Distance is your friend The intensity of radiation decreases as the square of the distance from the source increases (the inverse-square law). Holding a cell phone 15 cm from your ear provides a 10,000-fold reduction in risk. Smartphone manufacturers specify the minimum distance from the body that their products must be kept so that legal limits for exposure to MWR are not exceeded. For laptop computers and tablets, the minimum distance from the body is 20 cm. Extensive scientific reports have documented nonthermal biologic effects from chronic (long-term) exposure. Although government warnings have been issued worldwide, most of the public is unaware of such warnings. Certain types of tumors, at least as reported, may have increased in incidence, including the most malignant brain tumors and perhaps hearing nerve tumors. Unless a cell phone is turned off, it is always radiating. When not in use, it should not be kept on the body. The best place for a cell phone is somewhere like a purse, bag, or backpack. Devices should be kept away from a pregnant womans abdomen, and a mother should not use a cell phone while nursing, And baby monitors should not be placed in an infants crib. Children and adolescents need to know how to use these devices safely. Cell phones should not be allowed in a childs bedroom at night. The Pew Research Center has reported that 75% of preteens and early teens sleep all night with their cell phone under their pillow. Because the risk is cumulative, and more radiation is absorbed with more hours of use, children should be taught to minimize their wireless phone use. Landlines, Skype, and computer phone services when connected to the Internet with a cable do not emit radiation and their use should be encouraged. Wi-Fi routers in the home should be placed away from where people, particularly children, spend the most time. Boys should not keep a cell phone in their front pants pockets. There is a potential harm to sperm, although no prepuberty studies of young boys have assessed whether early exposure to MWR has any effect on sperm after puberty. And girls should not place their cell phone in their bras. This recommendation was based on a case study of 4 young women with a history of putting cell phones in their bras and who developed breast cancer — 2 at the age of 21 years (Case Rep Med. 2013;2013:354682). Ever-increasing role of technologies that emit nonionizing radiation, including cell phones and certain toys is lethal to children. In recent years, glioblastoma rates have increased in Denmark and the United States, and brain cancer incidence has increased in Australia, according to data drawn from cancer registries. The average time between exposure to a carcinogen and the diagnosis of a resultant solid tumor is 3 or more decades, so it will likely be several decades before tumors induced by childhood MWR exposure are diagnosed. A recent French study, found that the heaviest users face a higher-than-average risk for gliomas and meningiomas (Occup Environ Med. 2014;71:514-522). There was no association between brain tumors and regular cell phone use, but the association was significant for those with heavy life-long cumulative use.
Posted on: Fri, 15 Aug 2014 05:14:37 +0000
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