American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
The AAP issued ten cell phone safety tips for families in 2016 including:
- Prefer texting to voice calls
- Use cell phones in speaker mode
- Make only short or essential calls on cell phones.
- Avoid carrying your phone against the body like in a pocket, sock, or bra.
- If you plan to watch a movie on your device, download it first, then switch to airplane mode while you watch in order to avoid unnecessary radiation exposure.
- Minimize use in areas of low signal (i.e. how many bars you have). The weaker your cell signal, the harder your phone has to work and the more radiation it gives off.
- Avoid making calls in cars, elevators, trains, and buses. The cell phone works harder to get a signal through metal, so the power level increases.
AAP responds to study showing link between cell phone radiation, tumors in rats : See also Cell Phone Radiation & Children’s Health: What Parents Need to
The AAP wrote three letters to the government calling for regulatory updates to protect children
“Children, however, are not little adults and are disproportionately impacted by all environmental exposures, including cell phone radiation. In fact, according to IARC, when used by children, the average RF energy deposition is two times higher in the brain and 10 times higher in the bone marrow of the skull, compared with mobile phone use by adults.”
- AAP Letter to the FCC Chairman calling for the FCC to open up a review of RF guidelines (7/12/2012)
- AAP Letter to US Representative Dennis Kucinich in Support of the Cell Phone Right to Know Act (12/12/2012
California Department of Public Health (CDPH)
CDPH cell phone advisory includes;
- Recommendations to use a speakerphone and distance the phone from your head.
- How to reduce or avoid using your cell phone when it is sending out high levels of RF energy.
- Don’t sleep with your phone in your bed or near your head. Unless the phone is off or in airplane mode, keep it at least a few feet away from your bed.
- Take off the headset when you’re not on a call. Headsets release small amounts of RF energy even when you are not using your phone.
California Medical Association (CMA)
In 2014, the California Medical Association passed two resolutions regarding wireless standards: 1. To “support efforts to reevaluate microwave safety exposure levels associated with wireless communication devices, including consideration of adverse non-thermal biologic and health effects from non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation used in wireless communications”; and 2. To “support efforts to implement new safety exposure limits for wireless devices to levels that do not cause human or environmental harm based on scientific research.”
Santa Clara California Medical Association (SCCMA)
SCCMA Best Practices For Technology in Schools Document includes:
- Create a “Safe Tech in Schools Program” to educate students and staff on potential health effects of wireless devices, how to use devices safely, reduce wireless use in the classrooms and reasons to prefer hardwire connections.
- Educate students and staff about risks of carrying wireless devices in pockets or next to the body, where wireless radiation levels may exceed even FCC safety guidelines.
- Educate the school nurse about potential health effects of radiofrequency radiation (RFR) in students…
- Reduce RF radiation on campus and in classrooms by preferring and install hard-wired ethernet devices instead of wireless
Details of the CMA resolutions are in the Santa Clara California Medical Association article Shallow Minds: How the Internet and Wi–Fi in Schools Can Affect Learning
Santa Clara California Medical Association Bulletin Articles on EMF
- Wireless Silent Spring
- Wi-Fi in School: Are We Playing it Safe With Our Kids
- Shallow Minds: How the Internet and Wi–Fi in Schools Can Affect Learning
- A 5G Wireless Future: Will it Give Us a Smart Future
- What’s the Diagnosis Doctor? Electromagnetic Sensitivity
Massachusetts Medical Association
In 2021, the Massachusetts Medical Association passed a policy statement in support of “continuing research, including quality epidemiologic studies, by appropriate agencies and entities to produce evidence-based data on the effect(s) of radio frequency radiation on human health. If indicated, study findings should be used to revise and update public health standards for safe limits of human exposure to radio frequency radiation.”
Maryland State Children’s Environmental Health And Protection Advisory Council
The Maryland Council’s health experts include Governor appointed pediatricians, health care providers, Maryland State House/Senate appointees and representatives of the Department of Education and Department of Health.
- In 2017, the Maryland State Children’s Environmental Health And Protection Advisory Council issued recommendations that local school districts reduce classroom wireless radiation exposures by providing wired—rather than wireless—internet connections and educating students on several steps they can take to reduce exposure to Wi-Fi computers.
- The Council wrote the FCC requesting children’s health be prioritized in regards to the FCC’s outdated wireless human exposure limits.
