Children and Teens and Cell Phones
![Teenage girl holding cell phone to her ear and smiling. Children and Teens and Cell Phones.](https://public4.pagefreezer.com:443/content/FDA/02-12-2021T19:38/https://www.fda.gov/files/styles/main_image_medium/public/cell%20phone%203.jpg?itok=B8bkdzpD)
Current scientific evidence does not show a danger to any users of cell phones from radio frequency (RF) energy, including children and teenagers. There are also simple steps that anyone, including children and teenagers, can take if they would like to reduce RF exposure.
- Reduce the amount of time spent using the cell phone.
- Use speaker mode, head phones, or ear buds to place more distance between the head and the cell phone.
- Avoid making calls when the signal is weak as this causes cell phones to boost RF transmission power.
- Consider texting rather than talking — but don’t text while driving.
A large epidemiological study of the effects of cell phones in young adults aged between 10 and 24 was completed across 14 countries in Europe (the MOBI-KIDS study). Although the study was completed in 2016, the results have not yet been published. As with all other information, the FDA will continue to monitor scientific information and assess the results of this study as it becomes available.