Cell Phones

What is the question?

Many people hear the word "radiation" and panic. But radiation isn't automatically harmful or frightening. We live in a radiation-filled world: the sun and the earth emit radiation, as does the human body. And anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall generates electromagnetic radiation, including all wired and wireless technology. Still, certain types of radiation are safer than others. When it comes to cell phones, are existing safety guidelines safe enough? Is the radiation coming from your phone dangerous to your future health?

What is the data?

Electromagnetic radiation is all around us every day. The issue with a cell phone is that it emits an electromagnetic field from its antenna, and when we hold the phone next to our ear our brain is very close to the source of the field. There turns out to be a good amount of data that this proximity puts our brain at risk for cancer development. There is mounting evidence in the laboratory that the radiation emitted from cordless and cell phones directly affects our brain cells. An estimated 265 million Americans currently have cell phones, so if there really is a health risk, this is no small issue. And it looks like this phenomenon is not just true for cell phones, but for cordless phones as well.

What is the bottom line?

Nobody knows for sure whether cell phones and other sources of electromagnetic radiation cause cancer. And nobody knows how much cell phone use puts a person at risk. Think about today's 'tweens and teens, who have already spent countless hours holding these devices close to their heads and will presumably do it even more in the future. These are questions that demand answers. Meanwhile, it is a well-documented fact that cell phone use while driving--not just talking but also dialing and texting--is responsible for thousands of fatalities per year. We are going to have to learn to modify our use of phones in the future.

What's in my house?

Frankly the newest research scares me. For an explanation of how electromagnetic radiation affects our brain, why my kids don't talk on cell phones and why I believe a wired earpiece is so darned important, read chapter 12 in Dangerous or Safe?. Buy it on Amazon!

The book

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There is little doubt that children today face unprecedented dangers. With conflicting reports in the media and rumors on the playground, parents simply lack the information needed to separate fact from the hype, and as a result, their fears are at a fever pitch.

So what do parents actually need to worry about? In Dangerous or Safe? pediatrician and mom Dr. Cara Natterson uses her medical expertise, the latest scientific research and her own perspective as a mom of two to provide parents with definitive answers.

Tackling twenty-five hot-button issues, Dr. Natterson outlines why each subject is rumored to pose a threat, explains what experts have said about it, and presents her very own "Bottom Line" so parents can make an informed decision on each topic. An indispensable resource, this relatable guide gives moms and dads clear instructions on what to avoid, and which so-called poisons are completely safe.

"A clear, succinct, scientific explanation of what is safe and what is not safe for your child. Every parent, and every child, could benefit from it." — Deepak Chopra, author of Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul