Don’t you get surprised when you see a two year-old kid handling a mobile device like a pro? Many parents enjoy this and praise their kids for their brilliance. But, do you know exposing your child too much to these electronic gadgets can increase the chances of health issues, especially learning disabilities? Electronic enclosures, undoubtedly, cut off the excessive exposure, but that does not mean complete eradication of the radioactive waves from the environment. Children are basically in their nascent stage of development, they have thinner skulls and developing nervous systems that are more vulnerable to EMFs than the adults. Apart from home, school is yet another place that is presently exposing children to the effects of electro-magnetic radiation due to the presence of Wi-Fi networks, computers, energy saving bulbs and so on.
In order to provide children the best academic support, schools have integrated the latest technology in lab and wireless system for easy connectivity; but while doing so, they have forgotten one thing — the after-effect of EMR. Things are more difficult for children who have special needs. It has been scientifically proven that chronic, low-level exposure to radiofrequency can be very harmful. It can lead to behavioral changes, impaired concentration, attention and memory loss, fatigue and even sleep disturbances. Every time the children are exposed to cell phone radiofrequency radiation, even for a short duration, the brainwave activity changes.
An article published in 2013 stated that EMFs leave non-thermal chemical impact on our cell biology. These waves can break the calcium, potassium and lithium ions from our cells and disrupt the proper biological functioning. EMI causes chronic oxidative stress and DNA breakage. Now imagine how children are getting affected due to such damages on the cell. One of the most common health disorders that kids experience due to this exposure is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), autism and asthma symptoms. From the years 2001 to 2004, almost 49 percent increase in the use of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder drugs have been found among children under the age of five. This number has been rising steadily since then.
Electromagnetic sensitivity, as this condition is also called, has increased dramatically over the ages. The symptoms that are commonly found among children are as follows:
- Behavioral changes
- Anxiety
- Loss of memory
- Sleeping disorder
- Lack of concentration
It has also been found that children who have been exposed to mobile phone from a very young age have shown greater signs of hyperactivity, conduct and emotional problems than those who are less exposed to these devices.
As far as the use of Wi-Fi in schools is concerned, this technology is becoming more prevalent these days. Rather than connecting to cable modem (CAT 5 cable) that has no radiofrequency exposure, many schools today are depending on wireless system to access the Internet through routers. But this step is actually exposing the kids to EMF for a longer span of time. The ‘wireless interactive learning systems’ that claims to make classrooms smarter is basically pushing the health of the children a step towards various diseases. Symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, digestive disorder, depression, anxiety, and sleeping problems clearly prove how wireless technology is disturbing the health, and in turn, decreasing the learning abilities of the children.
Most of the parents are unaware of the negative effects of EMI and how the waves are crippling the future of the children, gradually. Most electronics manufacturers use electronic enclosures in their devices which can attenuate the radiation to a certain percentage. Therefore, follow the safety guidelines and keep your kids away from electromagnetic radiations.