Parents are ignoringhealth warnings by allowing young children to use mobile phones, according to a leading expert. In his latest report, Sir William Stewart, head of the National Radiological Protection Board, says there is still no proof that mobiles are harmful, but nonetheless he recommends a precautionary approach because of the difficulties of assessing the impact of such a rapidly evolving technology. He points out that childrens' skulls are not fully thickened and their nervous systems not properly developed - any radiation from a phone will penetrate further into their brains. Sir William also calls for a review of the planning process for base stations and argues that mobile phone masts should not be sited near schools, saying he is now more concerned about possible health hazards than he was five years ago. According to the latest figures, one in four children between the ages of seven and ten, now owns a mobile phone.
Parents can help reduce the risks by chosing phones with a low emission rate or SAR - go to the Mobile Manufacturers Forum website for information on individual phones.
Do you think children under 8 should be allowed to use mobile phones? Tell us what you think by voting in our Tigerpoll.
Habit disorder is the term used to describe a broad range of repeated actions such as thumb sucking and stuttering. Most of them are so common in young children that they can be classified as normal. In most cases they become less prevalent as the child grows older, and the child often reverts to them when bored or anxious or tired. Before tackling a specific problem, try and work out surreptitiously when the habit occurs and what triggers it off. If it is related to anxiety, drawing attention to it will only make it worse. Develop a strategy for dealing with it with your child’s cooperation and try to make this fun. Below are a few ideas for coping with different habit disorders; if you’ve had success with a particular method of controlling them with your child, please let us know, and we can pass on your experiences (mail us at habitdisorders).
Juliet Jones lives in domestic chaos with husband Steve, son Oliver (aged 5) and daughters Billie (aged 3) and Rosa (born 1 May 2003) in Hertfordshire.
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