Cell Phones and Children's Brains

Agencies in Britain, France, India, Israel and, most recently, Finland have issued warnings that regular use of cell phones could damage children's brains. France and a number of other European nations are even proposing to ban the marketing or design of cell phones for kindergarteners.

It seems that the current safety standards were based on models of a 200-pound man in the military back in 1988, not exactly representative of an 8 year old who typically receives their first cell phone today (UK report). According to a University of Utah professor, Om Gandhi, radio frequency signals penetrate children’s heads more deeply because of their smaller and still-developing heads.

 don’t think people should wait for the government to do something. The FCC, who doesn’t have a single health expert on its staff, based its standards on advice provided by experts working for the cell phone industry. The FDA doesn’t have the authority to set cell phone standards either. If the tobacco controversy was any indication, it would take years before the government takes more decisive action. Meanwhile, the consumer will have to take it upon themselves to provide the necessary precautions.