Parents have been advised to discourage their children from using their mobile phones unnecessarily.

The guidance comes despite a report by the Health Protection Agency's Independent Advisory Group concluding there is still "no convincing evidence" that handsets cause adverse effects to health.

A study into the result of exposure to non-ionising radiation suggested as long as it is kept below internationally-agreed guideline levels, humans are unlikely to experience any ill effects.

However, the report acknowledged that mobile phone technology has only been widely used in the public domain in the last 15 years so long-term side effects are not known.

As a result, director of the HPA's Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards Dr John Cooper warned that "excessive use of mobile phones by children should be discouraged".

The advice comes after a Council of Europe body recently called for a ban on all mobile phones and WiFi systems from classrooms and schools in order to protect youngsters from exposure to electromagnetic fields.

Written by Donal Walsh

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