Autism Parenting Secrets — “Wireless Safety Starts at Home”

Hosted by Len Arcuri & Cass Arcuri | Guest: Cece Doucet (Director, Massachusetts for Safe Technology)

Release Date: December 11, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode addresses a commonly overlooked environmental stressor impacting families—wireless technology and electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure. Host Len Arcuri welcomes expert advocate Cece Doucet to discuss the science, health effects, and practical steps parents can take to reduce wireless exposure—especially for children with autism or heightened sensitivities. The conversation is grounded in empowerment, actionable advice, and real-life stories of transformation.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Wireless Safety Matters for Families (00:00–05:00)

• Wireless devices such as WiFi, Bluetooth, and smart tech are omnipresent and can be significant stressors for sensitive children, including those on the autism spectrum.
• Cece shares a poignant story about a simple change—putting an iPad in airplane mode and hardwiring a laptop—leading to a 2.5-year-old sleeping through the night for the first time.

  “With just one hour with her, we made life-changing impacts for that entire family.” — Cece Doucet (00:59)

2. Personal Awakening & Grassroots Advocacy (05:00–12:00)

• Cece describes her initial support for bringing wireless tech into schools, until exposure to emerging research changed her perspective.
• Notable sources provided early warnings, such as the American Academy of Environmental Medicine (2012) and the BioInitiative Report.
• Institutional and legal obstacles have slowed public school responses, but Cece’s district was the first in the country to post best practices for mobile devices.
• Devices contain multiple transmitting antennas (cellular, WiFi, Bluetooth, etc.). Most people aren’t aware of manufacturer warnings buried in legal sections.

  "For all these many services, for convenience that they've given us, there's a separate antenna… each one of those is… pulsing microwave radiation…" — Cece Doucet (08:52)

3. Health & Behavioral Risks: The Evidence Landscape (05:00–12:23)

• Scientific literature links EMF exposure with increased risk for cancers (brain, breast, colon), infertility, and neurotoxicity.
• Film “Generation Zapped” and work by Dr. Martha Herbert emphasize EMF’s potential role in developmental challenges.
• The threat is often dismissed because it’s invisible and cumulative, leading to a sense of overwhelm but actionable awareness.

4. Education and Community Action (12:23–19:39)

• Resources: “Generation Zapped”, EMF Medical Conference lectures, and public library initiatives to loan RF detection meters.
• Cece pioneered the first U.S. library loan of an RF meter; it now spreads in other states.
• High-quality meters (Safe and Sound Pro2) cost around $400, but grants and discounts are available for libraries.

  "Regardless of how we feel personally as a library, we are a conduit of information in the community." — Library Trustee (17:20)

5. Taking Action: How Families Can Reduce Exposure (19:39–29:56)

• Awareness is the hardest step—parents often avoid this info due to inconvenience or fear.

  "People don’t want to know… it’s all very inconvenient and people are terrified of inconvenient actions." — Len Arcuri (19:39)

• Practical Migration Steps (20:08–21:43):
  • Get a meter to measure EMF levels—kids can join in a “scavenger hunt” to locate sources.
  • Hardwire devices using ethernet wherever possible.
  • Disable antennas (WiFi, Bluetooth, Location, etc.) on devices; just turning off WiFi isn’t enough.
  • Re-measure after mitigation efforts to ensure effectiveness.
• Real-life success stories: Families frequently see immediate behavioral and sleep improvements with small changes.
• Pay special attention to sleep environments: eliminating wireless signals from bedrooms can yield profound health benefits.

  “Just with an hour of education, it can be so life changing.” — Cece Doucet (27:47)

6. Legal & Policy Perspectives (29:56–31:43)

• Cece discusses advocacy at state levels (e.g., New Hampshire's comprehensive 5G commission report).
• Progress is slow—industry legal pushback is intense, so grassroots health and legal action is essential.
• Lawsuits and campaigns are ongoing to push for accountable, health-conscious public policy.

