An 8-Fold Increase in Children’s Memory Problems:

What Neurofeedback Providers Should Know About RF Radiation Exposure

A recent article in Archives of Clinical and Biomedical Research by Mona Nilsson and Lennart Hardell showed an alarming impact of increased radiofrequency radiation exposure on children’s memory and cognitive function in Norway and Sweden. This register-based study examined dramatic increases in memory problems among children aged 5-19 years between 2006 and 2024. In Norway, medical consultations for memory impairment increased 8.5-fold, from 179.51 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2006 to 1,522.40 in 2024, with particularly sharp increases after 2019. Similarly, Sweden saw diagnoses of mild cognitive impairment (R41.8) increase nearly 60-fold from 2010 to 2024, jumping from 0.86 to 51.531 patients per 100,000 inhabitants. Both countries showed acceleration in recent years coinciding with the rollout of 5G technology and increased wireless device use among children.

The authors postulate that increased exposure to radiofrequency (RF) radiation from wireless technologies—including smartphones, base stations, Wi-Fi routers, and 5G infrastructure—may be a causative factor. They cite extensive research showing that microwave RF radiation negatively affects memory and cognitive functions in both human and animal studies, particularly through damage to the hippocampus, the brain region responsible for learning and memory. The study notes that by 2022, over 70% of Swedish 15-year-olds used smartphones more than three hours daily, and RF radiation levels increased dramatically after 5G deployment in 2019-2020. The authors conclude that these trends represent an emerging public health crisis requiring immediate attention and protective measures, particularly given children’s increased vulnerability to RF radiation exposure.

This research has significant implications for neurofeedback practitioners working with children and adolescents presenting with cognitive difficulties. The dramatic rise in memory impairment and cognitive dysfunction cases suggests that clinicians may increasingly encounter clients whose symptoms have an environmental component related to RF radiation exposure. Neurofeedback providers should consider assessing their clients’ wireless device usage patterns and daily RF exposure levels as part of comprehensive intake procedures. While neurofeedback can help train brain function and potentially mitigate some cognitive symptoms, practitioners may want to discuss basic exposure reduction strategies with families—such as limiting screen time, using airplane mode when possible, keeping devices away from sleeping areas, and preferring wired connections—as complementary interventions that could enhance treatment outcomes. Additionally, understanding this potential environmental factor may help providers set realistic treatment expectations and identify cases where symptom improvement plateaus might be related to ongoing high-level RF exposure that undermines neuroplasticity and cognitive recovery efforts.

Questions about integrating this information into your practice? Join our monthly Q&A or speak with a mentor about incorporating RF exposure assessment into your intake protocols.

Read the full research article here.