Parents buy mobile phones for children despite the health dangers

Parents are allowing their children to use and own mobile phones, despite health advice warning otherwise.

A survey by parenting forum Netmums.com, found 97 per cent of parents think it’s acceptable for children to own a mobile phone.

In fact, 67 per cent buy their under 16s mobiles, with around half of these bought for a child under 11 years.

Mobile phone use in under 16s has been linked to health issues including headaches, insomnia and depression.

But health advice recommends children have restricted access to mobiles due to the potential harmful radio frequency radiation emitted.

Founder of Netmums, Siobhan Freegard said: “This survey has really highlighted the confusion amongst parents regarding mobile phone safety. While many parents provide their kids with mobile phones as it makes both the parent and child feel safer, the UK Chief Medical Officer advises that children under 16 should only use mobile phones for essential purposes, and should keep all calls short. As there is still conflicting evidence over whether mobile can harm children, parents need to balance their safety fears with concerns for their child’s health.”