Essay 6 English Comp 111 J

Children, Cell Phones, and Possible Side Effects

There are possible health risks that go along with allowing a child to use a cell phone. This subject has been debated for years. Many researchers and health care professionals have done studies and given their opinions about it. Although cell phone companies do not opening warn you when you purchase a cell phone, I take the advice of risk very seriously. Being a mom, I found the following information very helpful when deciding that a cell phone was not a good thing for my children to use. There have been many articles written about the possible effects of cell phone on children. In an article written for [Link] an unknown author writes that even British researchers have cautioned against its use. They fear that cell phone use by young children could cause tumors in the brain and/or ears. These researchers believe that the public has not been given the proper warnings about the possible side effects. Recently, Dr. Ronald B. Herman sent out an email to his staff warning them that because of the possible risk of cancer they should be cautious about how much time they spend on their phones. Dr. Herman is the head of the University of Pittsburg Cancer Institute. Although he sent this email without definite research to back it up, he said, my concern is that we shouldnt wait for definite study to come out but err on the side of being safe rather than sorry later. The question is, do you want to play Russian roulette with your brain? I dont know that cell phones are dangerous. But I dont know that they are

safe. Of concern are the still unknown effects of more than a decade of cell phone use, with some studies raising alarms. 20 groups have endorsed the advice of the Pittsburgh Cancer Institute gave, and authorities in England, France and India have cautioned childrens use of cell phones. Deva Lee Davis said. She is the Director of Environment Oncology at the University of Utah and former health advisor for Clinton. Theresa Green, an award-winning reporter, wrote that there has been some concern about the possible side effects cell phone use can have on children. She says that it is probably a good idea to use a headset instead of placing the phone directly to your head because of the risk of radiation exposure. David Feigel, M.D., director of FDAs Center for Devices and Radiological Health said, We dont see a risk looking at currently available data, but we need more definite answers about the biological effects of cell phone radiation, and about the more complicated question of whether mobile phones might cause even a small increase in the risk of developing cancer. Cell phones, like microwaves, release what is called RF energy. Although a microwave uses a much higher amount of RF energy to cook food, a cell phone does still emit this potentially dangerous energy. There are a few ways that you can decrease the amount of RF energy you come in contact with. First you can use a headset to keep the antenna away from your head. The antenna is the strongest source of RF energy on the cell phone. Second, make sure that you keep the phone antenna away from your body even when you are not on the phone. Because you phone keeps a constant signal with the tower, the antenna is always emitting RF energy. is best to keep you cell phone in your purse or on your belt, in the manufacturer recommended case. And finally, you can just stop using a cell phone. It

In January the National Academy of Sciences put out a report stating that studies done about cell phone use, in the past, were not done for a long enough period of time. They have decided that more research needs to be done. Dr. Leeda Kheifets, a professor of Epidemiology at UCLAs School of Public Health, states that there has not been enough studies done to assess the other possible side effects on a childs body. She is concerned about the risk of other types of cancer in other places in the body. a childs behavior and ability to learn. Dr. Kheifets went on record to say, At this point, it looks unlikely that cell phones are causing brain tumors, particularly from short-term exposures, but we have not looked at all kinds of health outcomes yet. The focus has been on brain tumors because exposure from cell phone use is mostly to the brain. And we are just beginning some studies on brain cancer in children. As far as the cell phone companies are concerned, I could not get any quotes made to the media. However, if you look at the owners manual that comes with your phone, you will see that they have listed warnings on the last few pages. I am using the manual from a Vu by LG. They have listed their warnings in a question and answer format. Question: What are the results of the research done already (relating to health problems)? Answer: The research done thus far has produced conflicting results, and many studies have suffered from flaws in their research methods. Question: What about children using wireless phones? Answers: The scientific evidence does not show a danger to users of wireless phones, including children and teenagers. It seems that they have even confused themselves with these statements. In the first question they say that the research has conflicting results, but in the second question they say there is no evidence that shows a danger. She also cautions that there may be a risk of damage to the central nervous system that could affect

I have owned a cell phone since 1994 and I have never been cautioned by the cell phone company that the cell phone I was purchasing could be dangerous to my health. Do you think it is because the employees have never been taught to say that? Or, could it be that they are taught not to mention it at all for fear of decreased sales? One of my friends recently took her fourteen year old daughter, Lindsey, to the pediatric doctor for reoccurring headaches. Lindsey had been having headaches for almost six months. After running several tests, the pediatrician could not find the cause of the problem and sent her on to a neurologist. The neurologist did the exam and ended with an unusual conclusion. He told them that Lindseys issue was with the cell phone that she used daily. Lindseys parents did not hesitate to take away her cell phone that day. It has been about six months and Lindsey no longer has reoccurring headaches. Lindsey did not change anything else in her routine. Coincidence? I think not. I have also been to the neurologist. I have reoccurring migraines. Although the doctor did not tell me mine were caused by cell phone use, he did ask me if I used a cell phone. He even documented how often I used one. I asked him if that was a problem and he said only time will tell. That day I decreased the amount of time I spend on my cell phone. I feel that there has not been enough research done on the health effects cell phones could have. Unless cellular phones change drastically within the next fifteen years, my children will not be allowed to use one as a major form of communication. I worry what affects we will see from increased use, among children, in the next ten to twenty years. Will those children grow into adults and have huge medical bills because of tumors or cancer? I, for one, am not willing to gamble with my childs life in that way.

References: Researchers: Cell Phones Pose Cancer Risk for Kids, January 15, 2005, [Link], December 2, 20008, [Link] Theresa Green, Do Children Need Cell Phones?, 2008, [Link], December 2, 2008, [Link] Cancer expert warns employees on cell phones, July 23, 2008, [Link]/health, December 2, 2008, [Link] Tamar Nordenburg, Cell Phones and Cancer: No Clear Connection, November December 2000, [Link], December 2, 2008, [Link] Cell phones raise childrens cancer risks, September 21, 2008, [Link], December 2, 2008, [Link] ancer_risks/UPI-15431222046709/ Vu by LG Users Guide, 2008, [Link], pages 124 and 126, December 2, 2008,
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