Is Wi-fi harmful to children?

[Nick]

Recently, some parents raised their fears over the health risks produced by Wi-fi networks in schools in Tottenham. This has been a debatable issue for months and finally these parents were successful in stopping wireless networks from installing in a new building in Muswell Hill's Tetherdown School.

Interestingly, one of the councilors of Tottenham, Bruce Grove expressed his view rather bluntly: "I, quite frankly, think we are frying children's brains. I'm really worried we going to wake up in 20 years with serious problems."

Do you think, Wi-fi networks can damage children’s brains? But many schools in UK use Wi-fi networks in their class rooms. What is true? I would like to know scientific basis for putting such a blame on Wi-fi?

[Tom]

I think it could be very, very slightly harmful, and there have been issues raised with WiFi and infertility. Although, they said the same thing about mobile phones, wheres the proof?

[saubryn]

I think that all the stuff we're polluting the airwaves with (WiFi, Mobiles, etc) probably is harmful to young children, but what can we do about it?

Clinical trials to find out about this sort of thing could take DECADES - we can't just put a halt on progress because of something that might be.

If parents are concerned I think the sensible thing to do would be to limit mobile phone useage, not have WiFi access points in bedrooms, etc. The chances are short term exposure won't do any harm, but day in day out is a different matter.

[smith]

It is better to a bit stay away from laptops when you access wi-fi. I mean, keep it on table not on your lap when you are working. Wi-fi can produce harmful effects, when such devices are in proximity to your body. I read it in a science magazine.

[Hazel]

Maybe, in the same way that every other bit of technology available today has been claimed to be harmful. It's scare-mongering, nothing more than that until they produce some facts.

[hazephase]

I have not heard of this I know that having a wi-fi can be bad for your lap top cause some one can get into it and change your data or some thing like that

[saubryn]

I read that having a laptop on your lap can be dangerous for men because of the heat output of the laptop.

WiFi is only insecure if it isn't set up properly. As long as you have it set up with strong encryption you shouldn't run into too many problems.

[syphus]

I agree that in general, there's a bit of scaremongering going on, but the reality is, we're talking about radio waves: low frequency electro-magnetic radiation between 1 and 10 Gigahertz.

There is a scientifically proven correlation between exposure to microwave radiation, which is in the Terahertz range, and cancer, infertility in men etc, but there's nothing solid on radio waves.

The main problem is that when you start looking at what's harmful to human life and what isn't (and sorry to be a bit sardonic here), simply being alive, drinking water and breathing air is slowly killing you in a million little ways. Exposure to any form of radiation, including light, helps you down that road. In the frequency, amplitude and dosage we get it; Wireless LAN, mobile phones, cordless phones, wireless mice, radio, TV and all the rest don't really amount for anything statistically significant (at least, based on current research).

[attagirl]

If you worry about WIFI you have to worry about cell phone use, simply because they all are based on wireless waves and if WIFI is a problem then cell phones should definitely be a bigger concern since there are more of those waves floating around.

[net.pro]

Yes it is harmful to everyone and not only the chldren as the most adverse effect is on ovaries and testis and which is a very serious problem.