wifi in schools

[wholemeal]

There seem to be may views about the safety of WiFi in schools. I have recently seen the site wifiinschools.org.uk, which describes scientific papers suggesting adverse health effects from WiFi. They mention epilepsy, precocious puberty, cognitive impairment, pregnancy, male fertility and brain activity....
What are people's views? Is there anything that parents can do if they are concerned about their children using WiFi, but most schools have it?

Bit late in the day this - I just joined Mumsnet, but as someone who was made ill by a town wifi system (Glastonbury) I know wifi should be of concern to you.
In Europe it is thought that 3 ? 10% of the population is affected be this kind of radiation (electrosensitivity), and in Sweden it's a recognised disability. So, whilst it may not be acknowledged here in the UK, it would seem likely that we should have similar numbers affected and suffering headaches, dizziness, heart palpitations, etc. More significantly, studies show that children absorb more radiation in their brains than us adults so tend to be more adversely affected.

The UK Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) have called for classroom wireless networks to be suspended. Members said they were concerned by scientific reports linking wi-fi with impaired concentration, loss of short-term memory, chromosome damage and increased incidence of cancer.

The UK Teachers Union, PAT, has said wireless computer networks in schools may be jeopardising children?s health and should be suspended pending a full safety enquiry.

The International Commission for Electromagnetic Safety (IECS) has advised against the use of wireless because of health concerns.
The European Environment Agency ? Europe's top environmental watchdog ? last year responded to the growing evidence by calling for immediate action to reduce exposure to radiation from Wi-Fi, mobile phones and their masts, suggesting that delay could lead to a health crisis greater than those associated with asbestos and smoking.

I?m sure most of you imagine that this technology wouldn?t have been rolled out without testing, but you would be wrong. Wifi has appeared in our lives without having to undergo any tests or safety checks whatsoever. It was developed as a way of accessing the unlicensed part of the radio spectrum for public use. So long as the technology met the basic requirements on interference and compatibility, manufacturers were allowed to use wifi radiation as they chose. The Government received huge sums for the use of these frequencies so they aren?t about to rush to admit any health risks.

The UK Health Protection Agency (HPA) will inform you that the exposure levels from these systems are well within the legal guidelines. However, the guidelines, set in 1996, are hopelessly out of date and only consider the thermal effects of this radiation ? i.e how hot you get. It is the pulsed high frequency of these wireless devices, which are ignored by our regulators, that cause the health problems. Our brains and nervous systems work by using electrical signals. Some scientists believe these signals are being interfered with by exposure to wifi radiation, and in 2007 at the London Conference they called for the regulations to be reviewed.

So - the technology may be great - but the health risks are real.

JS

Also regarding Iphones. They work differently to regular phones as they network together and hence transmit 24/7. this is why when they first came to the market the signal coverage was so poor. Now that everyone is getting one the coverage is good. Effectively they work like masts so you are getting irradiated the whole time - not just when you make the call.

For advice from the Department of Health, and guidance for schools on wireless technologies and young people see wifiinschools.org.uk/resources/wireless+technologies+and+young+people+Jan2011.pdf.

Having just watched several 2 year olds in town playing on their iPhones, I think a lot of parents probably don't know what the Government advice is for mobile phones or that it may damage their children's health.

My frtiend used to avoid eating microwaved food becuase of the socalled radiation; she died at 16 after being invovled in a moped crash wearing a damaged helmet.

From which point I can only see that you can spend your life worrying about X and Y will get you anyway.

I know that about microwaves DJ!

Can;t be botehred to worry?

hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

You know what my love, I suspect I worry a lot more than you: but about real things. Like who will feed my disabled kids when I die, or how I will pay the bills as a carer, or whether it's worth waking tomorrow.

A wifi connection? nah.

Get real.

Wholemeal: If there are risks from Wifi, then how irresponsible of the Government and decision makers to allow the technology throughout schools, public places, cafes, public transport etc, without the necessary safety studies having been done. Surely there must be some scientists advising the Government who should have noticed that it will not be possible to do good long-term safety studies if everyone is exposed? It seems crazy to me that people can be exposed to something whether they like it or not which may seriously affect their or their children's health, but there is no way of testing its safety! Looks like greed winning over common sense to me.

