All You Need To Know About Baby Monitor Bandwidths
Before you buy a baby monitor, you should know what frequency it uses. Many times the performance of baby monitors are affected by interference and static. This happens if there are other electrical household items transmitting at the same frequency as your baby monitor. Below I will list for you the common frequencies used by all baby monitors.
Baby Monitor Bandwidths
49MHz
There are not that many baby monitors using this bandwidth. If they do, they are usually cheap, audio baby monitors. It is the oldest and cheapest frequency available. It is good for short range only, maybe a few hundred feet. So if you have a big house or want to take your baby monitor receiver out to the yard, this may not be a good choice. Monitors on this frequency is susceptible to interference from electrical devices in your home. However, most electronics these days are using 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz. So a 49 MHz baby monitor may be the right product for you.
Best 49MHz baby monitor: Safety 1st Crystal Clear Baby Monitor
900MHz
A baby monitor that uses the 900 MHz frequency is usually an analog monitor. Some cordless phones, remote controls, security sensors and wireless speaker systems use this bandwidth. Check around your house for items transmitting on this same frequency as it could interfere with the baby monitor.
The good thing about using a 900 MHz baby monitor is that it won’t interfere with your wi-fi or vice versa. However, it is not a secure transmission and your private conversations may be picked up by someone else.
You may have several channels to choose from in the 900 MHz band. If you are getting a lot of static interference on one channel, you can change to another channel. However, this does not guarantee that your problem will be solved.
Best 900 MHz baby monitor:
Angelcare Baby Sound Monitor
Summer Infant Deluxe Day & Night Handheld Color Video Monitor with 2.5″ Screen
2.4GHz
This bandwidth is very popular nowadays and is used by many wireless systems. So much so this bandwidth has become 
over-crowded. This means there is a high chance your 2.4 GHz baby monitor may experience interference from similar frequency devices around your house.
So, you may be getting fuzzy pictures on your video baby monitor because of your 2.4 GHZ cordless phone. So you either have to change to a 900MHz or 5.8GHz cordless phone or buy a baby monitor with a different bandwidth.
Another concern with this bandwidth is interference with wireless computer networks (Wi-Fi). Many people have complained about how the baby monitor slows down or blocks their WiFi connection. However, this is not always the case. You’ll just have to do a little research on the baby monitor and see what other users have said. Some 2.4GHz baby monitors seem to work fine without disrupting the home’s WiFi connection. If not, you could try getting a dual band router and switching your network to the 5GHz band.
Baby monitors on 2.4GHz are digital and many come with security features such as Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum. You’ll get crystal clear audio and video transmission. Plus, there is no chance of other people eavesdropping or picking up your signal and seeing images of your baby on their baby monitor.
Best 2.4Ghz baby monitors:
Motorola Digital Video Baby Monitor with 3.5 Inch Color LCD Screen
Lorex LW241 LIVE sense Wireless Video Home Monitor
1.9GHz
When baby monitors are described as using DECT 6.0 technology, they are in fact using the 1.9 bandwidth. DECT stands for Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) opened up this bandwidth for use in 2005 and dictated that it could only be used for voice only applications. So you don’t see overcrowding like you do with the 2.4GHz bandwidth. So using a DECT baby monitor means no interference. You won’t get those annoying crackles and buzzing. You’ll hear your baby crystal clear. High audio quality is the main point here. Furthermore, you don’t have to worry about it interfering with your WiFi that’s using 2.4GHz frequency.
Best 1.9GHz DECT baby monitors:
Philips AVENT Basic Baby Monitor with DECT Technology
Motorola Digital Video Baby Monitor with 1.5 Inch Color LCD Screen
WHICH IS THE BEST BABY MONITOR?
Which baby monitor to buy depends on your budget, what’s important to you and your home environment.
If you want a cheap, basic audio baby monitor, these usually use the 49MHz or 900MHz bandwidth. There’s no security as they are analog monitors. The signal can be picked up by outsiders or your neighbor’s baby monitor that is on the same frequency. The range is also not very wide. It is suitable for you if you have a small house or live in an apartment, and you don’t really care if people can listen to whatever your baby monitor is transmitting.
If you are using wireless internet in the house, a 49MHz or 900 MHz baby monitor will not interfere with it. However, the sound quality of the baby monitor may not be very good.
Digital baby monitors perform better than analog monitors as they are less prone to interference and it can encrypt the transmission making it impossible for outsiders to eavesdrop. Digital baby monitors use the 900MHz, 2.4GHz and 1.9GHz bandwidth.
