Morning:
19°c
It’s amazing to learn they did any research at all — unless it was into farting and foreskins
Teenager becomes the first person to die of swine flu in London and the fourth in the country
More...
Wifi internet 'poses a health risk for children'
Last updated at 07:07am on 23.04.07
Wifi: Teachers fear it could be affecting pupils' health
Wireless computer networks in schools may pose a significant health risk to children and staff, a teaching union warned today.
Many teachers fear the radiation emitted by wireless transmitters could be contributing to poor concentration and hyperactive behaviour among pupils.
One school - Stowe School, in Buckinghamshire - has already dismantled part of its wireless connection after a teacher fell ill, complaining of headaches and nausea.
The Professional Association of Teachers has written to Education Secretary Alan Johnson to demand an inquiry into the effects of the technology, which is being installed in classrooms across the country.
The union's concerns are echoed by Sir William Stewart, chairman of the Health Protection Agency, and a former chief scientific adviser to the Government, who has chaired two official inquiries into the hazards of mobile phones.
Sir William is said to be "very keen" that pupils are monitored for potential health problems.
Wireless, or wi-fi, systems, use a small transmitter to link laptop computers to the Internet without the use of cables.
Installed in up to 80 per cent of secondary schools and more than half of primary schools, they are also used in coffee shops, hotels and airport departure lounges, and have become a fixture in millions of homes.
The system has created a cloud of 'electronic smog' across
Britain, scientists say. There are fears that the networks could be doing untold damage to health.
Campaigners claim the level of microwaves emitted by a wireless transmitter is comparable to that from a mobile phone mast.
They point out little or no research has been carried out into the technology's side-effects.
Problems including headaches and lapses in concentration have already been reported by those who use wi-fi systems frequently.
Some scientists fear they could also cause cancer and premature senility. Children, whose brains and bodies are still developing, may be particularly vulnerable.
Alasdair Philips, of campaign group Powerwatch, believes the radiation from wireless networks is partly to blame for the rise of behavioural problems such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD.
He said: "I believe that rolling out wireless networks in schools should be a criminal offence without close monitoring of pupils' health.
"Being in a wi-fi classroom is similar to sitting in the main beam about 330 feet from a mobile phone mast.
"The problems that many teachers are reporting, such as poor concentration, and the four-fold increase in ADHD in the last ten years are exactly the problems we would predict."
Philip Parkin, general secretary of the Professional Association of Teachers, said he was concerned about the health of both pupils and staff.
"The proliferation of wireless networks could be having serious implications for the health of some staff and pupils," he said.
"I am not saying there is a danger, but I have enough concern to ask for it to be investigated."
Reader views (16)
Here's a sample of the latest views published.
There are lots of Wifi transmission points around that are positioned probably just 2 or 3 feet away from where people are sitting. Is this dangerous to health, I wonder? If I look around at work or in places I visit, rooms have these boxes on the wall or on people's desks and no-one bats an eyelid. Surely being so close is not good!
Any advice, views? Many thanks.
- Tony, Leicester, UK
Get out your tin foil hats!
Thousands of offices all over the world have wi-fi networks and you don't see millions of office workers complaining or going off sick. Typical public service attitude using any excuse not to go to work.
These devices are nothing compared to TV transmitters which radiate thousands more times power than a wifi hub. These have been round for 50 years and no ill effects have been recorded.
What's even more funny is that these people won't think twice about placing a baby monitor next to their newborn and this despite it working on the same frequency as wifi and we haven't had case loads of babies with cancer.
- George Parks, London
Doesn't say much for teachers let alone the head of a teachers union if they are not aware of the power law and how that applies to radiation.
Then again it is conference season some one looking for a quick bit of PR.
- Maurice, Bedford
I presume that the wi-fi in the schools must be very different from the wi-fi in the offices which have had no noticeable effects on office workers, overall.
"Being in a wi-fi classroom is similar to sitting in the main beam about 330 feet from a mobile phone mast." - which is calculated to be 10,000 times weaker at the brain than they would get while using a mobile phone. So that's not a lot of radiation.
Can they suggest a mechanism for how the radiation affects the children? Can they suggest how such low doses of radiation can affect kids but the much higher doses from talking constantly on their mobile phones doesn't affect the children? Have they an idea of numbers - is it one in 10 children affected? 1 in 100? 1 in 1,000? Or rarer? What happens if the radiation source ceases, does behaviour improve? What about if the radiation starts again, does the behaviour then deteriorate?
