186Because there are no known risks from exposure to RFemissions from cell phones, there is no reason to believe thathands-free kits reduce risks. Hands-free kits can be used forconvenience and comfort. They are also required by law inmany states if you want to use your phone while driving.Cell Phone Accessories that Claim to Shield the Headfrom RF RadiationBecause there are no known risks from exposure to RFemissions from cell phones, there is no reason to believe thataccessories which claim to shield the head from thoseemissions reduce risks. Some products that claim to shieldthe user from RF absorption use special phone cases, whileothers involve nothing more than a metallic accessoryattached to the phone.Studies have shown that these products generally do notwork as advertised. Unlike “hands-free” kits, these so-called“shields” may interfere with proper operation of the phone.The phone may be forced to boost its power to compensate,leading to an increase in RF absorption.Children and Cell PhonesThe scientific evidence does not show a danger to any usersof cell phones from RF exposure, including children andteenagers. The steps adults can take to reduce RF exposureapply to children and teenagers as well.• Reduce the amount of time spent on the cell phone;• Use speaker mode or a headset to place more distance betweenthe head and the cell phone.Some groups sponsored by other national governments haveadvised that children be discouraged from using cell phonesat all. For example, The Stewart Report from the UnitedKingdom made such a recommendation in December 2000.In this report, a group of independent experts noted that noevidence exists that using a cell phone causes brain tumorsor other ill effects. Their recommendation to limit cell phoneuse by children was strictly precautionary; it was not basedon scientific evidence that any health hazard exists.Additional information on the safety of RF exposures fromvarious sources can be obtained from the followingorganizations (updated 10/1/2010):• FCC RF Safety Program:http://www.fcc.gov/oet/rfsafety/.
