Concerns Arise for Kids with Cell Phones
Considerations Parents Should Make Before Buying a Kid a Cell Phone
Sep 14, 2009
It’s hard not to make a trip to the mall, a restaurant or any sporting event without seeing several kids with cell phones. This must-have technological accessory is on the wish list of many children from pre-teens to teens. But before buying a child a mobile phone, parents should consider the real necessity and risks associated with cell phone use.
Kids with Cell Phones Can Easily Stay in Touch With Parents
One of the key benefits of kids owning their own mobile phone is the ability for parents and children to constantly stay in touch with each other. Whether it is to advise parents that basketball practice was cancelled or that they are stopping by the store on the way home from school, kids with cell phones can easily stay in touch with parents throughout the day.
There can be a downside to this constant connection, however. Since kids with cell phones can reach their parents and friends at all times, they may be inhibiting their ability to make decisions on their own. A fundamental part of growing up and becoming more independent is the ability to make good decisions. A child can come dependent on using their mobile phone to assist them in making decisions instead of coming to conclusions on their own.
Brain Tumors Linked to Cell Phone Use – A Special Concern for Kids with Cell Phones
A key consideration parents should take into account before buying their child a mobile phone is the link to cancer. Children are more at risk than adults for brain tumors as referenced in a recent report output by the International EMF Collaborative entitled “Cell Phones and Brain Tumors: 15 Reasons for Concern.” The study also mentions the younger the child is when he or she starts using a cell phone, the greater the risk for developing brain tumors.
Concern for kids with cell phones in countries like France has resulted in a ban on cell phone use in elementary schools and Russia has recommended that children under the age of 18 should not use cell phones.
The report continues to make some recommendations for parents and kids with cell phones. Some of the recommendations made by the International EMF Collaborative for kids with cell phones include using a wired headset when on a call or text instead, children under the age of 18 should only use a cell phone in emergencies only, keep the phone off when not in use and return the call later, preferably on a corded land-line phone.
These are just a few of the factors to take into consideration before purchasing a mobile phone for a child. Other factors parents should consider before their child joins the thousands of kids with cell phones are the costs of mobile phone ownership and the level of responsibility their child has.
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