Wifi - any risk to DCs?

[MrsSnorty]

Is there any risk to young children of having Wifi in the house? Thinking of getting it so that I can mumsnet study in more than one room.

I've never heard any suggestion that it would cause a problem - but maybe a post in Geeky Stuff would give you more responses?

thanks!

I wouldn't use WiFi with children around. See wifiinschools.org.uk for some reasons why it might not be a good idea. I know it is in so many places now, but adding to it at home probably isn't a good idea. Long-term safety studies still need to be done.

As far as I know there's no substantive evidence that it causes harm. There's no way to prove a negative though so you can't prove it has no effect.

The World Health Organisation says there is no risk from low level, long-term exposure to wi-fi networks. More info here...BBC Q&A

Yes, the WHO do say that there is not likely to be a risk from low level microwaves. But the International Commission for Electromagnetic Safety (www.icems.eu/, the Bio-Initiative report (www.bioinitiative.org/), strongly disagree with them. Even the Chairman of the Health Protection Agency has said that they are wrong (news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/panorama/6683969.stm). The BBC article has many facts in it which I don't agree with. See wifiinschools.org.uk, there are thousands of scientific studies showing damage to biological systems from low-level microwaves. The mechanisms by which they have their effect may not be clear yet, but that doesn't mean that they aren't having effects. We will find out more over time. But I wouldn't want my children to be the statistics showing that it isn't safe.

It's all about risk assessment in the absence of evidence though, so everyone has to draw their own line.

Unfortunately the world is full of risks but to me wifi seems to be a relatively minor one, particularly when used with a degree of caution (e.g. don't let your kids sit with the wireless gubbins too close, and you can switch it off when it's not in use).

I do feel that there's some fearmongering going on generally, which is rarely a good sign for getting proper answers either. Interesting review of the Panorama up at Bad Science.

Personally I prefer wired networks because they're much faster, so if you wanted to use a computer in one regular spot I'd wire it.

Unless you live on a remote hillside you have it in your house anyway, from all your neighbours. When we got ours we could pick up 15 other wifi networks.

It they're going to have mobile phones, then there's no point worrying about wifi.

What Janmoomoo said.

Wholemeal, do you post about anything other than WiFi?