Schools are embracing technology more with each passing year. Wi-Fi has become a classroom essential, powering everything from interactive lessons to learning apps to instant teacher-student feedback. While learning in a high-tech classroom has its perks, parents and teachers alike are concerned about the effects of Wi-Fi radiation on children. Our kids spend a big part of their day at school, so it’s important to understand the current regulations, research, and what it all means for our children’s health.

What is Wi-Fi Radiation?

Wireless internet networks work by sending data through radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields (EMFs). This is how devices connect to the internet without wires, but it also means they are emitting low levels of radiation during use or any time they’re transmitting information. Wi-Fi has become a constant part of our lives, but researchers and experts alike are sounding the alarm about health impacts from this RF-EMF exposure – especially in today’s children who have been exposed since the day they were born.

Why Are Kids More at Risk?

Children aren’t just tiny versions of adults. As they grow, they’re more sensitive to this kind of radiation than adults for a number of reasons:

• Children’s brains are still developing: Kid’s brains and nervous systems are still growing, so they are more vulnerable to environmental influences. EMFs can physically alter these developing cells.
• They absorb more radiation: With their smaller heads, thinner skulls, and higher percentage of soft tissue, children’s bodies absorb more RF radiation than adults.

They have a longer cumulative exposure: Today’s kids have been exposed to Wi-Fi since day one, so their lifetime exposure will be much higher than most adults. The longer the exposure, the higher the risk.

Current Wi-Fi Regulations

In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is responsible for setting safety guidelines surrounding EMF levels. According to these standards, our current exposure to Wi-Fi is perfectly “safe.”

Here’s the problem: those guidelines were set in 1996 and haven’t been updated since. Not only that, but the regulations they set were focused on protecting bodies from the immediate heating effects of RF radiation, but they don’t take into account what happens with long-term exposure, especially for children. To add another layer of concern, the liquid-filled models used to determine if devices fall in the “safe” range represent a 220-lb male adult, so no specific child safety testing is done.
There is no specific regulation governing Wi-Fi radiation for children in school environments in the United States. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has called for large scale research and protective measures regarding radiation limits for children. But these regulations could take years to pass, so it’s important for parents to understand the risks and take steps now to ensure their children’s safety at home and school.

Specific Absorption Rate (SAR)

To fully understand the research and current regulations, it’s important to know how EMF is measured. The FCC and other international agencies measure EMF exposure by using a “specific absorption rate” (SAR) to measure how much body tissue is heated due to contact with a wireless device. The U.S. guidelines for SAR state that devices must operate at or below 1.6 watts per kilogram (W/kg) over 1 gram of tissue. This means that for every kilogram (about 2.2 pounds) of body weight, the radiation absorbed shouldn’t exceed 1.6 watts. 

While this protects against thermal (heating) effects of our wireless devices, it ignores the growing concern of non-thermal effects of EMF exposure in children.

Health Effects of Wi-Fi Radiation on Children: What the Research Says

Many studies have emerged in the past few years that examine the potential health risks of Wi-Fi radiation on children. Parents in-the-know are concerned, and rightfully so. Unfortunately, much of this research is not making it onto the major news outlets because so much is still unknown. That’s why it’s so important to do your research and be aware of the potential risks of this constant low-level radiation:

• Cancer: The International Agency of Research on Cancer has already identified RF-EMF as “possibly carcinogenic,” specifically with a type of brain cancer called glioma. Other studies are looking at potential links to cancers of the breast (male and female), testes, thyroid, as well as leukemia.
• Cognitive Difficulties: Research has shown frequent exposure to wireless radiation leading to memory issues and trouble concentrating, especially in adolescents and teenagers.
• Reproductive Health: These problems won’t appear until kids are grown, but research is showing that prolonged exposure to RF-EMF can damage reproductive systems. In males, this shows up in the form of decreased sperm count and motility. In females, EMFs are shown to change hormone function which could potentially impact fertility.
• Behavioral Problems: Prenatal and postnatal studies of children associate higher levels of EMF exposure with more behavioral difficulties, specifically attention deficits and hyperactivity.

Sleep Disturbances: Other studies found a link between higher RF-EMF and sleep issues with children such as less duration and more frequent night waking.

How U.S. Schools are Addressing Wi-Fi Concerns

While there are no specific regulations for schools at the federal level, some states and individual school districts are taking steps to reduce EMF exposure to children in their communities.

State-Level Initiatives

New Hampshire has been leading the country in legislation to combat the rapidly-increasing EMF load from wireless technology.  In 2019, House Bill 522 established a commission to study the effects of EMFs on people and the environment. They published a set of recommendations based on the findings, one of which was replacing Wi-Fi with hardwired ethernet connections in schools. Other states have followed suit with similar recommendations, such as Massachusetts and Maine. 
In Maryland, the Maryland State Children’s Environmental Health and Protection Advisory Council has made similar recommendations to New Hampshire’s commission, advising schools to reduce Wi-Fi radiation by switching to wired connections or placing routers away from heavily populated areas.

District-by-District Decisions

Many school districts across the country are not waiting for the federal government to step up and rethink their regulations. Instead, they are putting changes into effect to ensure their campuses are safe places for students to learn. Here are some policies schools in the U.S. are implementing:

• Changing Internet Policies: Some districts are completely switching to wired internet connections whenever possible.
• Mindful Tech Placement: If going back to wired connections isn’t feasible, some districts are moving any necessary Wi-Fi routers to less-populated areas of the school.
• Educating Students and Staff: Many schools are encouraging teachers and students to turn off Wi-Fi on their personal devices while they’re in the school building. 

Avoiding Bluetooth Connections: Schools are reducing EMF exposure by using wired ethernet connections for their smartboards, projectors, and other classroom tech.

Internet access in schools can open up a world of possibilities for learning, research, and collaboration. However, it needs to be done safely. With growing evidence and research suggesting that prolonged EMF exposure can impact children’s health, it is not just important for schools to take steps to reduce exposure, it’s necessary. 

Until federal regulations catch up, schools themselves must take initiative to reduce Wi-Fi radiation in their buildings. Awareness and action is key. Speak up, share your concerns with your local school district and community, and encourage other parents to educate themselves on the impact the radiation from our Wi-Fi devices could be having on our kids. 

It’s not about cutting technology out altogether, but using it in a smart, more mindful way. We can help protect kids from unnecessary EMF exposure while still keeping classrooms connected in our tech-driven world.