(NaturalNews) In the modern, technological world of today, our availability, connectivity and internet accessibility improve with each passing year. While our modern devices and the wireless networks that support them make life easier and more convenient, they unfortunately carry some hidden costs. And these costs come as chronic risks to our health. EMF radiation carries numerous documented health risks for people of all ages, but children and babies are especially vulnerable to invisible wireless radiation, because their bodies are still developing. Because of this, special precautions are needed to protect them from unnecessary exposure to wireless radiation.

Many EMF-related articles that you'll find on the net encourage parents and guardians to minimize cell phone use for children. This is good advice. But there is another possibly overlooked precaution regarding technological gadgets in our world: Beware the baby monitor! Baby monitors have been around for decades, and up until recently, were only available in "corded" form. Now, baby monitors have gone wireless, and they now pose the same EMF threat that high-frequency cordless phones do. Unlike phones, however, baby monitors are on for hours and are often placed within close proximity to a baby. This is a recipe for disaster.

Conceptualizing the danger

Cell phone towers are dangerous, and they are everywhere in today's world. They constantly emit health-threatening EMF radiation. And unfortunately, baby monitors pose a comparable threat. According to Alasdair and Jean Philips of Powerwatch.org.uk, a wireless baby monitor at less than 1 meter from a baby's crib is roughly equivalent to the microwave radiation emitted from a cell tower only 150 meters away. Placing the monitor on the far side of the room instead helps, but there is still dangerous radiation present.

Digital, wireless baby monitors defined

Most digital, wireless baby monitors today use DECT phone technology. DECT runs at 1,890 or 2,400 MHZ (1.89 Ghz or 2.4 Ghz). 2.4 Ghz is the same bandwidth used by microwave ovens. DECT wireless baby monitors are identifiable by the large number of claimed channels (from 20 to 120). DECT devices automatically switch between these channels during operation and emit sharp pulsing bursts of microwave EMF radiation 100 times per second. "Talk back" wireless monitors, where parents can talk back to the baby, emit continuously pulsing radiation on two channels and are even more dangerous.

Solutions

The best thing that you can do for your baby is to get rid of the monitor and move the nursery into the room neighboring the master bedroom. If this is not possible and you must use a monitor, get a wired or plug-in version which uses the electrical wiring of the house to communicate between units, or an analog (not digital) model. Most of these units are safe as long as they are kept at least one meter away from the baby's crib. However, it's good to check the bandwidth of analog baby monitors. Use only low-band (35 to 50 MHz), non-pulsing models.

Sources:

http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com

http://www.powerwatch.org.uk ^[PDF]

http://bodyecology.com

About the author:
Zach C. Miller was raised from an early age to believe in the power and value of healthy-conscious living. He later found in himself a talent for writing, and it only made sense to put two & two together! He has written and published articles about health & wellness and other topics on ehow.com and here on NaturalNews. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Applied Science.