Some people may be concerned about the exposure of children to EME, particularly in relation to their use of mobile phones, since they are physiologically still developing compared to adults. Also, children of today will be using mobile phones and other wireless devices for considerably longer than past generations.
The major health agencies such as ARPANSA and the WHO have found that the available scientific evidence does not substantiate a link between exposure to EME and harmful effects in adults, adolescents and children, including brain tumors.
The WHO states: "A large number of studies have been performed over the last two decades to assess whether mobile phones pose a potential health risk. To date, no adverse health effects have been established as being caused by mobile phone use."
However, the WHO also notes that “while an increased risk of brain tumors is not established, the increasing use of mobile phones and the lack of data for mobile phone use over time periods longer than 15 years warrant further research of mobile phone use and brain cancer risk. In particular, with the recent popularity of mobile phone use among younger people, and therefore a potentially longer lifetime of exposure, WHO has promoted further research on this group. Several studies investigating potential health effects in children and adolescents are underway”.
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs193/en/
Such research is currently being undertaken as part of the 14 country international MOBI-KIDS study, of which Australia’s Monash University is a contributing research partner. The WHO has identified the work being undertaken by MOBI-KIDS as being of high priority in order to evaluate potential health risks of mobile phone use by children.
Reference: http://www.crealradiation.com/index.php/mobi-kids-home
It is also important to remember that the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) EME exposure guidelines are based on careful analysis of the scientific literature and are designed to offer protection for all ages including children. A wide safety margin has been incorporated into the EME guidelines meaning that exposure limits have been set well below the level at which adverse health effects are known to occur.