URGENT action is needed to curb childrens’ use of mobile phones because of fears they can cause cancer and a host of other illnesses, experts said last night.

The Express.co.uk

HEALTH ALERT FOR CHILDREN WHO USE MOBILE PHONES

Children ‘are at risk’ from mobiles

Wednesday November 9,2011

By Nathan Rao

URGENT action is needed to curb childrens’ use of mobile phones because of fears they can cause cancer and a host of other illnesses, experts said last night.

An estimated eight out of 10 youngsters aged between seven and 11 now have their own mobile and ownership is also spiralling among those even younger.

But British charity MobileWise says use of the gadgets must be restricted because the young are more at risk from potentially dangerous radiation.

The campaign group is calling on the Government and the mobile phone  industry to step up warnings over the devices.

Following an in-depth study of 200 scientific papers, MobileWise says health chiefs are ignoring negative findings and are not doing enough to warn parents of the dangers.

{jb_info}MobileWise director Vicky Fobel said: “We have a choice. We can either continue to ignore the mounting evidence of risks and do nothing until we have incontrovertible proof that mobiles can damage health or we can take note of this evidence, even if it is still inconclusive, and act to protect children before it is too late.{/jb_info}

The study claims children’s brains can absorb twice the amount of radiation as adults from mobile phones because their skulls are smaller and thinner. It says children who use mobiles are also more likely to develop health problems in adulthood due to a longer exposure during their lifetime.

Dr Lennart Hardell, professor of oncology and cancer epidemiology at Orebro University Hospital, in Sweden, has led several studies on the subject.

He said: “This timely report draws attention to the large body of evidence which links prolonged phone use to health hazards such as brain tumours.

“While further research is still needed, there is certainly enough evidence to warrant urgent action by public health agencies to protect the public, especially children, who are significantly more vulnerable.”