Or are we, as usual, dealing with a bunch of pseudo-scientific claptrap from people who really ought to know better. If so I know a hippy guy who sells crystals that can really help with this radiation stuff...
- Simon Brown, London
I may be mistaken on this, but isnt WiFi broadcast using the Industrial, scientific and medical range of frequencies, which are freely avaiable for anyone to use. As far as I understand it any electical equipment which emits electromagnetic radiation outside of this band needs to be licenced, so most domestic appilences emmisions fall within this band including microwave ovens, TVs, GSM Mobile phones (3g phones are outside this band and licenced), power cables, walkie talkies,etc. As a result this range of frequencies is saturated with radio waves constantly, regardless of whether a WiFi transmitter is near. I believe this band was chosen largly because of the high levels of background radiation emitted from the sun within this band, making it a very noisy range anyway.
The increased use of WiFi is not contribting significantly to the levels of radiation, that being said I would welcome any study of the effects of radiation within the Industrial, scientific and medical range as a whole rather than a knee jerk reaction to WiFi technology.
- John, Birmingham
In nursing training years ago I learned that radiation is even in small amounts far more dangerous to growing kids than adults, so this is a good question, given that ADHD is rising. The useage of microwave ovens, color TVs, a host of other radiation emitting appliances around children has all increased. Please tell me there have been studies on the effects of these other radiation emitters used around kids? Have wireless computers really been sold before any studies of the effects of their radation on kids & adults?
- Anne Parsons, Hilliard, Ohio, USA
In line with poorly thought out nutrition in school meals and seats that cause endless 'back problems' in later life.
- Helen, Norwich
How about microwave radiation from cellphones, ovens, and High Voltage power lines? a little wi-fi is about as dangerous as standing next to a terry wogan show on radio 2!
- Gary Parker, Amersham
It's hardly a mobile phone mast is it? The differential between a mobile mast and a wi-fi adaptor is around 100-1 so which is scarier, a mobile mast or a wi-fi adaptor?
- Trevor Roll, London
Does anybody else find it amazing that such a high proportion of schools should have WiFi networks? I knew computers were used in schools now but I'd assumed they were a very minor part of education and relatively low-tech. What are the networks for? I can imagine that kids might use the internet at breaks for research (hmm - or maybe not!) and teachers presumably use computers in the staff room. But who is using laptops wirelessly? I didn't think my school days were all that long ago but we didn't use computers at all - I didn't use a computer even at university!
- Suzanne, London
In the seventies we were on the verge of a new ice age. If we didn't freeze, we were all going to definitely die from nuclear power. Then there was mobile phone masts. Now we have global warming and if that isn't happening quickly enough for you, you can worry about Wi-Fi in the mean time!
- Stephen, London
This weekend, before I installed my own network, my laptop picked up 6 other signals from neighbours and I live in a wide street with old thick walled houses. The signals are everywhere not just the classrooms. I also have 3 children who are not hyperactive. The problem with kids isn't wifi, it's boredom, lack of excercise, poor parental input, PC games and a rubbish diet.
- Elle, London
Give over! The power output of WiFi is just 100mW and typically broadcasted by an omni-directional antenna! So one Teacher apparently feels ill shortly after a WiFi network was installed, what proof is that? What else did he do that could have contributed to his illness? Sheesh! I'd be more conserend over what Schools are feeding the kids and the amount of exercise they get!
- Tony, Hull
What I find astounding is that there has been so little research into these things and how they affect us. The technology is being rolled out without any investigation using people as guinea pigs. Well, at least wifi technology can be recalled unlike other experiments on society like GM food which may permanently affect our natural environment.
- Mark, London
Isn't it funny how wi-fi is a danger, but transmissions from the children's own mobile phones are not.
- Brian, Telford
Mobile phone masts inside the classroom.
There is plenty of evidence that these WiFi systems are not safe.
Rather than continue to expose our children whilst an investigation is being carried out, all WiFi should be removed from schools immediately, otherwise if it is found that there is a high risk of cancer, the damage to our children could be irreversible. The precautionay principle must apply. our children must not be exposed. There is no other argument.
The government must act to put children's lives before profit.
- Sue, London