Maryland State Children’s Environmental Health And Protection Advisory Council on EMF at Home

The Maryland Children’s Environmental Health and Protection Advisory Council issued Guidelines to Reduce Electromagnetic Field Radiation in 2022. Download PDF here. 

The Basics of Reducing Radiofrequency (Wireless) Exposure

Increase Your Distance

 

  • The closer you are to a cell phone or wireless device, the higher the exposure to your brain and body. The further away you are, the lower the radiation your body absorbs. Notice how close children are to you when you are using a cell phone or wireless device, and minimize their exposure. For example, do not rest a cell phone on your baby or hold a transmitting device near their bodies.

 

Minimize Time on Wireless

  • A child’s daily exposure adds up over time. Every time you reduce your child’s exposure, even in small ways, you can decrease the overall cumulative exposure to mitigate risk.

 

Choose Safer Technology Solutions

  • As consumers, parents and caregivers have safer options when it comes to connecting to the internet or choosing which electronics to purchase. Once you are aware of this issue, you can make low RF radiation choices and choose corded connections whenever possible. Take a look at what you have in your home and swap wireless devices with corded connections if possible. For example, use a corded keyboard or earbuds with a wire.

 

Recommendations to Reduce Cell Phone and Wireless Device Radiation Exposure

  • Cell phones, wireless devices, and WiFi routers emit RF radiation all the time, even when you are not using them. Even in standby mode, your phone emits RF radiation because it is constantly searching for service or new messages. If you do not need your cell phone, simply turn it off or put it in airplane mode. This applies to all other wireless devices, including laptops, tablets, video gaming consoles and smart speakers. Additional recommendations are provided below as general guidelines.

Around the Home

  • Replace cordless phones with corded home phones.
  • Unplug cordless phones when not in use (if you have at least one corded telephone in the house, you can always be reached, even if the cordless phone is off at night).
  • Remove electronics from the bedroom and especially around your bed and the crib.
  •  Avoid sleeping with electric blankets and heating pads; if you use an electric blanket to preheat your bed, unplug it before sleeping. If you only turn it off, the electromagnetic field will still be present.
  • Do not stand close to a microwave oven when it is on or let your child press their face up to it watching the food cook.

Cell Phones

  • Try to keep devices, especially cell phones, away from the head and body. Keeping them an arm’s distance away significantly reduces exposure. 
  • When you are talking on a cell phone, use the speakerphone to reduce exposure to your head. 
  • Avoid carrying your phone against the body like in a pocket, sock, bra, or spandex pants. Cell phone manufacturers cannot guarantee that the amount of radiation you are absorbing will be at a safe level. 
  • Make only short or essential calls on cell phones so that you minimize your daily exposure. 
  • Use text messaging rather than voice calls when possible.

Laptops and Computers

  • Choose wired Internet (ethernet cable modems) at home instead of wireless systems, if possible. 
  • Place WiFi routers as far away from children as possible. 
  • Consider using a switch to shut down your wireless router when it is not in use. 
  • Instead of laps, place electronic devices, tablets, and laptops on desks and tables which can serve to increase the distance between the device and children’s bodies.

Turn Wireless Antennas Off

  • Airplane mode is a setting that turns transmitting antennas off in wireless devices.
  • If you plan to watch a movie on your device, download it first, then switch to airplane mode while you watch to avoid unnecessary radiation exposure. 
  • Teach children to turn off WiFi when not in use, especially if they are sleeping (also see bedroom suggestions below). 
  • Newer phone models turn most of the wireless antennas off with Airplane mode, but Bluetooth or WiFi may stay on, so check that all antennas are set to off such as 4G, 5G, Bluetooth, WiFi hotspot, location.

Learn About When Your Cell Phone Goes to Highest Exposure

Reduce or avoid use of cell phones and wireless technologies when the devices are going to maximum power, which means the device will result in higher radiation exposures.2,3

  • You are in an area of low signal: 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 emits. It is better to wait until you have a stronger signal before using your device.
  • You are traveling in a car or vehicle: 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. When vehicles are traveling, the device also increase power to switch connection to each cell tower the vehicle passes.
  • You are streaming video and large files: The more streaming data, the higher the radiation exposure.
  • If your tablet or laptop does not have an ethernet port you can get a special adapter that allows you use ethernet with thunderbolt or USB ports.
  • Many cell phones can also be plugged into ethernet port with an adapter made for cell phones.
  • Use wired peripherals and accessories (e.g. a wired mouse, wired speakers, and wired printers) rather than wireless.
  • Wireless virtual assistants emit RF so choose wired tech whenever possible.
  • Wireless gaming consoles emit RF even when not in use so keep these out of the bedroom and choose wired handsets.

 

In the Bedroom

Cell phones should be powered off at night

  • If your child or teen needs an alarm clock, get a battery powered alarm clock for the bedroom.2 
  • If they must use a cell phone for an alarm clock, teach them to turn the phone to airplane mode with wireless antennas off every night (the alarm will still work).2 
  • Do not charge a cell phone or wireless devices near your child’s bed. Charging creates higher electromagnetic fields even if you are not using the device. 
  • Children should not sleep with their head near a wall that has the electric panel, electric meter, or appliance on the other side.

