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Is there a risk of having a cell tower near my home or my child’s school?

Updated: Jul 15

Republished with permission from Children's Health Defense website.


There is a substantial risk. Studies of children and adolescents living near cell towers found higher exposure to radiofrequency (RF) radiation was associated with delayed fine and gross motor skills, spatial working memory and attention among adolescents, reduced inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility, reduced visuomotor coordination, lower verbal expression and comprehension scores, more likely to have obsessive-compulsive and post-traumatic stress disorders, fatigue and higher risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

The following studies were found in a search of the EMF-Portaldatabase accumulated on mobile phone base stations (cell towers) and children or adolescents:

Summary of Results

  • A study below FCC limits designed to mimic radiation from cell towers found that tumors found in large-scale studies were of the same histotype as in some human epidemiological cell phone studies.

  • The embryo, fetus, infant and child are more vulnerable to many environmental insults, with potentially lifelong impacts.

  • Children absorb substantially higher RFR doses from cell phones, and in deeper brain structures, compared to adults. The same effect was found for wireless laptops and utility meters.

  • Damage from low levels of RFR to genetic material including DNA and nuclear structures in the cell, and potential mechanisms of child neurodevelopmental impairment.

  • Behavioral problems have been associated with prenatal and postnatal cell phone exposure.

  • Studies of children and adolescents report possible associations of wireless technology use with addictions and depression, fatigue, altered baseline thyroid hormone levels, and poorer well-being.

Meo et al (2018): Higher exposure to cell tower RFR was associated with delayed fine and gross motor skills, spatial working memory, and attention among adolescents compared to students exposed to lower levels of cell tower RFR. (13-16 years of age.)

Calvente et al (2016): Children living in higher RFR exposure areas had lower verbal expression and comprehension scores, more internalizing and total problems, and were more likely to have obsessive-compulsive and post-traumatic stress disorders, in comparison to those living in areas with lower RFR exposure. These associations were stronger when maximum RFR exposures were examined as opposed to average exposures. (9-11 years of age.)

Meo et al (2015): Students exposed to higher cell tower RFR had a significantly greater risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus relative to others exposed to lower cell tower RFR. High cell tower RFR was associated with elevated levels of HbA1c and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus. (12-17 years of age.)

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