Cell Phones and Behavioral Problems: Pregnancy Menace or Myth
Karen Sullen
May 25, 2008
The findings from a survey of 13,159 Danish mothers and their 7-year-old children participating in a long-term study reveal that mothers who use cell phones during pregnancy approximately 2-3 times per day can increase their baby´s risk of serious behavior problems by 80%. Researchers go on to say that expectant mothers who use cell phones during pregnancy are 54% more likely to have children with hyperactivity. And when young children themselves are allowed to use cell phones, they are likely to suffer from behavioral difficulties at alarming rates:
25% more at risk from emotional problems
34% more likely to have difficulty relating to their peers
35% more likely to be hyperactive
49% more prone to conduct problems
Increasing the use of cell phones also seems to increase the risk of behavior problems. The more exposure the women had, the more problems their children displayed. Even after adjusting the results for other factors known to affect behavior, such as smoking, societal issues, the mother´s alcohol use and her psychiatric state, the correlations between cell-phone usage and behavioral problems remained.
At first glance, the results appear to be shocking, but a closer look indicates that the findings are not conclusive in and of themselves. "This is just a statistical association. We don't know if it is causal or not," according to study researcher Jorn Olsen, PhD. Olsen is professor and chair of epidemiology at the University of California Los Angeles School of Public Health. Olsen goes on to state that, "This study just raises suspicion. It does not indicate a strong association, but calls for caution in using cell phones during pregnancy and early childhood." It is also important to note that the association between cell-phone usage and behavior problems occurred in a small amount of the participants. "We would like pregnant women not to be concerned if they used a cell phone during pregnancy. And even for children with both mother and self use, 90% do not have these behavior problems, so even if this is real it only affects a small subset of the population," Olsen said.
Parents should also keep in mind that the results are based on a survey, not observed behavior. Researchers are relying only on the answers from a series of questions posed to the mothers rather than observed usage and behavioral activity. The opinions and interpretations from such a large group of women are sure to vary based on what each parent would consider "normal" behavior in their child. Also, there were many other factors that were not taken into account that may have impacted the results. For example, researchers did not examine implications that a mother who used her cell phone constantly might pay less attention to her children, resulting in increased behavioral problems. Neither were the affects of other family dynamics considered.
In essence, just because a child has behavioral problems and the mother happens to have used a cell phone while pregnant does not necessarily mean there is a correlation. It is clear that additional research needs to be done to either validate or void these findings. At this point, there may not be reason for mass hysteria, but the results may cause pregnant women to think twice when using their cell phones.
This article was brought to you by CornerStorkBabyGifts.com, an online retail company specializing in boutique-quality baby gifts and baby shower favors. We are also dedicated to providing informative articles on pregnancy and prenatal health, infant and baby health, infant and baby safety, parenting skills and strategies, child abuse and other topics of interest to mothers- and fathers-to-be, parents and the public.
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