Read the Fine Print

  • Read the “fine print” from the manufacturer’s instruction manual which may tell users to keep a distance between the phone and your head and body. These fine print warnings range from a few millimeters to almost an inch. The fine print warnings on other wireless devices such as WiFi routers, home cordless phone base stations, and baby monitors generally state devices should be at 20 cm, or about 8 inches. If people are closer than the manufacturer-stated separation distance, then they can be exposed to RF levels that violate the US government FCC limits for this type of radiation.

Beware Radiation Protection Devices

  • Do not rely on a “radiation shield” or other products claiming to block RF energy, electromagnetic fields, or radiation from cell phones. According to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, products that interfere with the phone’s signal may force it to work harder and emit more RF energy to stay connected, possibly increasing your exposure. There are no standard protocols for testing and comparing devices to ensure they work. It is best to use wired corded electronics to reduce RF radiation rather than rely on an untested product.

If You are Pregnant
Findings on prenatal impacts have led doctors to sign onto an EPA-recognized educational campaign called The BabySafe Project urging pregnant women to reduce wireless exposure to minimize risks to their babies’ brain development. They recommend many of the same things listed above, including: 

  • Keep your cell phone away from your body. Never carry it in a pocket or bra. 
  • Do not sleep with your phone. Switch your phone to airplane mode whenever you are not using it. 
  • Keep your wireless laptop or tablet away from your body. Never rest your
    wireless device on your tummy. 
  • Use a corded landline if at all possible, rather your cell phone or cordless
    phone. 
  • Don’t sit anywhere close to your router or smart meter. Turn off routers at
    night. 
  • Whenever possible, connect to the internet using wired (ethernet) connections. 

The Maryland Children’s Environmental Health and Protection Advisory Council Guidelines to Reduce Electromagnetic Field Radiation

 

Maryland State Children’s Environmental Health And Protection Advisory Council on Wi-Fi in School

Wi-Fi in School Report

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’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.

The Maryland Children’s Environmental Health and Protection Advisory Council recommends:

  1. “The Maryland State Department of Education should recommend that local school systems consider using wired devices“ “WiFi can be turned off” and instead “a wired local area network (LAN) can provide a reliable and secure form of networking…without any microwave electromagnetic field exposure.”
  2. New construction and renovations: “If a new classroom is to be built, or electrical work is to be carried out in an existing classroom, network cables can be added at the same time, providing wired (not wireless) network access with minimal extra cost and time.”
  3. The Maryland State Department of Education should recommend that local school systems use strategies to minimize exposures: “Have children place devices on desks to serve as barrier between the device and children’s bodies; Locate laptops in the classroom in a way that keeps pupil heads as far away from the laptop screens (where the antennas are) as practicable; Consider using screens designed to reduce eyestrain; Consider using a switch to shut down the router when it is not in use”.
  4. “The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene should provide suggestions to the public on ways to reduce exposure: Sit away from WiFi routers, especially when people are using it to access the internet. Turn off the wireless on your laptop when you are not using it. Turn off WiFi on smartphones and tablets when not surfing the web. Switch tablets to airplane mode to play games or watch videos stored on the device.”
  5. “The General Assembly should consider funding education and research on electromagnetic radiation and health as schools add WiFi to classrooms.”
  6. The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene should “ask the United States Department of Health and Human Services to formally petition the FCC to revisit the exposure limit to ensure it is protective of children’s health and that it relies on current science.”
  7. The Report should be shared with the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Federal Communications Commission, Maryland State Department of Education and Maryland General Assembly

Maryland Children’s Environmental Health and Protection Advisory Council Letter to the FCC

In addition, the Council also 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.”

Read the letter from the MD Council to the FCC

Center for Family and Community Health School of Public Health University of California, Berkeley

Factsheets, scientific studies and public lectures on cell towers, cell phone radiation and health risks by Dr. Moskowitz, Director of the Center for Family and Community Health School of Public Health University of California, Berkeley.

Health Effects of Cellphone & Cell Tower Radiation: Implications for 5G” with Dr. Joel Moskowitz, Occupational and Environmental Health and Safety Webinars

Dr. Joel Moskowitz, University of California Berkeley Cell Phone Safety Tips

 

