Warning for children to be printed on mobile telephones

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) July 18, 2005 -- The reason is a recommendation of the World Health Organization (WHO), that children should use a headset. An expert from Seoul University however says children and adults should not use mobile telephones at all.

"With respect to children, WHO recommends that they should use hands-free headsets", said Mike Repacholi, coordinator of the radiation project of the WHO, a week ago on Canadian Television. The WHO currently investigates the link between cancer, health complaints and the radiation of mobile telephone systems. The skull of a child is thinner than that of an adult and the brains are still developing. Therefore experts suppose the risk for children is more than the risk for adults. Since the amount of mobile telephones worldwide is immense, even a small damage to the brains of children has major consequences.

The study is not only investigating the risk of cancer, but also the loss of memory and decline in mental functioning. Results are expected by the end of the year. The saying of Michael Repacholi can be seen as preliminary clue. It follows the warning of William Stewart of the British radiation council (NRPB) in February this year, that children up to eight years should not use a mobile telephone at all. In the meantime manufacturers of mobile phone handsets are developing new products for children, promoted in the U.S. by Barbie and Disney.

Red light

Dalia Itzik, minister of communication in Israel, reacted immediately to the advise of the WHO and decided, that cellular companies should print a warning on mobile phones, that the radiation can harm the brains of children. "This study done by the WHO needs to turn on a red light. We have to act in order to protect the children", she said. Her proposal will be worked out in cooperation with the ministry of Health and the ministry of Environmental Affairs. Some months ago Izhak Kadma, executive of the council for children's wellness in Israel, asked for similar rules.

In The Netherlands the radiation institute NRG in Petten advises to deny children a mobile phone. Sending of SMS-messages has prevalence, since it means less radiation to the brains. Adults should keep mobile phone calls short and use a headset. A mobile phone should not be carried close to the body and NRG advises against making a phone call in a car. Professor Xy Xi Shan of Seouls University however is more resolute. He says people should not use mobile telephones at all. "We have proven already that the radiation damages the DNA of a living animal", says the professor. He expects to find the same for living humans. The results of his research will be published by the end of 2006.