Health and Safety

Protecting kids from WiFi radiation: 6 practical steps

Theodora Scarato, Executive Director of Environmental Health Trust

Protecting kids from WiFi radiation: Visit our Amazon store for recommended products.

Today our guest is Theodora Scarato, Executive Director of the Environmental Health Trust. Here she shares her experiences and gives 6 practical steps to protect your kids from Wi-Fi radiation, EMRs, and EMFs.

But, before we dive into the details, let’s quickly understand what EMFs are. EMFs, or electromagnetic fields, are invisible waves of energy emitted by electronic devices like WiFi routers, cell phones, and baby monitors. While these devices have undoubtedly made our lives more convenient, it’s essential to be aware of their potential health effects, especially when it comes to our little ones. In this video, Theodora addresses some of these concerns and provides valuable information to guide you.

What is the best non wifi baby monitor?

Other accessories:

We hope that these tips that our guest will share with you today will help you make a more informed decision about Wifi and decide exactly how much Wifi exposure is healthy for your own family.

 

Full Interview Transcript

Kelly Krueger: I ran across the baby safe project and I’m excited to talk to you about your knowledge, about the risks of exposure to wireless radiation, especially when pregnant.

Theodora Scarato: Thank you very much for having me on today, I’m excited to talk about this really important issue that affects every parent and every person in the world.

Kelly Krueger: What is wireless radiation or EMR, how do you describe that to somebody?

Theodora Scarato: Electromagnetic fields are invisible, you can’t see them, but it’s how your phone connects to the cell tower.

Theodora Scarato: When you use your cell phone, the voice, the music, the videos, it is moving from the phone to the cell tower, and a lot of it is absorbed into your body, quite intensely, whenever it’s nearby. So, if it’s in your head, you’re going to get high levels of absorption of the non-ionizing radiation into your head and brain. If it’s near the abdomen and you’re pregnant, your body will receive that radiation as will your developing baby. So even though you can’t see these signals, they’re very much there, and there are hundreds of scientists who are warning us that we should reduce exposure.

Kelly Krueger: In particular, why should pregnant women be more worried about the risks of being exposed to that? What are the implications?

Theodora Scarato: Children are more vulnerable to wireless radiation and cell phone radiation because they have smaller heads, they have thinner skulls, and they have developing brains. Research shows that children absorb higher levels of wireless radiation into their brains compared to adults from the same device. And the regulations that we have, the US government’s so-called safety standards, which they’re not, they are 25 years old. They are based on an adult male and they don’t even consider a child’s developing brain, they’re completely out of date. They never even looked at what would be the impact to a pregnant woman, that research didn’t exist 25 years ago, and yet we have 25-year-old standards.

Kelly Krueger: But what does that mean exactly, you said the brain is altered in some of the studies that have been done. How was it altered? Because I read about ADHD and autism which to me makes sense because I’ve done some interviews on autism and they say, I think it’s 1 in 29 boys in Silicon Valley and it just shot up and you have to kind of think of it related to technology somehow. I’m curious about your thoughts.

Theodora Scarato: Well, the majority of studies that have looked at something called oxidative stress have found an effect. Now oxidative stress can lead to inflammation and more inflammation can lead to a lot of other health implications. What Dr. Martha Herbert documented in her publications was about how looking at autism and ADHD, there is inflammation in the brain. With electromagnetic fields, there are studies showing inflammation as well. Many clinicians, doctors, and health professionals have found reducing electromagnetic fields can help with kids who have behavioral problems or have autism and other health issues. It’s been a way to impact or reduce electromagnetic fields that can support the child’s resilience.

The reason for the baby safe project, the reason we helped to create this project was that why not just prevent things before they happen?

 

Theodora Scarato: Wherever there’s electricity, there are magnetic fields, and this is Kaiser Permanente research, which found an association between higher non-ionizing radiation exposures, and ADHD in the babies of pregnant women. Higher obesity, higher asthma, as well as higher miscarriage rates for those women. So, if you hear that there’s no problem and it’s completely safe, there’s no science, it’s not true. There is a large body of science on this issue. However, what we don’t have is any US health and safety agency, that’s looking at all of these issues. Even the FDA, isn’t looking at the issue of brain development or its impact on reproduction, and we need to have our US government health and safety agencies evaluating the entire body of research.

Kelly Krueger: Why do you think there are different opinions between people who say it isn’t affecting?