TIPS TO REDUCE YOUR WIRELESS RADIATION EXPOSURE

  • Keep a distance. Avoid holding your cell phone or cordless phone near your head or body during phone calls. Don’t carry your cell phone in your pocket, in your bra, or close to your body when it is powered on. Especially keep the phone away from your head and reproductive organs. Use speakerphone, text, or wired headset. Avoid talking longer than necessary.
  • Wait for a good signal. When the signal is poor, your wire- less devices emit more radiation so avoid use when surround- ed by metal such as in an elevator, or while travelling in auto- mobiles, buses, trains or aircraft.
  • Reduce secondhand exposure. Reduce the time you spend in locations where many people are using cell phones in close proximity to each another, especially on public transit.
  • Turn off wireless devices at bedtime. Turn off your cell phone, Wi-Fi router, and other wireless devices at bedtime and at other times when not in use.
  • Minimize children’s use & exposure to wireless radiation. Children’s health risks are greater so limit their use of cell phones and other wireless devices. Turn off Wi-Fi and cellular on devices used by kids. Teach children to use wireless technology safely.
  • Pregnancy & fertility. If you are pregnant or planning for a baby be especially careful as wireless radiation exposure is linked to reproductive health effects and also to sperm damage. Do not use a wireless tablet or laptop in your lap.
  • Use airplane mode. Turn off cell phones and other wireless devices when not in use or switch to Airplane Mode. Turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth when not in use.
  • Use wired connections. Use a wired, land line phone whenever possible. Forward cell phone calls to your land line and check on them when you get home. Use wired Internet connections.
  • Electromagnetic hypersensitivity. If you think you are devel- oping allergic symptoms from wireless radiation exposure, keep a log of your exposures and your symptoms. Then reduce your exposures for two weeks, and see if your symptoms are re- duced. Discuss the results with your healthcare provider.
  • Governmental action is essential. Send the International EMF Scientist Appeal (EMFscientist.org) to your elected representa- tives. Ask them to adopt policies to make wireless technology safer. Encourage them to fund education and research through a modest fee on mobile device subscriptions (e.g. a nickel a month). Work with others to get schools to remove Wi-Fi and provide students with Internet access via wired networks.

Resources 

Dr. Joel Moskowitz, University of California Berkeley Cell Phone Safety Tips

Scientific American: We Have No Reason to Believe 5G is Safe. by  Joel Moskowitz PhD

Berkeley News, Moskowitz: Cellphone radiation is harmful, but few want to believe it

Dr. Moskowitz has a scientific blog Electromagnetic Radiation Safety

California Department of Public Health

In 2017, the  California Department of Public Health issued a press release and an advisory on how to reduce microwave radiation exposures from cell phones, especially for children. Here are the recommendations. 

How can you reduce your exposure?

 

Keep your phone away from your body. Keeping your phone just a few feet away from you can make a big difference.

  • When you talk on your cell phone, avoid holding it to your head—use the speakerphone or a headset instead. Wireless (Bluetooth) and wired headsets emit much less RF energy than cell phones.
  • Send text messages instead of talking on the phone.
  • If you are streaming or if you are downloading or sending large files, try to keep the phone away from your head and body.
  • Carry your cell phone in a backpack, briefcase, or purse; NOT in a pocket, bra or belt holster. Because your phone’s antenna tries to stay connected with a cell tower whenever it’s on, it emits some RF energy even when you are not using it. It does not emit RF energy when it’s in airplane mode. (Airplane mode turns off cellular, Wi-Fi, andBluetooth.)

Reduce or avoid using your cell phone when it is sending out high levels of RF energy. 

This happen mainly when:

  • You see only one or two bars displayed. Cell phones put out more RF energy to connect with cell towers when the signal is weak. If you must use your phone when the signal is weak, try to follow the other guidance on this page.
  • You are in a fast-moving car, bus, or train. Your phone puts out more RF energy to maintain connections to avoid dropping calls as it switches connections from one cell tower to the next unless it is in airplane mode.
  • You are streaming audio or video, or downloading
    or sending large files. To watch movies or listen to playlists on your phone, download them first, then switch to airplane mode while you watch or listen.

 

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.

 

Don’t rely on a “radiation shield” or other products claiming to block RF energy, electromagnetic fields, or radiation from cell phones. According to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, products that interfere with the phone’s signal may force it to work harder and emit more RF energy in order to stay connected, possibly increasing your exposure.

 

Press Release December 14, 2017: California Department of Health Issues Guidelines on How to Reduce Exposure to Radiofrequency Energy from Cell Phones

 

State of California. “How to Reduce Exposure to Radiofrequency Energy from Cell Phones.” Division of Environmental and Occupational Disease Control, California Department of Public Health 

 

Santa Clara California Medical Association  

In March 2023 the Santa Clara California Medical Association issued School Best Practices Recommendations  which includes:

  • Creating a “Safe Tech in Schools Program” to educate students and staff on how to use devices safely and reduce wireless use in the classroom
  • Using blue light reduction methods to reduce eye strain
  • Establishing and promoting school cell phone-free policies
  • Preferring and installing hard-wired ethernet devices instead of wireless wherever possible
  • Consulting with an RF professional who can measure radiofrequency radiation
  • Avoiding installation of smart meters on school premises
  • Considering a policy to restrict installation of cell towers on school property

Download the School Best Practices.

The Santa Clara California Medical Association has developed numerous resources such as articles published in the Santa Clara California Medical Association about 5G, wireless in schools and the impacts on learning and more. 