When it comes to 2.4GHz baby monitors, you have plenty of choices. Many video baby monitors use the 2.4GHz bandwidth. Although these baby monitors are better quality and have a variety of features, many electronic gadgets in your home are also using this bandwidth. Therefore, a 2.4GHz baby monitor may not work as it should in your home. It is best that you check the bandwidth of the gadgets in your home such as cordless phones and microwave ovens. Remember that wireless internet runs on the 2.4GHz bandwidth also. (However, some manufacturers indicate on their package that their 2.4GHz monitor is internet friendly). There have been feedback by certain consumers that their WiFi and baby monitor are working great together. (link) So, you don’t have to strike off all 2.4GHz baby monitors off your list if you have WiFi.
The 1.9GHz DECT baby monitors are the best right now in avoiding interference because not many electronic gadgets use this bandwidth. Some cordless phones are DECT but it seems there is no problem when using both DECT phones and baby monitor together. You get crystal clear transmission and your wireless internet is unaffected. Unfortunately there are not many baby monitors using the DECT technology.
It is very difficult to predict how well a baby monitor will work for you. The same brand of baby monitor that works fantastic for one person could be rendered as a waste of money by another. There are many factors that come into play such as the quality control of the product, the setup and size of your house, the electronic devices in your house and also interference from your neighborhood. When you purchase a baby monitor, check the retail’s return policy and don’t lose the receipt.
Although it seems like you need luck when buying a baby monitor, you can raise your chances of getting a good one by looking at ratings and customer reviews. To cut short your search, I’ve already looked through Amazon and searched out the best rated baby monitors for you. You’ll find the list here: Baby Monitor Reviews
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Tips to make a toddler’s room sustainable
(ARA) – Whether you’ve been taking steps toward green living or you’re a newbie and want to jump start your efforts and reduce your carbon footprint on earth, one area of opportunity is your toddler’s room.
Two interior design instructors from The Art Institutes share how to make your toddler’s room sustainable.
“Sustainability is a popular subject, and most experts in design agree sustainability has to be a way of living and incorporated into our every day,” says Kristina Held, interior design instructor at The Art Institute of Charlotte. “Wooden toys are a small investment and a good place to start.” Held recommends Plan toys or Haba toys which are wood and naturally antibacterial.
Wooden toys:
Even Kourtney Kardashian promotes wooden, sustainable toys as opposed to plastic toys on her “mommy blog.” Some of the top reasons to buy wooden toys:
* Conserve energy: It takes more energy and fuel to make plastic toys.
* Plastic toys are made with chemicals – and we all know how toddlers tend to stick toys in their mouths.
* Wooden toys are durable compared to plastic toys (you also don’t have to replace batteries).
Fabrics:
Consider bedding, curtain treatments and upholstery. “Think about choosing natural fibers such as linens and bamboo,” says Kelly Spewock, interior design department director at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh. “Bamboo is the most popular at the moment, and it is also a renewable resource.” A blend of cottons with acrylic and rayon make great upholstery fabrics, Held says. Worried about the softness to the touch? Cotton textiles that are brushed are soft on toddler’s skin, and so are terry clothes made of hemp and cotton. Try to avoid dyes. Cotton is the best for preventing irritated skin and breakouts, and it is also easy to clean.
Repurposing furniture:
If you’re taking the room from baby to toddler-friendly, Spewock recommends repurposing your furniture. “Get creative by converting the crib into a bed by taking off the railings and use old wooden boxes as shelving,” Spewock says. Go the shabby chic route by sanding an old desk and painting it white or a pastel color. Then, remove some of the paint with a cloth for an old/distressed look and feel. Saw off half of the table’s legs to make a toddler-accessible play/work area, Spewock says.
Flooring and carpeting:
Carefully consider flooring and carpeting because toddlers are just a few feet off the floor and on their hands and knees all day. “Carpets are tough. You have to constantly steam clean to get rid of the dust mites and dirt they collect. Toddlers are breathing the dust, dirt and the glues on wall to wall carpeting,” Held says. Carpets with natural fibers create less off-gassing (toxins and glue coming from the carpets and furniture). She recommends Amtico floors which can be made to resemble wood, tile, stone and linoleum. But nothing beats wood flooring, Held says. Again, it is naturally antibacterial, easy to clean and warm to bare skin.
Take sustainability to the walls:
Spewock recommend Zero-VOC paint which has no off-gassing and is water-soluble. Paint gives off fumes just like the glue in furniture and fabrics in the carpets. “Ten years ago you’d pay twice as much for environmentally friendly paint. Now, it’s affordable and much more common,” Spewock says.
