Harmful to babies – tablets, smartphones & Co.

Do you sometimes wonder whether the rays from smartphones, tablets and the like are harmful to your baby? After all, they are suspected of causing diseases such as cancer. It's definitely understandable that you're worried.

In this article, we would like to address the problem and give you important information as well as tips and tricks for the correct use of mobile devices in relation to your baby.

Is radiation from smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices dangerous for my baby?

For many years, suspicions have been circulating that mobile phone radiation is carcinogenic, among other things. As a result, the WHO (World Health Organization) has now also classified radiation as potentially dangerous. For this reason, guideline values have been set that may not be exceeded by a mobile device.

However – and this is the problem – these benchmarks refer exclusively to adult health. There is no mention of how harmful mobile phone radiation is for babies and children. So we can only guess that radiation, which can be dangerous for adults, is even more harmful for our little ones. After all, their immune system is not nearly as well developed as that of an adult.

Even if there are no verifiable numbers, it doesn't hurt to keep all mobile devices as far away from your baby as possible. By the way, this also applies to baby monitors, because they also cause a certain amount of radiation.

Why can babies and toddlers be more at risk?

On the one hand – as already mentioned – the immune system is nowhere near as strong as it is in us adults. The baby's entire body has yet to develop and may not be able to withstand the radiation as well.

In addition, the radiation theory and the associated damage often refer to the head area. For example, the central nervous system may be damaged and brain tumors are also spoken of in connection with cell phone radiation.

If you consider that the skullcap of babies is significantly less developed than our own, you can guess how easily the radiation can penetrate there. For safety reasons, you should therefore keep your baby away from cell phone radiation.

We must be very clear that even for the determination of the guideline values by the WHO and other scientists, only assumptions can be used for the most part. This is due to the fact that radiation behaviour on humans has been studied for several years. However, the period is not long enough to speak of meaningful long-term studies.

So it is up to you to what extent you think it makes sense to protect your baby.

How can I avoid my baby being exposed to radiation?

The easiest way would be to refrain from using all devices in your household that cause radiation. This is easier said than done, because let's be honest – could you imagine life without a smartphone or tablet? We are somehow dependent on it, even if it would be possible to do without it in an emergency.

And even if you were to protect your child at home, they would always be exposed to radiation in some way when gathering with family, friends, or even when shopping and on the playground.

But what can I do now to protect my baby?

If this question is on your mind right now, our following tips will help you:

1. Use a low-radiation smartphone
   

   When buying your next mobile phone, pay attention to the SAR value indicated. This value is the "radiation value". A mobile phone is considered "low-radiation" if it absorbs a maximum of 2 watts per kilogram of radiation.

2. Hold
   your cell phone away from your body

   Did you know that your cell phone emits the highest radiation the moment it establishes a call connection? That's why it's important that you keep the smartphone as far away from your body as possible and, of course, your baby's body when you connect.

3. Prefer to put your mobile phone in your handbag
   

   Likewise, cell phone radiation increases the warmer the environment is. This not only means that you and your baby are particularly at risk during the summer months. If you carry the mobile phone in your pocket or keep it next to your baby in the stroller, body heat can cause increased radiation. So it's best to store your smartphone in your handbag or in another suitable place.

4. Less radiation in flight mode
   

   When the phone is in airplane mode, it also emitsa much lower amount of radiation. It's worth activating this mode when you're busy with your baby. You don't have time to play around with your smartphone anyway, do you?
    

The best method - just turn off the phone!

Even though we all seem to need the mobile phone urgently, there are usually situations in which it annoys us. Do you know this? In these moments, it is worth switching off the smartphone or tablet and enjoying the peace and quiet with the baby. At night, it also can't hurt to switch off the cell phone.

When the mobile phone is shut down, it no longer generates any radiation.