As you know, I'm certainly not opposed to using cellular phones. With maintaining and building a thriving practice along with guiding the growth of my Web site very day, having one is a must. However, the trick is using them safely. That's why some scientists are urging parents to reconsider giving their children mobiles.

The British-based National Radiological Protection Board has suggested children younger than age 8 not be given a cellular phone due to exposing their young bodies to harmful radiation. One scary statistic: 70-80 percent of the energy emitted from the antenna of a mobile phone is absorbed in the head, according to a University of Washington scientist.

This expert was particularly concerned about kids using mobiles because their younger skulls -- contrary to popular opinion -- are thinner and their growing brains may be much more susceptible to radiation exposure. And because children could potentially use mobiles longer than their parents, slow-growing brain tumors could show up sooner.

Part of the solution, the expert says, will be an "uncool" but necessary one for kids: Using a headset that keeps phones away from their heads. I'd strongly urge you to go further than that, however. Even though a headset will certainly help, I've recently found a simple and inexpensive solution: Clipping a tiny ferrite bead onto a hands-free mobile phone headset can reduce a cell phone user's exposure to radiation to virtually nothing.

Yahoo News March 21, 2005