| We take the incredible technological advances | | | | that localized hot spots or energy deposition |
| that have been made in the past 50 years for | | | | in the brain may occur as a consequence of |
| granted. Technology that was once a distant | | | | internal reflections." In another study |
| dream is now a part of the fiber and fabric | | | | conducted by leading neurosurgeon, Dr. Leif |
| of our culture. A typical American home is | | | | Salford and colleagues at Lund University in |
| equipped with microwaves, cell phones, | | | | Sweden the data indicated an "unambiguous |
| cordless phones, PDAs, computers, and a wide | | | | link between microwave radiation emitted by |
| assortment of technological gadgetry designed | | | | GSM mobile phones (the most common type |
| to make life easier. | | | | worldwide) and brain damage in rats." There |
| | | | are hundreds of studies with correlative data |
| However, what price are we paying for these | | | | indicating that this is far more than an |
| advances and, more importantly, what price | | | | anti-establishment ploy concocted by paranoid |
| are our children paying for living in a world | | | | believers who fear technology and little |
| filled with these energy emitting devices? | | | | green men. |
| | | | |
| In spite of the occasional debate on safety, | | | | Just as the information on the dangers of |
| most of us have come to regard cellular | | | | tobacco was hidden in plain sight, one need |
| phones as fairly harmless. After all, if | | | | only scratch beneath the surface to find |
| cell phones were in any way hazardous to our | | | | warnings about cell phone use. Scientists |
| health, we would know about it. The sheer | | | | have warned parents to exercise caution in |
| accessibility allays any potential fears | | | | providing cell phones to children younger |
| about their use. Cigarettes are also widely | | | | than eight years of age as there is little |
| available but we now know without question | | | | known about the effect of radiation on |
| that not only are they harmful to the user | | | | developing brains. Paul Brodeur, a noted |
| but to those around the user as well. | | | | science journalist, was one of the first in |
| However, widespread tobacco use went on for | | | | the medical community to issue a public alert |
| hundreds of years before the connection | | | | about the dangers of EMF. Brodeur warned |
| between it and the fatalities it causes was | | | | that introducing your body to new forces such |
| made. Until then, the vast majority of people | | | | as EMF created a condition known as |
| didn't consider cigarettes, pipes, or any | | | | "adaptation stress." In this condition the |
| other form of tobacco use hazardous. Are we | | | | body is sent into chaos as it tries to adapt |
| guilty of being lulled into a similarly false | | | | to the new forces. Brodeur identified |
| sense of security about cell phones? | | | | symptoms such as fatigue, confusion, lack of |
| | | | concentration and focus, headaches, backaches |
| The answer is an emphatic and resounding | | | | and increased emotional volatility. Is it a |
| "Yes." | | | | coincidence that many of these symptoms which |
| | | | we have come to associate with and label as |
| Before you dismiss that as an alarmist cry of | | | | learning disorders in children have increased |
| an anti-technology fringe of society, let's | | | | dramatically over the past decade? |
| take a closer look. Estimates indicate that | | | | |
| we are exposed to 100 million times more | | | | In another study, conducted by the Spanish |
| radiation per day than in our grandparents' | | | | Neuro Diagnostic Research Institute, it was |
| generation. Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) | | | | found that a cell phone call lasting only two |
| are low levels of radiation which are | | | | minutes not only opens the blood-brain |
| generated by electronic devices. Initial | | | | barrier (in children and adults) allowing |
| concerns about radiation were dismissed | | | | toxins into the blood stream which can attack |
| because of low level of exposure. We learned | | | | brain cells, but in children that same two |
| to live with microwaves because our homes | | | | minute exposure could disrupt the natural |
| were not filled with other devices. Yet, what | | | | electrical activity of their brain for up to |
| is the risk now, when our homes are filled | | | | an hour following the call. So alarming was |
| with electronic devices, our cars are powered | | | | the data that Dr. Gerald Hyland, mobile phone |
| by micro-computers, we are surrounded by | | | | adviser to the British Government, was quoted |
| power lines and cell towers, and we spend | | | | as saying "If I were a parent I would now be |
| hours a day with a portable phone held to our | | | | extremely wary about allowing my children to |
| ear? | | | | use a mobile even for a very short period. My |
| | | | advice would be to avoid mobiles." |
| Cellular phones generate a field known as | | | | |
| Radio Frequency Radiation (RF). A number of | | | | The cell phone industry is targeting the very |
| studies have concluded that RF from mobile | | | | profitable children's market. Cell phone |
| phones poses significant health risk to | | | | makers are marketing "Disney phones" and |
| users, including headaches, memory loss, | | | | kid-friendly versions with parental controls. |
| autism, brain cancers, leukemia and learning | | | | The industry is no longer content to have |
| disorders. The Committee on Electromagnetic | | | | the adult and teen market, but in nationwide |
| Energy/Public Health Issues stated in an | | | | back-to-school campaigns, they aggressively |
| Australian Government Discussion paper that : | | | | market to tweens and younger. |
| "Human exposure of radio frequency radiation | | | | |
| is greatest from mobile phone handsets | | | | We may not have all of the answers today, but |
| because of the method of use, with the | | | | the information we do have is alarming. How |
| transmitting antenna of the mobile phone | | | | much more evidence do we need before we take |
| handset close to the head. There is evidence | | | | the dangers to our children seriously? |