The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) is urging parents to reduce the amount of exposure children have to wireless devices such as mobiles, cordless phones and baby monitors.

In light of the World Health Organisation’s International Agency for Research on Cancer’s recent classification of radiofrequency electromagnetic field as ‘possibly carcinogenic to humans’ it seems that we would be wise to err on the side of caution. Wireless technology is simply too new to provide us with sufficient scientific evidence on the effects of mobile and cordless phone use by children. As the ARPANSA fact sheet states “it’s impossible to be completely sure there isn’t some risk.”

There are a multitude of devices in our homes which emit radiofrequency electromagnetic energy, including baby monitors, Wi-Fi computer networks, mobile phones and wireless security cameras.
ARPANSA says baby monitors, Wi-Fi computer networks and wireless security cameras also emit radiofrequency electromagnetic energy.

Some recommendations for reducing your families exposure to emissions include:

• Using an old fashioned wired-in landline phone instead of a cordless phone.
• Place the wireless router away from where people spend time
• Reduce the amount of time spent online
• Place baby monitors at least 1 metre from your baby’s cot