“A growing body of peer reviewed research is showing neurologic damage to fetal brain and other systems from Wi-Fi and other microwave wireless sources.”

Read all the Santa Clara Medical Association Bulletin Articles by Dr. Cindy Russell. 

Dr. Cindy Russell helped form Physicians for Safe Technology in 2016. She serves as its executive director and helps educate clinicians on the adverse effects of technology use. Physicians for Safe Technology provides the tools for diagnosis and treatment and works with policy makers to help them understand the need for public policy actions that avoid or reduce threats to health and the environment. 

 

The Association held an environmental health continuing education series that featured the health effects of technology moderated by Dr. Cindy Russel, executive Director of Physicians for Safe Technology and author of numerous articles about wireless and health.

 

In 2015, Dr. Cindy Russell  of the Santa Clara Medical Association moderated a Wireless Technology and Public Health conference  in Mountain View, California sponsored by the Santa Clara County Medical Association Alliance Foundation.

Joel M. Moskowitz, PhD, Director, Center for Family and Community Health, U.C. Berkeley School of Public Health presented as well as several others. Watch all the videos here.

 

Vienna Medical Association

January 2016: Vienna Medical Association  issued Ten Cell Phone Guidelines:

  1. Make calls as short and little as possible – use a landline or write SMS. Children and teenagers under 16 years old should carry cell phones only for emergencies!
  2. Distance is your friend- Keep the phone away from body during connection of Phone. Pay attention to the manufacturer’s safer distance recommendation in the manual, keep a distance during the call set-up from the head and body. Take advantage of the built-in speakerphone or a headset!
  3. When using headsets or integrated hands-free, do not position mobile phones directly on the body – special caution applies here for pregnant women. For men, mobile phones are a risk to fertility if Mobile is stowed in Trouser pockets. Persons with electronic implants (pacemakers, insulin pumps et cetera) must pay attention to distance. Unless otherwise possible, use coat pocket, backpack or purse.
  4. Not in vehicles (car, bus, train) calls – without an external antenna, the radiation in the vehicle is higher. In addition, you will be distracted and you bother in public transport the other passengers!
  5. During the car when driving should be an absolute ban on SMS and internetworking – the distraction leads to self-endangerment and endangering other road users!
  6. Make calls at home and at work via the fixed corded (not wireless) network – Internet access via LAN cable (eg via ADSL, VDSL, fiber optic) no Radiation, is fast and secure data transfer. Constant radiation emitters like DECT cordless telephones, WLAN access points, data sticks and LTE Home base stations (Box, Cube etc.) should be avoided!
  7. Go offline more often or use Airplane mode – Remember that for functions such as listening to music, camera, alarm clock, calculator or offline games an internet connection is not always required!
  8. Fewer apps means less radiation – Minimize the number of apps and disable the most unnecessary background services on your smartphone. Disabling “Mobile services” / “data network mode” turns the smartphone again into a cell phone. You can still be reached, but avoid a lot of unnecessary radiation by background traffic!
  9. Avoid Mobile phone calls in places with poor reception (basement, elevator etc) as it increases transmission power. Use in poor reception Area a headset or the speakerphone!
  10. For buyers of mobile phones, Look out for a very low SAR value and an external antenna connection!

Read the Cell Phone Guidelines Press release (in German)

See The Cell Phone Guidelines Poster (in German)

No Wi-Fi in Salzberg Schools: “The official advice of the Public Health Department of the Salzburg Region is not to use WLAN and DECT in Schools or Kindergartens.” -Gerd Oberfeld, MD.

The Vienna Medical Society had issued cell phone safety guidelines previously stating that cell phones should be used for as short of a time as possible and that children under 16 should not use cell phones at all. They also stated that “wireless LAN leads to high microwave exposure”.

World Health Organization International Agency for Research on Cancer

In 2011, the World Health Organization International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO/IARC)  classified wireless radiation which technically is radiofrequency electromagnetic fields as possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B), based on an increased risk for glioma, a malignant type of brain cancer1, associated with wireless phone use” as stated in their press release.

“Given the potential consequences for public health of this classification and findings, it is important that additional research be conducted into the long‐ term, heavy use of mobile phones. Pending the availability of such information, it is important to take pragmatic measures to reduce exposure such as hands‐free devices or texting, stated Christopher Wild, Director of International Agency for Research on Cancer

Due to new human and animal studies that found increased cancer risk, the WHO/IARC advisory committee released a 2020 report  recommending wireless radiation be re-evaluated by 2024 as a  “high priority.”  So far, the WHO IARC expert group has not convened to re-examine the issue and thus,  at this time there has been no new determination by the WHO/IARC. 

Documentation

Today, several of the scientists who were invited experts to the WHO IARC working group in 2011, are speaking out with their new opinion that the scientific evidence has substantially increased to where the determination of “possibly carcinogenic” is no longer sufficient. They state that the weight of evidence is substantial enough to conclude that cell phone radiation is a probable and /or confirmed cause of human cancer.(Scientific research includes Miller et al 2018, Peleg et al 2022, Carlberg and Hardell 2017, Belpomme et al 2018).

