Background: Little is known about the exposure of children to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) and potentially associated health effects. Until the age of 5, mobile phone use is likely negligible and environmental RF-EMF exposures are expected to contribute largely to the total RF-EMF exposure. Aims: We assessed the relationship between residential RF-EMF exposure from mobile phone base stations and children's cognitive function and behaviour problems at 5-6 years of age. Methods: Cross-sectional study on children aged 5-6 years based on data from the ABCD study, a community-based birth cohort study in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Environmental RF-EMF exposure to mobile phone base stations signals at children's home was estimated with the 3D geospatial radio wave propagation model NISMap. Children's cognitive function was assessed using 2 reaction time tasks and 2 visuomotor coordination tasks from the Amsterdam Neuropsychological Tasks program, a computerized assessment program. Teachers and mothers reported child behaviour problems using the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire. Results: A total of 2,067 children were included in the analysis. Environmental RF-EMF exposure was not associated with any of the cognitive tasks. No relationship was found between environmental RF-EMF exposure and teacher-reported child overall behaviour problems. Children in the third exposure quartile showed a statistically significant marginal increased risk of having overall behaviour problems as reported by mothers. No relationship was observed between environmental RF-EMF exposure and the rest of child behaviour problems assessed. Conclusions: Environmental RF-EMF exposure at home was not related with most of the cognitive tasks or behaviour problems in children aged 5-6 years. However, an isolate finding was observed among many tested outcomes that may be chance finding. In addition, we cannot exclude residual confounding by socioeconomic position-related aspects.
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