Theodora Scarato: Well, the question I always ask is, has there been a full systematic review of the science by any entity that speaks and says, there’s no proof of harm? I have not seen it, not in the United States. In Cyprus, they have a directive to remove Wi-Fi from elementary schools in France and Israel as well, they’re reducing wireless in schools. Over a dozen countries recommend very clearly, they do not say if you are worried, they say you should reduce exposure to your child. You should teach them to keep that phone away from their head, and it’s very clear. The United States just needs to catch up, we need to catch up with the rest of the world on this. Many countries have cell tower radiation limits that are much more stringent than ours. We allow the highest levels of radiation for cell towers compared to many other countries. Some countries will say near where you live, near schools, hospitals, or parks that the radiation levels must be much lower because that’s what’s called a sensitive area, which makes sense, but not in the United States.

Kelly Krueger: I know I’ve seen the glasses, you can plug into your wall outlets, are there any other things that someone can do in their home that if they for whatever reason, can’t get the wired connection,

Theodora Scarato: A simple first step is at night, turn the Wi-Fi off, turn off the wireless devices in your house at night that gives your body all those hours to not have that exposure, and it really can make a huge difference. That’s a big one.

Also, make sure that any wireless devices that you have, are aware that sometimes they do emit even when you’re not using them, so turn those off at night as well. Like the Amazon Alexa or any of these wireless speakers, et cetera. If you can get a power strip and just turn it off, you’ll save energy and reduce your exposure.

With your cell phone, don’t put it to your head, don’t sleep with it at night, and get a battery-powered alarm clock, this alone is one of the best things to do so that you don’t use your phone as your alarm clock. It also stops you from checking in at night and getting caught up in your phone when you have no business, and you should be going to sleep. So, have that phone be in another room and powered off? You also don’t want to charge the phone by the bed because when you charge the phone or any device, actually it emits higher non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation. So, charge on a surface away from when you’re sleeping or where you’re hanging out, and hopefully when you’re not using it. Try not to use the phone when it’s charging.

With your cell phone, turn those antennas off that you’re not using like the cellular, the Bluetooth, there’s a whole bunch of antennas on your phone. Only turn on the one you specifically need at that time and sort of get used to it. Another thing you can do is turn the phone on airplane mode more, there’s a lot you can do with your phone even while the antennas are off. You can take pictures, you can take videos, and there are applications you can use. You can do almost everything except make calls on your phone with an Ethernet cord.

If you hand your child a device to watch a movie or something like that, have it downloaded, it doesn’t have to be streaming all the time. If you want to play music on your device, have it pre-downloaded. Spotify has a playlist. So that’s what my kids do, it’s all pre-downloaded and they can listen, but they must think about it in advance and download what they want. I realized that requires some planning and that’s something that our society is starting to lose, so it is a good skill to gain.

Try not to use a cell phone or wireless devices in the car because when your car is traveling and the antennas are emitting, you can get higher levels of radiation, especially when some people will rest it on their lap while they’re talking. Well, then you’re exposing yourself, your body to that, and as the car is moving, it can go to higher levels because it’s reaching the cell tower that it’s passing. In addition, cars are metal, so the radiation can bounce and reflect in unusual ways, and even if you’re using a device in a car, your child is going to receive some of that exposure. And I say that as someone who has used a cell phone in a car for hours and hours and hours with my kids, and all I can tell you is when I heard this, I was shocked. I used to have a sling and put my baby and the phone in the slang because you know, my most important thing. And then my most important way to communicate, altogether, walking around, doing all kinds of things. So, I wish that I knew when I was a young mother about this issue because there were so many times, I could have just turned the phone off or just minimized my exposure, and I wish I knew.

Kelly Krueger: I think it’s good to have that awareness. People don’t think it’s part of our lives now, but it’s just part of daily, modern life.

Theodora Scarato: The Baby Safe Project appeal has been signed by over 250 doctors, scientists, and educators, and they are recommending reducing exposure to protect babies’ brains.

Kelly Krueger: A lot of great information.

Theodora Scarato: Thank you so much for being interested; this is a big jump.

 

About Theodora Scarato

The BabySafe Project was conceived jointly by Dr. Devra Davis of Environmental Health Trust and Patti and Doug Wood of Grassroots Environmental Education after attending a conference in Stonington, Connecticut, where Dr. Hugh Taylor of Yale School of Medicine presented the results of his important study on fetal exposures to cell phone radiation.

Hundreds of other researchers around the world have contributed to our understanding of the impact of wireless radiation on the developing fetus.

​The goals of the Project have been endorsed by many of the world’s leading experts in the fields of microwave radiation, brain development, obstetrics, pediatrics and public health. To read the Joint Statement on Wireless Radiation and Pregnancy and view a list of signatories, click here.
​
For more information, including more studies about wireless radiation and human health, please see the websites of Environmental Health Trust and Grassroots Environmental Education.

