Damaging effects of mobiles on children

Rate of microwave radiation (MWR) absorption higher in children: report

Parents, busy gossiping with the guests in the drawing room and their one-year old child is seen fiddling with a cell phone has become a common sight in, both upper and middle class households in Karachi. Completely ignorant of the fact that how detrimental is the use of cell phones for the children, parents handover their mobile phones to the toddlers just to spend some carefree time with friends and relatives.

While having a good time with friends they forget that the best inheritance, any parent can give his child is time. In short, in doing so, the cost they have to pay in future upbringing of their children is colossal, as most of them may suffer from psychological disorders.

Urban parents in desperate need to sooth their children, normally take out their cell phones and hand it over to them after switching on some cartoon network. Nowadays, they only have one solution to placate their child, a mobile phone. Though this makes parents comfortable, this trend is worrisome for the psychologists and doctors.

Talking to Bol News Dr. Ovais Zubair MD said, “a child’s brain is too sensitive to withstand the effects of mobile radiation. As such, addiction to phones can cause damage to children’s eyesight and impact their wellbeing.”

While discussing the possible health hazards of mobile phones on children he said that a study published in 2018 revealed that a child’s brain absorbs 2-3 times more radiation than an adult’s, particularly when a cell phone is positioned next to the ear or in front of the eyes to view virtual reality.

Moreover, he warns that children who use mobile phones have the possibility of developing tumours in the brain and ear. So the parents should be extra careful and must see to it that cell phones are out of the reach of their children.

However, he adds that since brain tumours and other cancers usually do not develop until several decades after the initial exposure, it could be years before we know how risky cell phones are for the growth of a child.

Dr. Zubair further adds that the disturbed brain activity caused by cell phones can potentially cause learning disabilities, and other behavioural problems. It could even affect a child’s mood and ability to learn in the classroom.

Not only that, he argues that decrease in physical activity associated with cell phones can also adversely affect the child’s health. If parents do not understand the harmful effects of the small screen of the cell phones on children, their future generation will definitely be burdened with aggravated mental health issues. Studies are already showing a higher risk of autism, which appears at the age of three. The study further adds that the potential harm from microwave radiation (MWR) given off by wireless devices, particularly for children, is the highlight of a new research.

According to the estimates of the Pakistan Autism Society, about 350,000 children are suffering from Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Pakistan.

The worst part of the study is the fact that in our society, such children are subjected to violence by their parents for not studying, even though the parents are responsible for this. Aamir Khan, in his blockbuster film, ‘Tare Zameen Par’, subtly highlighted this issue. The film raised awareness of the issue of autism, and prompted more open discussions among parents, schools, activists, and policymakers in India.

According to the Autism Society of Pakistan (ASP), there are over 400,000 children on the autism spectrum, much more than the figure denotes, not counting the adults who may have it. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a lifelong neurological condition that affects a person’s interaction with the world. An umbrella term encompassing four types, reflects the developmental difficulties these people face.

Parents have demanded that the government of Pakistan must make efforts to support autistic children, appoint professionals who can diagnose the disorder correctly and launch extensive awareness campaigns about it across the country. However, it’s time to educate parents about the dangers of giving a cell phone to pacify children.

It is very dangerous when a mobile screen is used to placate a six-month-old child. Though the child is attracted to colourful moving objects, the microwave radiation (MWR) given off by wireless devices is very harmful, particularly for children. Some psychologists suggest that very much like cigarette packets, the dangers of cell phones should be highlighted on the mobile boxes.

According to a report the rate of MWR absorption is higher in children than adults because their brain tissues are more absorbent, their skulls are thinner, and their relative size is smaller. Other studies have reported that the bone marrow of children absorbs 10 times more MWR than that of adults.

According to a WHO report due to the excessive use of cell phones the children suffer from various psychological disorders and there is an imbalance in their social attitudes. In 1999 WHO set some guidelines for children, emphasising their physical and mental activity.  While emphasis has been laid on minimizing the use of mobile till the age of five years.

This is the age when the child enters school. In school, such a child fights with the classmates and is unable to concentrate on studies, so he is generally declared a ‘bad boy’. The frequent use of mobile phones develops a lot of curiosity in children. So they wake up at night and check their mobile phones. The excessive use of a mobile screen compresses the eyes in an, which puts a burden on the child’s vision and results in vision problems. Lack of sleep has also emerged as a major disease, which is caused by the use of mobile phones.

That is why children under one year or one year of age are strictly prohibited from being introduced to mobile screens in the United States. According to the recommendations of the Academy of Paediatrics, a child under 18 months of age should not use mobile screens as it is detrimental to the health.

With the invention of smartphones, parents refuse to spend some quality time with their children. The absence of parent-child interaction has resulted in a flaw in language development, emotional self-regulation, and academic performance.

Moreover, according to Kishwar Enam, a paediatrician, “the excessive use of cell phones has reduced time spent with one’s peers, a rich resource for developing creativity, solving problems, and self-expression. All of this can stunt a child’s ability to respond to everyday setbacks and form strategies to overcome them. As a result, the child may become socially isolated and will lack basic social competency and well-being.”