(AGI) - Paris, Jan. 4 - Is prolonged use of cellular phones harmful? Sector studies are still not unanimous, but in the meantime caution is never enough, especially when it comes to children. It is in this spirit that the French Ministry of Health issued a note in which it advises parents not give cell phones to their children. A timely invitation, they say in Paris, given the growing spread of models that have been specifically designed and produced with children in mind.

The "Ministere de la Sante', de la Jeuness et des Sports" admits that there is no scientific proof that allows us to certainly state the existence of health hazards linked to the use of cell phones, to the point that a 2006 research claims that exposition to cell phone radiation causes no damage; however, a number of studies say otherwise, pointing to some damage resulting from intense and prolonged use (in excess of ten years). "Cell phones should be used wisely", the Ministry explains, "avoiding calls when reception is less than perfect or during high speed travel, and the cell phone should be kept at a distance from vital areas of the body". The Ministry also recommends "use of an air-tube earpiece". Moreover, children, who are still in their development stage, may be more susceptible to any damage caused by exposition to cell phone radiofrequencies and, as is well known, "younger kids are not capable of limiting their use of cell phones".