Ongoing EMF radiation studies on cell phones, kids and cancer
Posted by Dj Banovic on
What actually happens when your child is exposed to EMF radiation? How it affects them? How much radiation do they absorb through daily cell phone calls, texting or use of wireless internet connection? Does it affect them psychologically as well by changing the growth of their cognitive abilities and brain development? And just how much is this “children and cell phones” issue serious?
My kid has a cell phone, should I be worried?
These are some of the questions that might be answered in three years, after so far the largest study in the world gathers evidence about effects of EMF radiation on children (SCAMP). This study will take place in UK and will involve more than 2500 eleven to fourteen year old kids. Current safety guidelines are based on evidence collected ten years ago; this new three-year study should provide new insight into correlation between heavy use of modern technology and development of physical and psychological health problems in children.
The Study of Cognition, Adolescents and Mobile Phones (SCAMP) will monitor things like how much time kids spent using mobile devices, their brain function and cognitive abilities (how they think, collect and process information and make decisions), sleep disturbances due to late night use of cell phones, memory and attention capacity, educational achievements etc. The research will involve more than 160 schools in London area.
Current UK statistics show that 70% of 11 and 12 year olds, and 90% of 14 year olds own a cellphone. Evidence from previous studies indicated that children are a lot more vulnerable to electromagnetic fields than adults. Conclusions from this study will be available in 2018. Until then, old safety guidelines instruct us that children should use mobiles only when essential, keep calls short, use headphones, handsets or other kind of EMF protection products whenever possible, because keeping the distance between cell antenna (place where harmful waves are the strongest) and their bodies is crucial.
Half an hour on cell phone daily – three times more at risk from developing a brain cancer?
Another study, done by French researchers, suggests that people who spend half an hour a day talking over mobiles during period of five years are three times more at risk for developing brain tumors - glioma and meningioma.
University of Bordeaux has made a study on correlation of EMF radiation from cellular devices and brain cancer. The study was published on 9th of May 2014, in British journal Occupational & Environmental Medicine. Cancer patients were compared to 892 healthy individuals. After analyzing 253 glioma and 194 meningioma cases, study found that people who spend more than 15 hours a month talking over cellphones triple the risk from developing DNA mutations leading to brain cancer.
Results from this study stirred French public opinion on EMF radiation. Priartem, a French pressure group, has organized public actions to call for more strict regulation of electro-magnetic waves, asking “How much evidence is needed to finally start with real protective measures against EMF radiation?”
No need for panic but caution and protection are essential
Cellular and wireless technologies are new, and as we can see, it took some time before we figured out that EMF radiation is potential health hazard. Public awareness is finally changing. We need to change the way we think; modern technology enables comfortable living as never before and we are not used of thinking it might harm us. We can still enjoy its benefits, but with small adjustments in how we use electronic gadgets and with EMF protection products we can avoid most of hazardous effects from EMFs, which can in long term represent the difference between illness and health. For more information, see EMF protection measures and tips.