I think that is the point wholemeal - there's no way wifi would have got this far and been this widely implemented without the need for individual consent if it hadn't already been scrupulously tested and checked to ensure there were no adverse health benefits. I know it's easy to find scaremongering stories on the internet but you can find those for anything and the regulations in place to prevent companies from implementing a product that is harmful are much more concrete and tight than you think :)

DH is a science bod in a related field. He said absolutely there are those whoa re susceptible but tehya re usually susceptible to otehr forms of transmission anyway: wifi alone is not it.

So the aldy ebfore from Glastyo will also struggle when our carnival float comes past .

For the majority of people wifi is safe though. As far as it is tested: it is true that some hosuehold objects are alcking, for example the lightbulbs we use at home can trigger m,igraines but the research into that (dh's ACTUAL field) is in infancy as is interest in replacement technology.

It comes down to cost benefit no?

juliastrawbs, what you wrote about iPhones is simply not true. They don't "network together", they don't "transmit 24/7", and the early signal strength issues was nothing to do with there not being sufficient other iPhones around.

Where on earth did you hear such utter twaddle?

I have found it interesting how many people in the UK can be incredibly uncaring, and think its funny at the plight of people who become ill through wireless? I hope non of your family come down with ES!!!!

Electro-Sensitivity (ES)

Electro-sensitive people suffer from a variety of symptoms in close vicinity to electromagnetic fields, Wi-fi, mobiles, DECT phones, baby monitors, certain light sources etc: Headaches, Speech problems, dizziness, chest palpations, tinnitus, sweating at night. skin irritations, pins and needles in the hands in the mornings, short-term memory loss, nausea, joint aches and pressures at the back of the head as well as in the sinus or forehead area.

Even if you are not ES, it is beneficial to turn off your Wifi over night, as well as to ban electrical items, your cordless phones and mobiles from your bedroom. You will sleep much better and are less likely to have an interrupted sleep pattern. Usually waking around 4 am.

Another simple test is to stop carrying your mobile on your body (chest or trouser pockets). in many cases people experience the so-called ?phantom text messages?. This describes a situation where every now and then you think you had a text message, when keeping the phone in your pockets, but when you checked there was no message. Some even suffer from heart palpitations. If that is case, just try for a while to carry your mobile in a bag or switch it off, while you have it in your pocket.

Remember most and mean most research is done through the wireless industry. Cosmos which is funded by the w. industry give the research to the UK Government????

The cigarette industry funded there own health research! That took a while didnt it?

Sent in by Pedro Belmont

Int J Neurosci. 2011 Sep 5.
Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity: Evidence for a Novel Neurological Syndrome.

McCarty DE, Carrubba S, Chesson AL, Frilot C, Gonzalez-Toledo E, Marino AA.
Source

1Department of Neurology, LSU Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, Louisiana, USA.
Abstract

ABSTRACT Objective: We sought direct evidence that acute exposure to environmental-strength electromagnetic fields (EMFs) could induce somatic reactions (EMF hypersensitivity). Methods: The subject, a female physician self-diagnosed with EMF hypersensitivity, was exposed to an average (over the head) 60-Hz electric field of 300 V/m (comparable with typical environmental-strength EMFs) during controlled provocation and behavioral studies. Results: In a double-blinded EMF provocation procedure specifically designed to minimize unintentional sensory cues, the subject developed temporal pain, headache, muscle twitching, and skipped heartbeats within 100 s after initiation of EMF exposure (p < .05). The symptoms were caused primarily by field transitions (off-on, on-off) rather than the presence of the field, as assessed by comparing the frequency and severity of the effects of pulsed and continuous fields in relation to sham exposure. The subject had no conscious perception of the field as judged by her inability to report its presence more often than in the sham control. Discussion: The subject demonstrated statistically reliable somatic reactions in response to exposure to subliminal EMFs under conditions that reasonably excluded a causative role for psychological processes. Conclusion: EMF hypersensitivity can occur as a bona fide environmentally inducible neurological syndrome.
PMID:
21793784
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

magdahavas com/
es-uk info

As a comparison, the threads on this post remind me of proponents of the 'chemtrail' theory. It's basically society-is-out-to-get-me conspiracy theory. The formula is a few poorly executed and/or falsified research pieces, plus some victim stories. The problem is that people who believe in this stuff are so personally invested that nothing you say can convince them otherwise. They think their 2-3 'doctor Nick' citations balances out 100s of professional studies and their 'I feel sick next to iPhones' cannot possibly be psychological. Ultimately these groups are on a crusade
against society.