Show and tell:
Educate children through design and teach them through example, recommend both Spewock and Held. Introduce green plants and teach your toddler how to take care of them, Held says. Plants get rid of toxins you don’t want in your air.
Consider maximizing the natural light in your toddler’s room. “It’s been proven in a classroom setting that children stay awake, more alert, and they are generally happier when exposed to natural light,” Held says. Expose them to fresh air, especially if your home is cooled by central air where toxins are circulated. Open up and freshen up to avoid harvesting viruses, dust mites, animal hair, etc.
Decorate the walls using symbols and imagery such as trees, a globe of the world and other items that represent the natural world. To teach them about energy conservation, paint a sun with its eyes closed for the “off” light switch position and a sun with its eyes open for the “on switch” position. “Celebrate Earth Day and get your children interested in helping to recycle,” Spewock says. “Live it so your child embraces it.”
Kristina Held is an architect by trade, a member of American International Architects, and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional (LEED AP) certified. She teaches residential design and working drawings, perspectives, and architectural details. She also has two daughters of her own, a 4-year-old and a 6-year-old.
Kelly Spewock is also LEED Certified. In addition to her interior design chair duties, she is also owner of Little House designs in Pittsburgh.
Medication safety for children: important advice for caregivers
(ARA) – Each year, an estimated 71,000 children are treated in emergency rooms for accidental medication poisonings, many of which are caused by dosing mistakes. Thankfully, while health care professionals or poison control resources resolve most issues, extreme cases that go untreated can result in complications, particularly in very young children.
“Many well-intentioned caregivers can get mixed up when it comes to administering medication,” says Dr. Michael App, a pediatrician in Grand Rapids, Mich. “With so many factors playing a role in proper dosage, such as weight and age of the child, it is essential that caregivers closely follow the directions on the label to avoid potentially life-threatening mistakes.”
Several manufacturers of children’s medications are also making efforts to improve safety and reduce the likelihood of errors. Perrigo Company, the world’s largest manufacturer of over-the-counter pharmaceutical products for retailers’ store brands, has been investing in equipment to insert “flow restrictors” in the bottles of all of their pediatric acetaminophen products. Flow restrictors reduce the size of the bottle opening and limit access to the medicine inside the bottle. Perrigo has added flow restrictors to all of its infants’ products and began converting the packaging of all of its children’s products with flow restrictors in January 2012. Perrigo is also participating in the Centers for Disease Control and Consumer Healthcare Products Association PROTECT initiative, which is bringing together experts to create strategies to reduce unsupervised medication ingestion in children.
Experts remind caregivers to be diligent and avoid these common medicine mistakes:
Not paying attention to potential drug interactions
Caregivers should always check medication labels and take care to avoid administering multiple drugs at the same time, unless recommended or prescribed by a pediatrician. Also, before administering medicine, caregivers should always review the enclosed packaging materials and directions.
Overmedicating due to measuring errors
When administering medicine, caregivers should always use the dosing device provided by the pharmacist or manufacturer, and never attempt to “eyeball” the proper amount. That household teaspoon your mom used? According to a study in the International Journal of Clinical Practice, household spoons or similar objects can hold two to three times more liquid than standardized materials. Most pediatricians recommend using a syringe over any other dispensing device for the most accuracy.
Basing the dose on age instead of weight
“Children grow at different rates, which makes it hard for parents and doctors to base dosage recommendations on age,” says App. “Since children metabolize medicine differently depending on how much they weigh, this is how most manufacturers label their dosage recommendations – not based on age. This is especially important for children who are over- or underweight.”
Forgetting vitamins
As with adults, doctors need to know every medication or vitamin that a child is taking, as certain vitamins can decrease the effectiveness of medicines or cause complications. Caregivers should always have a list of medicines on hand that lists the types and dosage amounts of every medication, vitamin and supplement that a child takes, as well as a list of allergies.
Not taking medicine as directed
Most prescriptions, especially antibiotics, are meant to be used in full. Even though a child may feel better, it is important to complete the dosage, or else the illness could recur. Furthermore, this practice can ultimately contribute to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In the same vein, caregivers should avoid giving leftover pills from a previous prescription for something they “self-diagnose” to be the same as a previous illness. It is also important to avoid giving medicine for any purpose other than that specified by the instructions.
Failing to adhere to expiration dates
Manufacturers list expiration dates on packaging for a reason, as these dates are generally based on internal testing that demonstrates the longest period a medicine is known to be effective. Using medicine left in the cabinet after it has expired can result in reduced effectiveness.
“Parents should always ask their pharmacist or pediatrician if there are any special precautions or directions with any drug – over-the-counter or prescription – their child is taking,” says App.
