Comparisons of peak SAR levels in concentric sphere head models of children and adults for irradiation by a dipole at 900 MHz.
Anderson V. · 2003
View Original AbstractChildren's brains absorb up to 31% more cell phone radiation than adults, yet safety standards offer no special protections for developing minds.
Plain English Summary
Researchers modeled how cell phone radiation at 900 MHz affects children's brains differently than adults' brains. They found that 4-year-olds absorb 31% more radiation in their brain tissue than adults, with the difference decreasing as children age. Despite finding higher absorption rates in children, the researchers concluded this doesn't warrant special safety measures because current safety standards already account for these differences.
Why This Matters
This 2003 study reveals a critical vulnerability that regulators have long overlooked: children's developing brains absorb significantly more cell phone radiation than adult brains. The 31% increase in 4-year-olds represents substantial additional exposure during the most critical period of brain development. What's particularly concerning is the study's conclusion that these higher absorption rates don't warrant special protections for children. This reasoning relies entirely on existing safety standards that were established based on adult male models and short-term heating effects, ignoring the growing body of research on non-thermal biological impacts. The reality is that children's thinner skulls and developing nervous systems make them more vulnerable to EMF exposure, not less deserving of protection.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. The study examined exposure from: 900 MHz
Study Details
The aim of this study is to examine the scale and significance of differences in peak specific energy absorption rate (SAR) in the brains of children and adults exposed to radiofrequency emissions from mobile phones.
Estimates were obtained by method of multipole analysis of a three layered (scalp/cranium/brain) sph...
A literature review of head parameters that influence SAR induction revealed strong indirect evidenc...
Show BibTeX
@article{v._2003_comparisons_of_peak_sar_1831,
author = {Anderson V.},
title = {Comparisons of peak SAR levels in concentric sphere head models of children and adults for irradiation by a dipole at 900 MHz.},
year = {2003},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14620057/},
}