What is electrosmog?
Electrosmog is the term given for the invisible electromagnetic radiation produced by wi-fi and electrical devices. You can’t see electrosmog, but it probably takes up quite a bit of space inside your home. Electronic devices and wi-fi technology are now commonly found within family homes, something which wasn’t true a generation ago.
Babies have thinner skull bones than adults and are therefore more at risk of radiation. Children’s brains have been found to absorb higher levels of waves than adult brains. A 2014 study found that children’s brains were more at risk of absorbing electromagnetic field radiation (EMF) than adult brains. The widespread use of wi-fi technology is still relatively recent and so we do not yet know what effect this lifestyle change could be having on children.
Do I need to worry about electrosmog?
Wi-fi is everywhere. You probably have wi-fi installed in your home, you may use a wi-fi smartphone or even a wi-fi baby monitor on a daily basis. In France, the government has banned the use of wi-fi in nurseries who care for children aged under three years old. However, the rest of the world doesn’t seem to be following suit.
You may be worried that you aren’t doing enough to protect your child from wi-fi technology. Or perhaps you worry that there’s not much you can do, after all, wi-fi is well integrated into modern life and you may wonder how you’d manage without it.
You may be pleased to hear that most scientists agree that wi-fi is safe technology. The EMF waves released by wi-fi technology are low level and are not thought to be directly harmful to children. The World Health Organization says, “Considering the very low exposure levels and research results collected to date, there is no convincing scientific evidence that the weak RF signals from base stations and wireless networks cause adverse health effects.”
In truth, the available research into the effect of EMF waves on developing brains is limited. More research will need to be carried out before accurate judgements can be made, but for the moment, wi-fi is thought to be safe for use in the home.
How can I protect my baby from electrosmog?
If you are worried, you could switch off wi-fi when not in use. If you have a wi-fi baby monitor, you could replace this with a model that doesn’t rely on wi-fi technology. There are even baby monitors that only use wi-fi when necessary, so the device won’t be transmitting wi-fi waves unless your baby is crying. If you let your child play with your phone, trying switching it to airplane mode before handing it over. You may also want to reduce the amount of time you spend using wi-fi technology whilst holding your baby.
Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.
This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.