Kids, Cellphones, & Cancer

A long awaited study on brain cancer in children is out, and it shows no link between cellphone use and brain cancer.

The team of researchers let by Dr. Denis Aydin examined nearly 1000 children ages 7 to 19 in western Europe, including 352 with brain tumors and 646 without. It was found that there was no difference in cell phone use between those with cancer and those without. What's more, it was discovered that children had the lowest risk of tumors in the part of the brain that was exposed to the most cell phone use.

Facts about cell phone radiation
Cell phones emit weak radiation that is not strong enough to damage DNA or cause cell mutations under currently know medical process. Your child receives a higher radiation dose simply by walking outside. However, it has been shown that cell phones can increase activity in parts of the brain closest to the phone which has caused some alarm. Parents shouldn't let kids sleep with a cell phone or use it before bedtime because of this potential brain stimulation. Yet this increased activity doesn't mean damage is taking place, only that the cell phone radio waves are activating the brain.

There was one contradictory finding showing a slightly higher risk of brain tumors in kids whose cellphone subscriptions began more that 2.8 years ago. This might be a statistical anomaly considering the brain areas affected by cellphones (and thus, the areas one would expect most tumors to grow if there was a correlation.) had a lower overall risk.

We'll continue to monitor this subject for parents, but so far we've seen no discernible evidence to suggest a link between cellphone and cancer. Parents should proceed with a calm caution: limit your child's cellphone use, use headphone extensions whenever possible, and don't let your child sleep next to it, but don't panic either.