Electromagnetic Radiation and Kids

Electromagnetic Radiation And Kids

Are your children at greater cancer risk because of the electrical appliances you use everyday? There are many who believe electromagnetic radiation does in fact increase cancer risk, and that’s the why the International Agency for Research on Cancer considers extremely low electromagnetic fields a possible human carcinogen. Can exposure to low electromagnetic radiation cause leukemia, and interfere with nervous system development? Nobody knows for sure, but the concern is great enough that experts are calling for reduced exposure to devices deemed perhaps most dangerous: cell phones.

Melissa Shore, a mom of two girls, says, "My children are young and they’ll answer the phone for me if I’m driving, but that’s about it. At this stage of their lives they don’t really use cell phones much at all." But if Melissa’s kids are like most, eventually, they’re going to be using cell phones a lot.

How significant a cancer risk do cell phones, and other devices that emit electromagnetic radiation, pose to adolescents, young children, and even unborn babies? A new report released by the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that there is indeed an increased cancer risk, but it’s still a bit hazy how significant that cancer risk might be.

Still, the authors are warning caution. They say that one option includes reducing exposure by minimizing the use of electrical appliances, or by increasing the distance from them. The problem is, pretty much everything electric in the house produces electromagnetic radiation: hair dryers, television sets, even karaoke machines. The theory is that electromagnetic fields change the way molecules or impulses move along the nerve, and they may change the growth patterns or may affect the genes that cause cancer, thus increasing cancer risk.

It’s believed children are more susceptible, in part because of their body size. Dr. Mark Atlas, a pediatric oncologist at Schneider Children’s Hospital, says, "One of the concerns for children is that they will be exposed to this for many more years of their lives. Adults who start using a cell phone at age 40 or 50 will be exposed for 30 or 40 years. A child who is exposed now is going to be exposed at a younger age for a life time, and is thus at a significant cancer risk."

Obviously you can’t limit your child’s exposure to the refrigerator or to an oven, but maybe you can cut back on the number of cell phone calls your child makes. "The most compelling data is that perhaps 3 percent of childhood leukemia cases may be associated with high levels of electromagnetic fields. But that is not significant enough to really change the way we live our lives. The cancer risk may be small but cancer is a dangerous disease. If there are measures that can be taken to prevent it even though the cancer risk is small, it’s worth taking them," says Dr. Atlas.

And then there’s the question of what can be done to reduce the cancer risk of unborn children. Dr. Atlas says "although it’s not clear what the risks are, there is some evidence to suggest that exposure to radiation prior to birth can be damaging, particularly since it is a time where development is at a critical stage, when the body is growing and nerves and the brain are making their vital connections."

If one is pregnant, using a handheld device while keeping your cell phone near your stomach might not be the smartest thing to do. Otherwise Dr. Atlas says "there’s not much else pregnant women should be doing to reduce cancer risk."

For more information on cancer risk go to: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/