Chapter 18 – Electromagnetic Waves

Smartphones, smart TVs, smartwatches, tablets. Technology now surrounds us—and our children too. But what happens to a child’s brain when it’s exposed to radiation from Bluetooth and Wi-Fi? This topic is widely debated within the scientific community, and to date, there is no universally accepted evidence on the consequences of exposure to radiation produced by electronic devices.

According to a 2014 study published in the Journal of Microscopy and Ultrastructure, exposing children to continuous Wi-Fi radiation could be harmful. The radiation may negatively affect children’s brains because their brain tissue is more “absorbent,” their skulls are thinner, and their relatively smaller size makes them more sensitive to radiation. Moreover, Wi-Fi waves could potentially cause degeneration of the protective myelin sheath that surrounds brain neurons. Radiation exposure during fetal development is thought to be even more dangerous, which is why pregnant women are often advised not to keep phones in contact with their bodies.

According to Italy’s National Institute of Health (Istituto Superiore di Sanità), “there is no scientific evidence of health damage caused by electromagnetic fields from Wi-Fi systems. Additionally, exposure levels are far below internationally recommended limits. This also applies to antennas serving multiple apartments or areas. It’s also worth noting that walls significantly reduce signal strength.”

This view is supported by the World Health Organization’s 2006 report on base stations and wireless technologies

The UK’s Health Protection Agency has also investigated the safety of Wi-Fi. According to the agency, the radio signals emitted by devices are very low in power. Their studies indicate that sitting near a Wi-Fi device for an entire year would expose someone to the same amount of radio waves as a 20-minute mobile phone call.

While we wait for further research and studies in this area, the Baby Wellness Foundation recommends following these guidelines:

• Avoid prolonged exposure of children—especially very young ones—to sources of radiation (phones, tablets, computers, routers, signal repeaters using Wi-Fi technology);
• Turn off home internet routers and other devices before going to sleep;
• Do not use any electronic device during breastfeeding.