Wi-fi laptop fears for children
Apr 28, 2007
Computers with wireless internet should not be placed on children's laps, says
the head of the government's committee on mobile phone safety research.
Professor Lawrie Challis told the Daily Telegraph children using wi-fi
networks should be monitored until research into potential health risks is
completed.
He says children should keep a safe distance from the embedded antennas.
The Health Protection Agency has said wi-fi devices are of very low power -
much lower than mobile phones.
Prof Challis, retired professor of physics at the University of Nottingham,
said: "With a desktop computer, the transmitter will be in the tower.
"This might be perhaps 20cms from your leg and the exposure would then be
around one per cent of that from a mobile phone.
"However, if you put a laptop straight on your lap and are using wi-fi, you
could be around two centimetres from the transmitter, and receiving comparable
exposure to that from a mobile phone."
Prof Challis added that children are much more sensitive than adults to
dangers such as pollutants like lead and UV radiation.
"So if there should be a problem with mobiles, then it may be a bigger
problem for children.
"Since we advise that children should be discouraged from using mobile
phones, we should also discourage children from placing their laptop on their
lap
when they are using wi-fi.
Meanwhile, teachers have called for an investigation into whether there are
any health risks from wireless computer networks in schools.
The Professional Association of Teachers union is writing to the education
secretary for a clarification on wi-fi safety.
Many primary and secondary schools use wi-fi networks - but the PAT believes
there is insufficient long-term evidence to demonstrate whether such networks
are safe.
Professional
Association of Teachers
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/health/6602561.stm
Vikas Kapoor,
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