Clearing the Air of Cell Phone Radiation

There's no doubt we live in a digital age. Studies fromBritain's advisory body on radiologic hazards, the Health
around the world are now being released with someProtection Agency, has urged parents to limit their
startling news about using cell phones. A 2007children's use of cell phones, recommending that
Swedish study reports that radio waves from mobileyounger children use cell phones only in emergencies.
phones penetrate deep into the brain, not just aroundHere in the United States, there are no precautionary
the ear. Researchers found that using a cell phone forguidelines, and toy companies are teaming up with
10 years or longer will double the risk of getting anwireless companies and marketing to kids as young as
acoustic neuroma, a tumor on a nerve that connectsfive. For example, LeapFrog's "TicTalk" and Mattel's
the ear to the brain. Children, because they have"My Scene" are simple phones with five speed-dial
thinner skulls than adults and nervous systems that arebuttons-kind of a cross between a phone and a pager.
still developing, are particularly vulnerable.As kids get older and are exposed to more advanced
A 2008 study involving more than 13,000 children,phones, they'll surely be pressuring parents for an
conducted at UCLA and Aarhus University inupgrade. Also, I'm aware that kids aren't just using their
Denmark, took even the scientists behind it by surprise.phones to talk. They're text messaging, taking pictures,
They found that mothers who used cell phones whileplaying video games, and surfing the Web, which
they were pregnant were 54 percent more likely toopens up a whole new set of concerns.
have children with behavioral problems when theyCell phones have certainly become a big part of life.
reached school age. When the children later used cellThere are over three billion of them in use on our
phones themselves, they were, overall, 80 percentplanet. According to a 2005 survey by the ad agency
more likely to suffer from difficulties with behavior.BBDO Worldwide, 75 percent of American cell phone
Specifically, they were 25 percent more at risk fromowners had it turned on and within reach during their
emotional problems, 34 percent more likely to sufferwaking hours, 59 percent wouldn't think of lending their
from difficulties relating to their peers, 35 percent morecell phone to a friend for a day, and 26 percent said it
likely to be hyperactive, and 49 percent more prone towas more important to go home to retrieve a cell
problems with conduct.phone than a wallet. About half of American teens
Short-term cell phone use can also have adverseages 13 to 16 have a cell phone, and now companies
effects. Scientists at the Spanish Neuro Diagnostichave set their sights on 9- to 12-year-olds, or "tweens,"
Research Institute in Marbella conducted a 10-yearas the next untapped market for cell phone use. But
study, released in May 2008, which showed that a callbefore you're persuaded to go out and buy your child
lasting just 2 minutes can alter the natural electricala cell phone, think twice before hooking them up.
activity of a child's brain for up to an hour afterwards.Bottom line? Do what brain surgeons do: In 2008 three
Doctors fear that disturbed brain activity in childrenprominent neurosurgeons told CNN's Larry King that
could affect their mood and ability to learn and lead tothey did not hold cell phones next to their ears. Keith
psychiatric and behavioral problems. Another studyBlack, MD, a surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in
released in 2008, conducted at the MassachusettsLos Angeles, Vini Khurana, PhD, an associate
Institute of Technology (MIT), showed that college andprofessor of neurosurgery at the Australian National
MBA students who were exposed to cell phoneUniversity, and CNN's chief medical correspondent, Dr.
electromagnetic radiation had disturbed sleep patterns,Sanjay Gupta, a neurosurgeon at Emory University
potentially affecting the body's ability to recover fromHospital, said they use ear pieces instead.
stress.