Baby with phone

Written by Karen Torrisi 

Wireless networks have now become a commonplace in our environment and can be found just about anywhere including most homes and public areas, though what is this doing to our health?

Wireless networks use a low powered electromagnetic frequency to communicate with low-powered transmitters located in our portable equipment.  In recent years there has been many studies conducted on the consequences of exposure to Electromagnetic fields and how this is affecting not only us, but also our children. I have to say, if you search for this topic millions of articles will be displayed with information for you to read so if you are concerned about this I would suggest you do a little research.

Most people want to limit the exposure of radiation for themselves and to their children hence always being wary of cell towers near schools or around your neighborhood though what about in your house?  To begin with our children’s brains are still developing up until 20 years of age.  The skull is quiet thin from birth and continues to grow up until adulthood hence why they are more sensitive to radiation overtime. Below is an Electromagnetic Spectrum table showing you the different frequencies of different things in our house and environment.  As you can see Cell phones and baby monitors are around the same frequency, which is a little alarming to most parents.  Scientist from around the world have been telling us for years now to minimise the time spent talking on mobile phones due to radiation risks and maybe it is time we listened. Prof Yuri Gregoriev, Doctor of Medical Science, Chairman of the Russian National Committee on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection, has said “Pregnant women and children of all ages should avoid using cell and cordless phones due to radiation risk”.  Also Professor Lukas Margaritis from the Faculty of Biology at the University of Athens has stated in 2012 that  “WiFi/wLAN routers, cordless phones and other wireless devices like baby monitors produce radio frequency emissions that will affect millions of people and babies in their homes, and should be halted”.  In fact the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency has much valuable information on their website regarding different types of radiations in the household and one important fact for parents in Australia is although many wireless household items are below the radiation limits it is however if used with their antennas close or pulsating you can be exposed to much higher levels of radiation and should be moved to non-heavy traffic area's in the house.

Screen Shot 2013-03-05 at 1.04.39 PMAccording to Powerwatch, a wireless baby monitor less than 1 meter from the cot or baby is equivalent to the microwave radiation experienced from a cell phone tower only 150 meters away.  Now this includes all wireless baby monitors and according radiation expert Prof. Magaritis, the high frequency digital monitors are the worst.  From reading many articles, most have suggested It is far better to have no monitor at all and use your ears, as our grandparents did.  If you do need to use a baby monitor it is suggested to use a non-pulsing, low frequency in the 30-50 mHz range and use as little as possible. Despite other symptoms that prolong exposure can create which are as long as my arm, interestingly it also has been suggested in many studies that exposure to pulsating microwave signals actually disturbs your sleep as well.

Some of us may sleep with our cordless phones and cell phones on our bedside table and we are constantly exposed to pulsing radiation as we try to sleep. Now the DECT phone base emits radiation of 2.4 to 5.8 GHz as long as it is plugged into the wall socket regardless of the phone being on charge or not. This is the same technology that is used in most cordless baby monitors. Over the past 5 years Powerwatch has measured a large number of baby monitors as well as DECT cordless products and have found through studies that the DECT pulsing are most disruptive in sleep environments. These studies suggest that DECT pulsing monitors or other DECT pulsing devices cause restlessness and irritability and suggest sourcing older analogue models and at least kept 1 meter away from cots and preferably 3 meters away.

In conclusion, there is much more studies to be done on this technology though the Australian Medical Association and the many studies are now suggesting that although the health risks are low, children brains are still thin and in growing and developing stages and it is best to reduce any possible risk of radiation.  Place any DECT base or wifi bases (routers etc) in an area, which you do not sleep or frequent ie. hall ways, spare rooms etc.  As for Baby monitors as suggested above, if you need to have them, place them preferably 3 meters away, using preferably an analogue model and definitely keep the camera versions out of the room.  If you do want a camera version, it’s suggested you get a CCTV type of camera installed and linked to a TV in the house.  I know.... extreme though we want to keep your children safe.

For more information on Radiation in your home check the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA government website)

 

References:

Impact of wireless networks on human health., (2012) http://www.australianscience.com.au/health/impact-of-wireless-networks-on-human-health/

Radio Frequency Emissions (2011) http://wwww.bge.com/learnshare/smartgrid/smartmeters/Documents/RFSafetyForReleaseJan2011WithCCST_v2.pdf

ARPNSA, 2013, http://www.arpansa.gov.au/RadiationProtection/Factsheets/is_Wireless.cfm

Digital cordless baby monitors, (2006) http://www.powerwatch.org.uk/library/downloads/baby_monitors-20100520.pdf

Medical Warnings needed on DECT cordless phones (2006) http://weepinitiative.org/LINKEDDOCS/health/dect_cordless_phone_danger.pdf

World Health Organisation, 2013, http://www.who.int/peh-emf/about/WhatisEMF/en/

Scientist speak up about dangerous radiation, 2012, http://media.withtank.com/b0a73a7855.pdf

Smarthouse (2013),  http://smarthouse.com.au/Accessories/Industry/X8G4V9E2

Parents urge to limite cell phone use and wireless activity with your children (2013), http://www.heraldsun.com.au/technology/parents-urged-to-limit-childrens-use-of-mobiles-cordless-phone-under-new-health-warnings/story-fn7celvh-1226589473040

 

 

 

 

 

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