Last Updated On November 21st, 2018
A baby monitor is such a popular everyday convenience for parents everywhere that most people do not give a passing thought to wondering whether or not baby monitors are safe. The sheer convenience of baby monitors for managing the stresses and exhaustion of having a newborn has made these items an essential part of every new household. However, there are some concerns about the potential harm to babies from many models of monitors that need to be addressed.
The Dangers of Electro-Smog
Electro-smog is the electromagnetic radiation created by electronic gadgets, such as TVs, cordless phones, microwaves, mobile phones and digital baby monitors, which persists in the area that they are operating in. Many studies have demonstrated that continued exposure to this electro-smog over long periods of time will affect a body’s nervous system, and result in symptoms involving chronic fatigue, headaches, disruptive sleep patterns, and abnormal behavior patterns in younger children.
Effects of Digital Monitors on Babies
The most popular baby monitors on the market use DECT technology (for digitally enhanced cordless telecommunications), which ensures that the signals between the transmitter and receiver are secured. However, these wireless baby monitors do emit some microwave radiation. The monitor’s base station is kept by the cot or crib while the parent will take the receiver, and either wear it or place it nearby so as to be able to respond when the baby cries. This arrangement exposes your baby to potentially dangerous amounts of radiation.
Purchase a Voice Activated Base Station
The voice activation means that the monitor will only transmit when there is noise from your baby. Since the base station will spend most of its time powered-down, this greatly reduces your baby’s exposure to the emitted radiation. Many voice-activated models might still emit low levels of radiation even when not activated, but this is still much better than having the radiation from a fully active base station right beside your baby’s sleeping area every minute of every day.
If you cannot find a voice-activated model, or the ones that you can find still emit low levels of radiation even when not activated, then there are some additional precautions that you can take to lower your baby’s exposure while still making use of the convenience of a baby monitor.
You can reduce your baby’s exposure to potentially harmful radiation emissions as much as possible by:
- Placing your baby monitor at least three feet from where the baby will spend the vast majority of its time sleeping.
- Be sure that you have the correct settings on the base station so that it is only activated by the sound of your baby crying.
- Much of the radiation involves the powering of the base unit, so whenever possible try to keep the adapter plugged in as far from the baby’s sleeping area as possible.
- Avoid placing any other appliances, such as computers, cordless phones, television sets, and so on, in the room where your baby sleeps. Ensure that any electronic devices that you do need to leave in there are switched off as much as is possible.
Also read: Can Baby Monitors be Hacked?