Motor Development

Protecting kids from WiFi radiation: 6 practical steps

Theodora Scarato, Executive Director of Environmental Health Trust

Protecting kids from WiFi radiation: Visit our Amazon store for recommended products.

Today our guest is Theodora Scarato, Executive Director of the Environmental Health Trust. Here she shares her experiences and gives 6 practical steps to protect your kids from Wi-Fi radiation, EMRs, and EMFs.

But, before we dive into the details, let’s quickly understand what EMFs are. EMFs, or electromagnetic fields, are invisible waves of energy emitted by electronic devices like WiFi routers, cell phones, and baby monitors. While these devices have undoubtedly made our lives more convenient, it’s essential to be aware of their potential health effects, especially when it comes to our little ones. In this video, Theodora addresses some of these concerns and provides valuable information to guide you.

What is the best non wifi baby monitor?

Other accessories:

We hope that these tips that our guest will share with you today will help you make a more informed decision about Wifi and decide exactly how much Wifi exposure is healthy for your own family.

 

Full Interview Transcript

Kelly Krueger: I ran across the baby safe project and I’m excited to talk to you about your knowledge, about the risks of exposure to wireless radiation, especially when pregnant.

Theodora Scarato: Thank you very much for having me on today, I’m excited to talk about this really important issue that affects every parent and every person in the world.

Kelly Krueger: What is wireless radiation or EMR, how do you describe that to somebody?

Theodora Scarato: Electromagnetic fields are invisible, you can’t see them, but it’s how your phone connects to the cell tower.

Theodora Scarato: When you use your cell phone, the voice, the music, the videos, it is moving from the phone to the cell tower, and a lot of it is absorbed into your body, quite intensely, whenever it’s nearby. So, if it’s in your head, you’re going to get high levels of absorption of the non-ionizing radiation into your head and brain. If it’s near the abdomen and you’re pregnant, your body will receive that radiation as will your developing baby. So even though you can’t see these signals, they’re very much there, and there are hundreds of scientists who are warning us that we should reduce exposure.

Kelly Krueger: In particular, why should pregnant women be more worried about the risks of being exposed to that? What are the implications?

Theodora Scarato: Children are more vulnerable to wireless radiation and cell phone radiation because they have smaller heads, they have thinner skulls, and they have developing brains. Research shows that children absorb higher levels of wireless radiation into their brains compared to adults from the same device. And the regulations that we have, the US government’s so-called safety standards, which they’re not, they are 25 years old. They are based on an adult male and they don’t even consider a child’s developing brain, they’re completely out of date. They never even looked at what would be the impact to a pregnant woman, that research didn’t exist 25 years ago, and yet we have 25-year-old standards.

Kelly Krueger: But what does that mean exactly, you said the brain is altered in some of the studies that have been done. How was it altered? Because I read about ADHD and autism which to me makes sense because I’ve done some interviews on autism and they say, I think it’s 1 in 29 boys in Silicon Valley and it just shot up and you have to kind of think of it related to technology somehow. I’m curious about your thoughts.

Theodora Scarato: Well, the majority of studies that have looked at something called oxidative stress have found an effect. Now oxidative stress can lead to inflammation and more inflammation can lead to a lot of other health implications. What Dr. Martha Herbert documented in her publications was about how looking at autism and ADHD, there is inflammation in the brain. With electromagnetic fields, there are studies showing inflammation as well. Many clinicians, doctors, and health professionals have found reducing electromagnetic fields can help with kids who have behavioral problems or have autism and other health issues. It’s been a way to impact or reduce electromagnetic fields that can support the child’s resilience.

The reason for the baby safe project, the reason we helped to create this project was that why not just prevent things before they happen?

 

Theodora Scarato: Wherever there’s electricity, there are magnetic fields, and this is Kaiser Permanente research, which found an association between higher non-ionizing radiation exposures, and ADHD in the babies of pregnant women. Higher obesity, higher asthma, as well as higher miscarriage rates for those women. So, if you hear that there’s no problem and it’s completely safe, there’s no science, it’s not true. There is a large body of science on this issue. However, what we don’t have is any US health and safety agency, that’s looking at all of these issues. Even the FDA, isn’t looking at the issue of brain development or its impact on reproduction, and we need to have our US government health and safety agencies evaluating the entire body of research.

Kelly Krueger: Why do you think there are different opinions between people who say it isn’t affecting?

