As we’ve discussed the health impacts of electromagnetic frequencies, 5G, and strategies for protecting yourself and loved-ones from their harmful effects; we would be remiss to not discuss the unique implications for young ones. We know that EMFs are ubiquitous and ever increasing in our environment. Many well-meaning parents think that giving their children various devices will help them learn or have good behavior. Some parents might give a cell phone to their child in hopes they will be safer because they can readily communicate with them. However, it is important for parents to become educated on how devices including cell phones, iPads, computers, etc. can have potentially damaging impacts on a child’s health.
Susceptibility
Children are more susceptible to EMFs because of the rate of development in both their osseous structure and nervous system. Additionally, children’s brain tissue is more conductive, making it especially vulnerable. The brain’s protective barrier, the blood-brain barrier, is also more permeable in children; some say it is not fully sealed until age 7. Because this barrier is not yet fully intact in many young children, their brains are even more vulnerable to the toxins and free-radicals present in the bloodstream.
The “specific absorption rate” produced by cell phones differs between children and adults. EMF penetrates greater relative to one’s head size. As you see in the graphic, age is a considerable variable in the brain’s exposure to harmful electromagnetic frequencies. A 2011 study helps to illustrate EMFs great absorption into the brain:
“When electrical properties are considered, a child’s head’s absorption can be over two times greater, and absorption of the skull’s bone marrow can be ten times greater than adults”
Fertility & Pregnancy
While this blog post is focusing on the impacts of EMF exposures to a child’s health, it is important to understand that the health of a child begins during the mother’s preconception period and pregnancy. As mentioned in a previous blog post on EMFs, radiation exposure impacts a woman’s fertility and the developing fetus. Prenatal development is a time of intense cell proliferation, cell differentiation, and cell migration. This process is highly sensitive to radiation exposure. Studies show an increased risk of miscarriage, birth defects, impaired brain development, and stillbirth with exposure to higher levels of EMFs at certain pivotal periods of gestational development.
Obesity
Research shows that EMFs are linked to a greater risk of childhood obesity. This is likely due to the fact that EMFs have a staggering impact on the function of various glands within the body. This is especially concerning when the endocrine related glands are involved as they affect many aspects of metabolism and their dysfunction has the ability to throw the whole body into turmoil. EMF exposure has been shown to disrupt the thyroid gland, the adrenal glands, and even the gonadal tissues.
While obesity can result from increased exposure to EMFs in both children and adults, this is more concerning for children because they are much more susceptible to this energy. Obesity is even more concerning due to the fact that it is often followed by other disease states including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular problems, kidney failure, and cancers.
It is also important to note that babies born to mothers who were under high levels of EMF exposure during their pregnancies were much more likely to have obesity. One study showed that these children were at a 50-84% higher risk of becoming obese in accordance to their mother’s degree of exposure to EMFs during pregnancy.
Autism
Exposure to EMF is linked to a greater likelihood of a child being autistic. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurological condition in which we are seeing more and more children diagnosed each year. In the past several years, ASD rates have skyrocketed. Researchers are asking the question on whether or not electromagnetic frequencies could be a part of these increasing statistics. There is emerging research that is starting to establish a significant link between EMF exposure and autism. This is likely a downstream effect of voltage gated calcium channel (VGCC) activation and increasing the amount of calcium within the cells of the brain. This excess of calcium creates inflammation and ultimately cell death; contributing to autism spectrum related symptoms.
ADHD
We are starting to see a very strong connection between EMFs, ADHD, and other cognitive and behavioral disorders. A 2008 study following over 13,000 mothers and children indicated an 80% higher tendency for children to have behavioral, emotional, and hyperactive behaviors after excessive pre- and postnatal cell phone exposure.
Additionally, a research paper from 2017 stated this:
“Symptoms of retarded memory, learning, cognition, attention, and behavioral problems have been reported in numerous studies and are similarly manifested in autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorders, as a result of EMF and RFR exposures where both epigenetic drivers and genetic (DNA) damage are likely contributors. Technology benefits can be realized by adopting wired devices for education to avoid health risk and promote academic achievement.”
Brain Development
We’ve seen that screen-time exposure alone in children is harmful to brain development and can lead to addiction, eye problems and aggressive behaviors. Despite this, schools still give tablets to young children and sometimes replace teachers with screens. Research also indicates that digital technologies are causing even adult attention span to dwindle.
When it come to EMFs, we know that the human biofield uses 10-30 ghz. Alarmingly, this is exactly the range 5G is broadcasting, which has the propensity to impact the human biofield. Having this biofield unhindered is important for cell to cell communication, how we communicate with the earth, other humans, pets, etc. Based on the impacts of EMFs on the frontal lobe of the brain, there are huge effects on the more subtle characteristics of what makes us human such as love, higher consciousness, our connection with the earth and other humans. Some say, EMFs are dehumanizing us.
Cancer
There is a growing body of research indicating the connection of various forms of cancer to EMF exposure. We know that children are more susceptible to the harmful effects of radiation, it is wise to understand the link between cancer in humans of any age and EMF exposure. Studies carried out in Sweden indicate that those who begin using either cordless or mobile phones regularly before age 20 have more than a fourfold increased risk of cancer. Additionally, it has been observed that there is an approximate twofold increased risk of childhood leukemia for higher levels of EMF exposure. In fact, consistent evidence of an association between childhood leukemia and exposure to EMFs has led to their classification by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a "possible human carcinogen."
Protection for Children
If you did not catch our post on protecting yourself from EMFs, please check it out. Some of our suggestions here overlap with that post, but it is worth restating in light of the seriousness of protecting our children. If you are a caretaker of children, we strongly urge taking precautions to protect their tender developing bodies.
We do have some specific recommendations for children especially. Perhaps it goes without saying, but we urge parents to really limit screen time in children. Some experts suggest no screen time until the age of 10.
Other considerations for children:
Favor hard-wired connections for internet, phones, and baby monitors.
Keep electronics and devices out of kid’s rooms. Period.
Keep cribs and beds away from smart meters, wifi routers, electric lines, and breaker boxes.
Make your child’s bedroom an EMF-free “sleep haven” at night by having no electronics or devices in the sleeping environment. Ensure a dark environment by removing night lights and LED clocks. Place a home harmonizer in or near their bedroom. Consider an EMF shielding canopy or fabric for children who are on the autism spectrum or have significant neurological symptoms.
Have your children use the speaker phone feature when talking on the phone so that it is further from the body.
Even though schools have WiFi, turn off the wifi you can control-in your home!
Do not use the microwave.
Consider protection for your devices that children may come in contact with-phones, tablets, computers, etc.
If they need to use a tablet or laptop for school, encourage them to keep laptops off their laps and not touching their body.
Beware of fitness trackers and smart watches, these actually emit a significant amount of EMF.
If you are unsure about the EMF levels in your child’s environment, consider purchasing an EMF meter to gauge their exposure to EMFs.
Other Sources
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780444522726002129
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0928468013000035
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/242331926_Electromagnetic_fields_act_via_activation_of_voltage-gated_calcium_channels_to_produce_beneficial_or_adverse_effects
https://bioinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/sec19_2012_Fetal_neonatal_effects_EMF.pdf
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28504324/
https://www.nature.com/articles/srep00540
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