Hey mamas!

I came across this article from Children’s Health Defense and just had to share it. Not trying to add to your mental load (Lord knows we’ve all got enough going on), but I think it’s worth knowing what some researchers are finding so we can make thoughtful choices for our kiddos.

So here’s the gist. There was a peer-reviewed study published in a journal called Environmental Research that looked at kids under 16 in Mexico City. They compared about 200 children who had been diagnosed with central nervous system tumors, like brain tumors (which, by the way, are the second most common childhood cancer, super sobering) to nearly 800 kids who didn’t have them. The researchers measured real-world EMF exposure, including the low-frequency magnetic fields that come from power lines and your home’s electrical wiring. They even did 24-hour measurements right in the kids’ bedrooms. They also looked at radiofrequency exposure from tablets and cellphones, and asked parents about how much their kids actually used those devices.

Here’s what caught my attention. Higher exposure to those low-frequency magnetic fields was linked to a greater risk of these tumors in kids. And tablet use, especially when connected to WiFi, also showed a connection to higher risk. Even non-connected tablet use had some association. Interesting, right?

The one thing that didn’t show a super strong overall link was regular cellphone use, except possibly for really young kids (5 and under) who had been using phones for more than four years. So there’s a little nuance there.

The article also explains why kids might be more affected than adults. Their brains and nervous systems are still developing, their heads are smaller so radiation can penetrate deeper, and their tissue composition may make them more conductive to these fields. There’s also mention of other research connecting similar exposures to things like childhood leukemia, ADHD, asthma, and even miscarriage risks from prenatal exposure.

One expert cited in the piece, Lennart Hardell who has done a lot of research in this area, noted that parents might actually underreport how much their kids use devices just out of guilt. So the real numbers could be even higher. The article also references a 2025 WHO review on wireless radiation and animal studies, plus some older government-funded research showing cancer risks, with a note that industry-funded studies tend to come up with different conclusions. Make of that what you will!

Now, this is one study (data collected from 2017 to 2022, which covers the tablet explosion that happened during the pandemic when so many kids were doing school on screens) and the science on EMFs is still evolving with mixed findings out there. But as a mom, it made me stop and think. Simple things like being aware of where your home’s wiring runs, putting tablets on airplane mode when possible, cutting down on long screen sessions, or even just keeping EMF exposure in mind when house hunting near power lines. Little things that might add up.

If you want to read the full article, I’ll link it here: ARTICLE. I’m curious what you all think! Has this come up in your mom groups or circles? And if you’ve found easy ways to reduce exposure without going totally off the grid, please share! We’re all in this together, just doing our best for our babies. Learn more about what EMF is here and what I’ve done to protect my family here.

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