Scientists of the World Health Organization International Agency for Research on Cancer Working Group on Radiofrequency Radiation

“The time is right for the IARC to upgrade its previous epidemiology based classification of RF exposure to higher levels in terms of the carcinogenicity of RF radiation for humans. Recently, two relatively well-conducted RF and microwave exposure studies employing the Sprague–Dawley strain of rats—without, however, using any cancer-promoting agents (or cocarcinogens)—showed consistent results in significantly increased total primary cancer or overall tumor rates in animals exposed to RF radiation.”

James C. Lin PhD

The Significance of Primary Tumors in the NTP Study of Chronic Rat Exposure to Cell Phone Radiation , IEEE Microwave Magazine

 

“We conclude that there is clear evidence that RF radiation is a human carcinogen, causing glioma and vestibular schwannoma (acoustic neuroma). There is some evidence of an increased risk of developing thyroid cancer, and clear evidence that RF radiation is a multi‑site carcinogen. Based on the Preamble to the IARC Monographs, RF radiation should be classified as carcinogenic to humans, Group 1.”

Dr. Lennart Hardell MD, PhD

Comments on the US National Toxicology Program technical reports on toxicology and carcinogenesis study in rats exposed to whole-body radiofrequency radiation at 900 MHz and in mice exposed to whole-body radiofrequency radiation at 1,900 MHz” ] International Journal of Oncology

“The NTP findings along with recent replicated animal studies from Germany [47], supplemented other studies and provided sufficient evidence for carcinogenicity of mobile phone exposure in animals. Studies with chronic exposures have also provided evidence for possible mechanisms of MW effects, which involve production of reactive oxygen/nitrogene species. Taking into account the evidence from human epidemiological studies, MW exposure from mobile phones was suggested to be classified as human carcinogen according to the generally accepted Bradford Hill criteria.”

Igor Belyaev PhD

Main Regularities and Health Risks from Exposure to Non-Thermal Microwaves of Mobile Communication

 

“The evidence on an association between cellular phone use and the risk of glioma in adults is quite strong” and “In my opinion, RF exposure probably causes gliomas and neuromas and, given the human, animal and experimental evidence, I assert that, to a reasonable degree of scientific certainty, the probability that RF exposure causes gliomas and neuromas is high.”

Chris Portier PhD

formerly Director of the National Center for Environmental Health at the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta and the Director of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Prior to CDC, Dr. Portier was with the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences for 32 years where he served as the NIEHS Associate Director, Director of the Environmental Toxicology Program, and Associate Director of the National Toxicology Program, and Senior Scientific Advisor to the Director.

“The NTP studies show that the assumption that RF radiation is incapable of causing cancer or other adverse health effects other than by tissue heating is wrong.”

Ronald Melnick PhD

“Regarding ICNIRP’S Evaluation of the National Toxicology Program’s Carcinogenicity Studies on Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields” published  in Health Physics

 

“In my opinion, the currently available scientific evidence is sufficient to upgrade the carcinogenicity of cell phone radiation from the possible carcinogen (Group 2B) to the probable carcinogen (Group 2A)”

“Precautionary Principle should be implemented as broadly as possible and feasible…Whenever possible and feasible, wired connections should be promoted over wireless.”

 Dariusz Leszczynski PhD in his 2015 lecture

 

Cyprus National Committee on Environment and Children’s Health

 