“The current FCC guidance on RF is decades old and we are calling for it to be updated to reflect current science on thermal and non-thermal health effects and newer (or emerging) exposures, especially to children.”
- The Council issued Guidelines to Reduce Electromagnetic Field Radiation in 2022.
North Carolina Department of Public Health
Cell Phone Safety Tips for Families
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends the following cell phone safety tips for children and teenagers. The AAP also reminds parents that cell phones are not toys; and are not recommended for infants and toddlers to play with.
Tips include:
- Use text messaging when possible and use cell phones in speaker mode or with the use of hands-free kits.
- When talking on the cell phone, try holding it an inch or more away from your head.
- Make only short or essential calls on cell phones.
- Avoid carrying your phone against the body like in a pocket, sock, or bra. Cell phone manufacturers cannot guarantee that the amount of radiation you are absorbing will be at a safe level.
- Do not talk on the phone or text while driving. This increases the risk of automobile crashes.
- Exercise caution when using a phone or texting while walking or performing other activities. “Distracted walking” injuries are on the rise.
- If you plan to watch a movie on your device, download it first, then switch to airplane mode while you watch in order to avoid unnecessary radiation exposure.
- Keep an eye on your signal strength (i.e. how many bars you have). The weaker your cell signal, the harder your phone has to work and the more radiation it gives off. It’s better to wait until you have a stronger signal before using your device.
- Avoid making calls while in cars, elevators, buses. A cell phone works harder to get a signal through metal, increasing its power.
- Remember that cell phones are not toys or teething items
North Carolina Department of Public Health cell phone safety
The Connecticut Department of Public Health
Connecticut Department of Public Health Cell Phone Q & A Cell phones
- 7 steps on how people can reduce exposure including “It is wise to reduce your exposure to radiofrequency energy from cell phones whenever possible.”
Dr. Joel Moskowitz, Director Center for Family and Community Health School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley
More resources on reducing exposure
Austrian Medical Chamber, Cyprus Committee on Environment and Children’s Health
Athens Medical Association
France Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES)
2016 Report “Radiofrequency Exposure and the Health of Children”
Recommendations of the Agency: ANSES recommends to “reconsider the regulatory exposure limits” to ensure “sufficiently large safety margins” to protect the health of young children and
ANSES reiterated its recommendation, as previously stated, to reduce exposure to children: minimize use and prefer a hands-free kit.
2019: French Ministers passed an order ensuring consumers were informed on how to reduce wireless radiation.
“Keep radio equipment away from the belly of pregnant women.” and “Keep radio equipment away from the lower abdomen of adolescents.”
Belgium Health Food Environment Agency
“Experts – including those on the Superior Health Council – advise everyone to limit their exposure to mobile phone radiation.” – Health Food Environment Agency of Belgium
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
Resolution 1815: “The Potential Dangers of Electromagnetic Fields and Their Effect on the Environment” which is a call to European governments to “take all reasonable measures” to reduce exposure to electromagnetic fields “particularly the exposure to children and young people who seem to be most at risk from head tumours.”
German Government
“Of particular importance is the minimisation of children’s radiation exposure as they are still developing and could therefore react more sensitively in terms of health. The BfS therefore recommends restricting children’s use of mobile phones as far as possible.”
-German Government Recommendations from the BfS for making telephone calls on mobile phones.
Ireland Department of Health
“Children are thought to be at higher risk of health implications from the use of mobile phones. This is because their skulls and cells are still growing and tend to absorb radiation more easily…It is recommended that children use mobile phones only if absolutely necessary.”
–Advice from the Chief Medical Officer on Mobile Phone Use, Ireland Department of Health
French Polynesia
“The use of mobile phones by children is not recommended before the age of 15: their brains have not matured and are more sensitive to electromagnetic waves. Parents are advised to advise their children or adolescents to use their phone only for essential calls.”
Government multimedia campaign to educate the public
Summary of Recommendations to Reduce Wireless Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Radiation (Best Practices Guide)
Cyprus
In 2017 the Minister of Culture and Education issued a directive to ban Wi-Fi from kindergartens, remove Wi-Fi from elementary classrooms.
The Cyprus National Committee on Environment and Child Health along with the Ministry of Health launched a public information campaign in 2019 that ran large scale ads on the backs of buses and featured 5 ways to reduce cell phone and Wi-Fi exposure.