Pleanty of evidence out there, its just not industry funded. Like the Tobacco industry from the past!

The French Government has pulled all wifi from its Schools and public buildings.

Many forums have, shall we say employees writing on them how wifi is safe!
I wonder how they could look at there families in the face??

ElectroSensitivity is accepted in Sweden. and the victims of wireless Radiation are protected under law. Around 300.000 people thats 6% of the population.
Of course many on forum would say they are all lying?

Listen to your body!

es-uk info
magdahavas com

Sent in by Pedro Belmont

Int J Neurosci. 2011 Sep 5.
Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity: Evidence for a Novel Neurological Syndrome.

McCarty DE, Carrubba S, Chesson AL, Frilot C, Gonzalez-Toledo E, Marino AA.
Source

1Department of Neurology, LSU Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, Louisiana, USA.
Abstract

ABSTRACT Objective: We sought direct evidence that acute exposure to environmental-strength electromagnetic fields (EMFs) could induce somatic reactions (EMF hypersensitivity). Methods: The subject, a female physician self-diagnosed with EMF hypersensitivity, was exposed to an average (over the head) 60-Hz electric field of 300 V/m (comparable with typical environmental-strength EMFs) during controlled provocation and behavioral studies. Results: In a double-blinded EMF provocation procedure specifically designed to minimize unintentional sensory cues, the subject developed temporal pain, headache, muscle twitching, and skipped heartbeats within 100 s after initiation of EMF exposure (p < .05). The symptoms were caused primarily by field transitions (off-on, on-off) rather than the presence of the field, as assessed by comparing the frequency and severity of the effects of pulsed and continuous fields in relation to sham exposure. The subject had no conscious perception of the field as judged by her inability to report its presence more often than in the sham control. Discussion: The subject demonstrated statistically reliable somatic reactions in response to exposure to subliminal EMFs under conditions that reasonably excluded a causative role for psychological processes. Conclusion: EMF hypersensitivity can occur as a bona fide environmentally inducible neurological syndrome.
PMID:
21793784
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

"conspiracy theory" 'chemtrail' LOL

Its always easier to ridicule something you dont, and wont understand!

Try reading some of the many science papers from around the world, disputing industry funded claims that wireless is safe!

But alas you wont, because your mind is blocked.
Or maybe you just work in the wirless industry yourself?

But i like the Crusade bit! Cool!

spinneyhorse, your words are exactly typical for a conspiracy theorist. Other people do not understand, there is an all-pervasive thread, big interests are out to squash the little guys, the "mainstream research" has been bought out, anyone who disagrees is probably an enemy agent.

Think about it.

threat not thread.

And your words are a normal response from someone working in the wireless industry i guess! To ridicule, its so much easier, like a bully in play ground.

Think about it!

All truth goes through three stages: first it is ridiculed, then it is violently opposed, finally it is accepted as self evident. - Schopenhauer

I haven't had a chance to read all of this, but wanted to add:

The World Health Organisation (May 2011) listed microwave radiofrequency radiation (wifi, cellphone) as "possibly carcinogenic" - The Council of Europe calls on governments to 'take all reasonable measures to reduce exposure to EMF...' and recommends schools used wired networks. The German government has issued a statement advising against the use of wifi - The French national Library has abandoned wifi due to health concerns.
I could go on and on.

There is a lot of independent science that goes back decades regarding adverse biological effects from this radiation. Of course, there is a lot of industry funded research which claims the levels are perfectly safe. Scientists once told us the world was flat - that asbestos, thalidomide and numerous pesticides were safe. We now know better.

ALL schools should take a precautionary approach until wifi is proven to be safe - teaching and learning can be provided by using a cabled network. Why take such a risk with our guinea pigs, oops, CHILDREN???

Please watch: (You Tube)

WiFi in Schools: Testing for Microwave Radiation Dangers in the Classroom

It is excellent!