The 16 Practical Rules 

  1. Buy mobile phones with a very low radiation value and an external antenna connector, if possible. 
  2. Mobile phones, tablets, laptops are not toys or a means for entertainment for children. They can be used by children only as simple devices, i.e. on flight mode and with Wi-Fi, bluetooth and mobile data turned off. Games, songs etc., should be downloaded and saved in advance by parents. However, their use must still be limited and proportionate to the age of the child. Minimum use for children at preschool age, and no use at all for infants and children below 2 years of age.
  3. In general, keep calls short and as few as possible. Use a landline or write an SMS.
  4. “Distance is your friend”. Keep the phone away from your body and head during dialing and maintain at least the minimum distance recommended in the user guide. Take advantage of the built-in speakerphone or use a headset!
  5. Do not keep the phone directly on your body when using a headset or the built-in speakerphone. Pregnant women should be especially cautious. In men, mobile phones pose a risk to their fertility when carried in the pant pocket. Persons with electronic implants (pacemaker, insulin pump, etc.) must pay particular attention to distance. If no other option is available, use the outer coat pocket, a backpack or a purse/handbag to carry the phone!
  6. Do not use mobiles or smartphones in vehicles (car, bus, train). Without an external antenna, the radiation inside the vehicle is higher. In addition, the user is distracted and becomes a nuisance to others on public transport!
  7. No texting while driving – ever! The distraction causes you to become a danger to yourself and a danger to other road users!
  8. Make phone calls at home and at work via a hardwired network.
  9. Work offline more often or put your phone in airplane mode. For functions such as listening to music, camera, alarm clock, calculator or offline games, you do not always need an Internet connection!
  10. Fewer apps means less radiation. Minimize the number of apps and disable the most unnecessary background services on your smartphone. Disabling “mobile services”/“data network mode”/Wi-Fi turns the smartphone into a conventional mobile phone. You can still be reached, but you avoid a lot of unnecessary radiation from background data traffic! Teenagers in particular need to be cautious.
  11. Avoid making calls in places with poor reception (basement, elevator and the like). In such instances, a mobile phone increases its transmission power. When there is poor reception, use a headset or the speakerphone instead!
  12. Buy mobile phones with a very low SAR value and an external antenna connector, if possible!
  13. Internet access via a hardwired connection such as LAN (e.g. via ADSL, VDSL, fiber optics) does not emit radiation: it is fast and secure. Constantly radiating DECT cordless phones, Wi-Fi access points, data sticks and LTE modems should be avoided! This should be especially avoided in home and schools. Wi-Fi routers cause passive exposure to non-users. A distance of at least 4m up to 10m should be kept from places where children are playing, staying or sleeping. Wi-Fi should always be kept: switched off when not in use, especially at night or when pregnant woman and children are nearby.
  14. Chatting and phone calls over wired internet is recommended
  15. Protect pregnant women and children from “passive exposure”, by keeping a distance of at least 1 meter while on the mobile phone. When using wireless internet (Wi-Fi or mobile data), the distance kept should be as far as possible. Devices such as mobile phones, laptops or tablets with wireless connection must be kept away from a pregnant woman’s belly or from a woman holding a child in her arms. Under no circumstance should a pregnant woman or a child sit near a router or in between a router and their computer. In general, when parents hold their children in their arms or are close to them, they should not use or hold their mobile phones or work with wireless devices and they should not place the mobile phone on or close to the child’s stroller. The risk is higher if the mobile device is connected to the internet via Wi-Fi or mobile data.
  16. Beware of wireless digital baby monitors because of potential risks of irreversible damage to the infant’s brain development. Analogue-type or wired devices are the safest. Digital devices should at least be without video capacity and be “voice activated” (non-continuous transmission). In any case, any device should not be placed in the child’s cot, but at a distance of at least 2 meters!

 

Nicosia 2017 Declaration Position Paper on Electromagnetic Radiation and Radiofrequency Radiation in English

 

Don’t Irradiate Me” Cyprus Children’s Health Campaign to Reduce Direct and Passive Wireless Radiation Exposure to Children.  The new safety campaign involves posters, leaflets and large scale signs on buses.

Campaign Materials

The Archbishop Makarios III Hospital hospital has launched a project to minimize cell phone and wireless radiation exposures.

  • Wi-Fi is disabled and replaced with ethernet connections in the Intensive Care Unit and Neonatal unit.
  • Parents are educated to keep cell phones away from children and out of the pediatric units.

The Campaign is a cooperation between the Archbishop Makarios III Hospital (NAM III) and the Cyprus Committee on the Environment and Children’s Health (CyCECH) with the active support of the Executive Director of the Archbishop Makarios III Hospital, Dr. A. Neophytou, the Director of the Pediatrics Department, Dr. A. Elia. It is a collaboration of Dr. Andreas Sergis and Dr Antonis Kleanthous and the nursing staff of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU).

Cyprus Medical Association

The Cyprus Medical Association joined with the Medical Chamber of Vienna/Austria and Cyprus Committee on Environment and Children’s Health to issue a set of rules recommending the reduction of cell phone radiation and wireless. 