In 2017 the Cyprus Medical Association issued Sixteen recommendations to reduce cell phone radiation exposure.
Republic of Korea
“When you are asleep or when you are relaxing, the farther away the phone is from your body, the safer you are.”
The Korea government has a website with extensive information on what electromagnetic exposures are and how to reduce exposure. The webpage on children and EMF has graphics that illustrate how to use cell phones in “safer ways” as well as educational videos on how to reduce cell phone radiation exposure for children and adults.
United Kingdom
“The international guidelines recommended by Public Health England (PHE) provide protection for the population as a whole; however, uncertainties in the science suggest some additional level of precaution is warranted, particularly for sources such as mobile phones where simple measures can be taken to reduce exposure.”
Radio waves: reducing exposure from mobile phones – GOV.UK
Turkey
Things to Consider When Using a Mobile Phone by the Electromagnetic Fields Health Effects Assessment Subcommittee on General Directorate of Public Health website
- It is not recommended for pregnant women to use mobile phones.
- Mobile phones should not be used except in emergencies, and whenever possible, wired landline phones should be used instead of mobile phones.
- Conversations on mobile phones should be kept as short as possible and text messages should be used more.
- When buying a mobile phone, phones with low SAR values should be preferred.
- Mobile phones should be used and kept as far away from the body as possible. It is especially recommended to be away from organs such as the heart, brain and kidney.
- Mobile phones should not be kept in baby rooms, bedrooms and near children.
Russia
The Ministry of Health and Russian Committee for Non-ionizing Radiations Protection Recommendations on Safe Technology During Quarantine, PDF of Letter in Russian, Ministry of Health Website , PDF in Russian, Short Summary of Recommendations.
- Reduce the use of computers by children when they don’t go to school now (quarantine etc).
- Don’t use smartphones for educational purposes until age of 18.
- For all age categories for reading and completing tasks it is recommended to use mainly ordinary books, notebooks.
- Children under 6 years old must completely exclude the use of any computer equipment for educational purposes at home.
- Children aged 6 to 12 are advised to minimize the use of computer equipment for educational purposes at home conditions.
- If necessary to use headphones, limit continuous use to no more than an hour at a volume of not more than 60%.
- Children aged 6 to 12 are advised to minimize the use of computer equipment for educational purposes at home conditions.
- Total the duration of all types of on-screen activities for children of this age group should not exceed 2 hours per day (including viewing TV).
- Using tablets for distance learning at home conditions is permissible by adolescents over 15 years of age. Before use tablet, wash your hands and wipe the screen with a disinfectant means (wet towel).
- The location of the WiFi point should be on a distance of at least 5 m from the student’s workplace. The tablet is placed on table on a stand at an angle of 30 ° , the distance from the screen to the pupil’s eyes is not less than 50cm. It is necessary to exclude work with a laptop or tablet on knees, in hands, lying and the like.
2019: The Russian National Committee on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection is calling for the release of new EMF hazard warning signs for mobile phones, wireless devices and other EMF sources. This follows the release of a published paper by Professor Oleg Grigoriev and ex-deputy minister of communication, Dr Prof Yuri Zubarev. The paper was published in September, 2019 in the oldest Russian journal of the communications industry. News coverage such as “Due to low control over the safety of mobile phones, Russians risk their health” showcases the warnings and public health opinions.
European Environment Agency
‘There are many examples of the failure to use the precautionary principle in the past, which have resulted in serious and often irreversible damage to health and environments. Appropriate, precautionary and proportionate actions taken now to avoid plausible and potentially serious threats to health from EMF are likely to be seen as prudent and wise from future perspectives. We must remember that precaution is one of the principles of EU environmental policy,’
–Professor Jacqueline McGlade, Executive Director of the European Environment Agency.
The benefits of mobile telecommunications are many, but, as with other case studies in the Late lessons from early warnings Volume 1 (EEA, 2001) and the present report, such benefits need not to be accompanied by the possibility of widespread harms. Precautionary actions now to reduce head exposures, as pointed out by the EEA in 2007, and many others since, would limit the size and seriousness of any brain tumor risk that may exist. Reducing exposures may also help to reduce the other possible harms that are not considered in this case study.
More government public health recommendations are found at Countries With Official Recommendations – Environmental Health Trust
