for the end consumer. Backed by independent clinical testing, these simple high-tech devices offer real protection from these modern-age perils.

For most people, cell phones have become an essential part of daily living. They offer convenience, business and social connectivity, and a lifeline in case of emergencies. While health risks related to its use are a growing issue, with proper education and tools you can ensure safety for yourself and your family. And with that comes peace of mind.

? copyright 2005 Taraka Serrano

Taraka Serrano is a health advocate associated with BIOPRO Technology, a company that provides electromagnetic field (EMF) protection solutions. This article is part of the 'Protect the Children' Public Awareness Campaign being conducted by BIOPRO. For more information about the health dangers of EMF exposure and to find out how you can protect yourself and your family, visit EMF-Health.com.