  1. Buy mobile phones with a very low SAR value and an external antenna connector, if possible!
  2. Mobile phones, tablets, laptops are not toys or a means for entertainment for children. They can be used by children only as simple devices, i.e. on flight mode and with Wi-Fi, bluetooth and mobile data turned off. Games, songs etc., should be downloaded and saved in advance by parents. However, their use must still be limited and proportionate to the age of the child. Minimum use for children at preschool age, and no use at all for infants and children below 2 years of age.
  3. In general, keep calls short and as few as possible. Use a landline or write an SMS.
  4. “Distance is your friend”. Keep the phone away from your body and head during dialing and maintain at least the minimum distance recommended in the user guide. Take advantage of the built-in speakerphone or use a headset!
  5. Do not keep the phone directly on your body when using a headset or the built-in speakerphone. Pregnant women should be especially cautious. In men, mobile phones pose a risk to their fertility when carried in the pant pocket. Persons with electronic implants (pacemaker, insulin pump, etc.) must pay particular attention to distance. If no other option is available, use the outer coat pocket, a backpack or a purse/handbag to carry the phone!
  6. Do not use mobiles or smartphones in vehicles (car, bus, train). Without an external antenna, the radiation inside the vehicle is higher. In addition, the user is distracted and becomes a nuisance to others on public transport!
  7. No texting while driving – ever! The distraction causes you to become a danger to yourself and a danger to other road users!
  8. Make phone calls at home and at work via a hardwired network.
  9. Work offline more often or put your phone in airplane mode. For functions such as listening to music, camera, alarm clock, calculator or offline games, you do not always need an Internet connection!
  10. Fewer apps means less radiation. Minimize the number of apps and disable the most unnecessary background services on your smartphone. Disabling “mobile services”/“data network mode”/Wi-Fi turns the smartphone into a conventional mobile phone. You can still be reached, but you avoid a lot of unnecessary radiation from background data traffic! Teenagers in particular need to be cautious.
  11. Avoid making calls in places with poor reception (basement, elevator and the like). In such instances, a mobile phone increases its transmission power. When there is poor reception, use a headset or the speakerphone instead!
  12. Buy mobile phones with a very low SAR value and an external antenna connector, if possible!
  13. Internet access via a hardwired connection such as LAN (e.g. via ADSL, VDSL, fiber optics) does not emit radiation: it is fast and secure. Constantly radiating DECT cordless phones, Wi-Fi access points, data sticks and LTE modems should be avoided! This should be especially avoided in home and schools. Wi-Fi routers cause passive exposure to non-users. A distance of at least 4m up to 10m should be kept from places where children are playing, staying or sleeping. Wi-Fi should always be kept: switched off when not in use, especially at night or when pregnant woman and children are nearby.
  14. Chatting and phone calls over wired internet is recommended
  15. Protect pregnant women and children from “passive exposure”, by keeping a distance of at least 1 meter while on the mobile phone. When using wireless internet (Wi-Fi or mobile data), the distance kept should be as far as possible. Devices such as mobile phones, laptops or tablets with wireless connection must be kept away from a pregnant woman’s belly or from a woman holding a child in her arms. Under no circumstance should a pregnant woman or a child sit near a router or in between a router and their computer. In general, when parents hold their children in their arms or are close to them, they should not use or hold their mobile phones or work with wireless devices and they should not place the mobile phone on or close to the child’s stroller. The risk is higher if the mobile device is connected to the internet via Wi-Fi or mobile data.
  16. Beware of wireless digital baby monitors because of potential risks of irreversible damage to the infant’s brain development. Analogue-type or wired devices are the safest. Digital devices should at least be without video capacity and be “voice activated” (non-continuous transmission). In any case, any device should not be placed in the child’s cot, but at a distance of at least 2 meters!

 

Link to Recommendations.

 

Austrian Medical Association

The 16 Practical Rules to Reduce Cell Phone and Wireless Radiation 

These medical recommendations are based on the existing rules published annually by the Medical Chamber of Vienna/Austria, the rules published by the Cyprus Committee on Environment and Children’s Health and the recent Reykjavik appeal 2017.

  1. Buy mobile phones with a very low SAR value and an external antenna connector, if possible!
  2. Mobile phones, tablets, laptops are not toys or a means for entertainment for children. They can be used by children only as simple devices, i.e. on flight mode and with Wi-Fi, bluetooth and mobile data turned off. Games, songs etc., should be downloaded and saved in advance by parents. However, their use must still be limited and proportionate to the age of the child. Minimum use for children at preschool age, and no use at all for infants and children below 2 years of age.
  3. In general, keep calls short and as few as possible. Use a landline or write an SMS.
  4. “Distance is your friend”. Keep the phone away from your body and head during dialing and maintain at least the minimum distance recommended in the user guide. Take advantage of the built-in speakerphone or use a headset!
  5. Do not keep the phone directly on your body when using a headset or the built-in speakerphone. Pregnant women should be especially cautious. In men, mobile phones pose a risk to their fertility when carried in the pant pocket. Persons with electronic implants (pacemaker, insulin pump, etc.) must pay particular attention to distance. If no other option is available, use the outer coat pocket, a backpack or a purse/handbag to carry the phone!
  6. Do not use mobiles or smartphones in vehicles (car, bus, train). Without an external antenna, the radiation inside the vehicle is higher. In addition, the user is distracted and becomes a nuisance to others on public transport!
  7. No texting while driving – ever! The distraction causes you to become a danger to yourself and a danger to other road users!
  8. Make phone calls at home and at work via a hardwired network.
  9. Work offline more often or put your phone in airplane mode. For functions such as listening to music, camera, alarm clock, calculator or offline games, you do not always need an Internet connection!
  10. Fewer apps means less radiation. Minimize the number of apps and disable the most unnecessary background services on your smartphone. Disabling “mobile services”/“data network mode”/Wi-Fi turns the smartphone into a conventional mobile phone. You can still be reached, but you avoid a lot of unnecessary radiation from background data traffic! Teenagers in particular need to be cautious.
  11. Avoid making calls in places with poor reception (basement, elevator and the like). In such instances, a mobile phone increases its transmission power. When there is poor reception, use a headset or the speakerphone instead!
  12. Buy mobile phones with a very low SAR value and an external antenna connector, if possible!
  13. Internet access via a hardwired connection such as LAN (e.g. via ADSL, VDSL, fiber optics) does not emit radiation: it is fast and secure. Constantly radiating DECT cordless phones, Wi-Fi access points, data sticks and LTE modems should be avoided! This should be especially avoided in home and schools. Wi-Fi routers cause passive exposure to non-users. A distance of at least 4m up to 10m should be kept from places where children are playing, staying or sleeping. Wi-Fi should always be kept: switched off when not in use, especially at night or when pregnant woman and children are nearby.
  14. Chatting and phone calls over wired internet is recommended
  15. Protect pregnant women and children from “passive exposure”, by keeping a distance of at least 1 meter while on the mobile phone. When using wireless internet (Wi-Fi or mobile data), the distance kept should be as far as possible. Devices such as mobile phones, laptops or tablets with wireless connection must be kept away from a pregnant woman’s belly or from a woman holding a child in her arms. Under no circumstance should a pregnant woman or a child sit near a router or in between a router and their computer. In general, when parents hold their children in their arms or are close to them, they should not use or hold their mobile phones or work with wireless devices and they should not place the mobile phone on or close to the child’s stroller. The risk is higher if the mobile device is connected to the internet via Wi-Fi or mobile data.
  16. Beware of wireless digital baby monitors because of potential risks of irreversible damage to the infant’s brain development. Analogue-type or wired devices are the safest. Digital devices should at least be without video capacity and be “voice activated” (non-continuous transmission). In any case, any device should not be placed in the child’s cot, but at a distance of at least 2 meters!