Theodora Scarato: Well, the question I always ask is, has there been a full systematic review of the science by any entity that speaks and says, there’s no proof of harm? I have not seen it, not in the United States. In Cyprus, they have a directive to remove Wi-Fi from elementary schools in France and Israel as well, they’re reducing wireless in schools. Over a dozen countries recommend very clearly, they do not say if you are worried, they say you should reduce exposure to your child. You should teach them to keep that phone away from their head, and it’s very clear. The United States just needs to catch up, we need to catch up with the rest of the world on this. Many countries have cell tower radiation limits that are much more stringent than ours. We allow the highest levels of radiation for cell towers compared to many other countries. Some countries will say near where you live, near schools, hospitals, or parks that the radiation levels must be much lower because that’s what’s called a sensitive area, which makes sense, but not in the United States.

Kelly Krueger: I know I’ve seen the glasses, you can plug into your wall outlets, are there any other things that someone can do in their home that if they for whatever reason, can’t get the wired connection,

Theodora Scarato: A simple first step is at night, turn the Wi-Fi off, turn off the wireless devices in your house at night that gives your body all those hours to not have that exposure, and it really can make a huge difference. That’s a big one.

Also, make sure that any wireless devices that you have, are aware that sometimes they do emit even when you’re not using them, so turn those off at night as well. Like the Amazon Alexa or any of these wireless speakers, et cetera. If you can get a power strip and just turn it off, you’ll save energy and reduce your exposure.

With your cell phone, don’t put it to your head, don’t sleep with it at night, and get a battery-powered alarm clock, this alone is one of the best things to do so that you don’t use your phone as your alarm clock. It also stops you from checking in at night and getting caught up in your phone when you have no business, and you should be going to sleep. So, have that phone be in another room and powered off? You also don’t want to charge the phone by the bed because when you charge the phone or any device, actually it emits higher non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation. So, charge on a surface away from when you’re sleeping or where you’re hanging out, and hopefully when you’re not using it. Try not to use the phone when it’s charging.

With your cell phone, turn those antennas off that you’re not using like the cellular, the Bluetooth, there’s a whole bunch of antennas on your phone. Only turn on the one you specifically need at that time and sort of get used to it. Another thing you can do is turn the phone on airplane mode more, there’s a lot you can do with your phone even while the antennas are off. You can take pictures, you can take videos, and there are applications you can use. You can do almost everything except make calls on your phone with an Ethernet cord.

If you hand your child a device to watch a movie or something like that, have it downloaded, it doesn’t have to be streaming all the time. If you want to play music on your device, have it pre-downloaded. Spotify has a playlist. So that’s what my kids do, it’s all pre-downloaded and they can listen, but they must think about it in advance and download what they want. I realized that requires some planning and that’s something that our society is starting to lose, so it is a good skill to gain.

Try not to use a cell phone or wireless devices in the car because when your car is traveling and the antennas are emitting, you can get higher levels of radiation, especially when some people will rest it on their lap while they’re talking. Well, then you’re exposing yourself, your body to that, and as the car is moving, it can go to higher levels because it’s reaching the cell tower that it’s passing. In addition, cars are metal, so the radiation can bounce and reflect in unusual ways, and even if you’re using a device in a car, your child is going to receive some of that exposure. And I say that as someone who has used a cell phone in a car for hours and hours and hours with my kids, and all I can tell you is when I heard this, I was shocked. I used to have a sling and put my baby and the phone in the slang because you know, my most important thing. And then my most important way to communicate, altogether, walking around, doing all kinds of things. So, I wish that I knew when I was a young mother about this issue because there were so many times, I could have just turned the phone off or just minimized my exposure, and I wish I knew.

Kelly Krueger: I think it’s good to have that awareness. People don’t think it’s part of our lives now, but it’s just part of daily, modern life.

Theodora Scarato: The Baby Safe Project appeal has been signed by over 250 doctors, scientists, and educators, and they are recommending reducing exposure to protect babies’ brains.

Kelly Krueger: A lot of great information.

Theodora Scarato: Thank you so much for being interested; this is a big jump.

 

About Theodora Scarato

The BabySafe Project was conceived jointly by Dr. Devra Davis of Environmental Health Trust and Patti and Doug Wood of Grassroots Environmental Education after attending a conference in Stonington, Connecticut, where Dr. Hugh Taylor of Yale School of Medicine presented the results of his important study on fetal exposures to cell phone radiation.

Hundreds of other researchers around the world have contributed to our understanding of the impact of wireless radiation on the developing fetus.

​The goals of the Project have been endorsed by many of the world’s leading experts in the fields of microwave radiation, brain development, obstetrics, pediatrics and public health. To read the Joint Statement on Wireless Radiation and Pregnancy and view a list of signatories, click here.
​
For more information, including more studies about wireless radiation and human health, please see the websites of Environmental Health Trust and Grassroots Environmental Education.

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