Link to Recommendations. 

 

Athens Medical Association

On April 1st 2017 the Athens Medical Association voted to issue 16 recommendations to reduce human exposure to wireless radiation. 

ATHENS MEDICAL ASSOCIATION 16 RULES FOR SAFER USE OF WIRELESS COMMUNICATION

  •      Use your cell phone with caution and make brief calls as necessary
  •      Children under the age of 14 should make limited use of cell phones
  •      Do not put your cell phone in contact with your head
  •      Do not use your cell phone inside a car, train, aeroplane, or elevator
  •      Restrict cell phone use when children or pregnant women are near
  •      Keep mobile phones away from your body
  •      When using your cell phone keep a safe distance from others
  •      Do not carry or keep your cell phone inside your pockets
  •      At bedtime, disable WiFi on your router and switch off your mobile phone
  •      Do not play games on-line; and if you will, first switch to airplane mode
  •      Hands-Free option is always preferable though may not be completely safe
  •      Wireless connections may increase your exposure to microwave radiation
  •      Limit WiFi connectivity and use hard-wired connection whenever possible
  •      When signal strength is weak do not attempt to make a call
  •      If a corded landline is available make use of this as a preferred option
  •      Disable WiFi, Bluetooth & Data options from your cell phone and other mobile device(s) when not needed.

Athens Medical Association website page on Electromagnetic Radiation and Health Conference whereby doctors voted to issue these recommendations.

American Academy of Pediatrics

American Academy of Pediatrics 

The American Academy of Pediatrics is the largest group of U.S. pediatricians and doctors focused on children. 

Recommendation to Families on How to Reduce Cell Phone Radiation

  • Prefer texting to voice calls
  • Use cell phones in speaker mode or hands-free to distance the cell phone away from the head. 
  • Make only short or essential calls on cell phones.
  • Avoid carrying your phone against the body like in a pocket, sock, or bra. 
  • Do not talk on the phone or text while driving. 
  • 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.
  • Remember that cell phones are not toys or teething items.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has written numerous letters regarding the need for stronger protections for children when it comes to cell phones and wireless radiation. 

AAP Letter  to FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn and FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg calling for a review of RF guidelines 8/29/2013

“The AAP urges the FCC to adopt radiation standards that: Protect children’s health and well-being. Children are not little adults and are disproportionately impacted by all environmental exposures, including cell phone radiation. Current FCC standards do not account for the unique vulnerability and use patterns specific to pregnant women and children. It is essential that any new standard for cell phones or other wireless devices be based on protecting the youngest and most vulnerable populations to ensure they are safeguarded throughout their lifetimes.”

AAP Letter to US Representative Dennis Kucinich in Support of the Cell Phone Right to Know Act 12/12/2012

“The differences in bone density and the amount of fluid in a child’s brain compared to an adult’s brain could allow children to absorb greater quantities of RF energy deeper into their brains than adults. It is essential that any new standards for cell phones or other wireless devices be based on protecting the youngest and most vulnerable populations to ensure they are safeguarded through their lifetimes.”

AAP Letter to the FCC Chairman calling for the FCC to open up a review of RF guidelines (7/12/2012)

 “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.”

Time Magazine (2012): Pediatricians Say Cell Phone Radiation Standards Need Another Look

 

Click here to download a PDF of all the letters by the American Academy of Pediatrics. 

What You Need To Know To Keep Your Family Healthy

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