7. Special Note: Smart Meters & Unseen Home Hazards (31:43–36:58)

• “Smart” utility meters (gas, electric, solar, water) can emit significant EMF pulses—often far more frequently than claimed.
• Exposure can disrupt sleep, behavior, and even corrupt home wiring, extending “invisible” EMFs several feet into living spaces.

  “My recording… showed 17,000 times a day we were getting hit with microwaves.” — Cece Doucet (32:32)

• Mitigation: Move sleeping areas away from smart meters, consult building biologists for assessment.

8. Daily Habits & Step-by-Step Mitigation (36:58–41:42)

• Replace DECT (cordless) phones with traditional wired handsets. Cece recommends AT&T CL2909 model for low electric use.
• Start with small, manageable steps: e.g. evening digital detox, putting devices in airplane mode, turning off wireless antennas.
• Body’s melatonin production is disrupted by nighttime EMF—important for sleep and cellular repair.

  “People say, Cece, I didn't want to know this… but I did the sleep sanctuary. And oh my gosh, I slept through the night for the first time in years.” — Cece Doucet (34:57)

9. Measuring Progress: How Big Is the Problem? (38:31–41:42)

• Host viewpoint: Even minor changes (especially in sleep environments) have triggered dramatic improvements in sleep, behavior, and wellbeing for client families.
• Measurement is key: Typical levels in “safe” rooms are vastly exceeded by modern tech environments.

  “When I measured those earbuds, they were at 25,000 and we wanna be at 10 [microwatts/sq meter]. When I measured the ambient room… we were over 600,000.” — Cece Doucet (40:38)

• Pediatricians are recognizing benefits of “digital detox.” Dr. Torrell Jelter has seen non-verbal children speak after just a week of digital detox.

  “Can you please hand me the scissors?” — 10-year-old patient’s first words, post-detox (41:55)

10. Support, Community, and Further Resources (42:47–45:27)

• Cece’s organization offers monthly free webinars with Q&A, and an affordable online course developed with Dr. Miko Ohonen (“safer screentime.org”, under $15, includes certificate).

  “An entire school, an entire workforce could be trained on their lunch hour.” — Cece Doucet (36:00)

• Additional content in show notes: episodes with Dr. Martha Herbert, Peter Sullivan, and Mariann Tierney (on EMFs in cars).
• Final message:

  “…it’s up to us. Mom, dad, grandma, auntie, uncle, caring citizens… it’s the adults that have to do this. But don’t go it alone.” — Cece Doucet (29:56)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Early Impact:

  "With just one hour with her, we made life-changing impacts for that entire family." — Cece Doucet (00:59)

• On Institutional Inertia:

  “Most of our public servants are not public leaders. They seem to be enmeshed in systems that keep them in a silo…” — Cece Doucet (10:59)

• On Measurement and Reality Check:

  "Regardless of how we feel personally as a library, we are a conduit of information in the community." — Library Trustee, as recounted by Cece (17:20)

• On Facing Inconvenience:

  "People don’t want to know… it’s all very inconvenient and people are terrified of inconvenient actions." — Len Arcuri (19:39)

• On Results:

  "She called to tell me that her little guy slept through the night for the first time in his life… for two and a half years that family really struggled." — Cece Doucet (26:43)

• On Digital Detox/Children’s Breakthrough:

  "'Can you please hand me the scissors?' …they were just astounded that that digital detox could work so quickly." — Cece Doucet (41:55)

• On Hope & Encouragement:

  “Just start taking inventory… pat yourself on the back if you can do one thing.” — Cece Doucet (36:45)

Actionable Steps for Parents

• Get Informed: Watch “Generation Zapped.” Review resources at ma4safetech.org and saferscreentime.org.
• Measure: Borrow or buy an RF/EMF detection meter. Involve kids in identifying EMF hotspots at home.
• Mitigate: Hardwire tech where possible. Disable all wireless functions on devices not in active wireless use.
• Protect Sleep: Prioritize clean, EMF-free sleep spaces. Move beds away from outlets, smart meters, and WiFi routers.
• Connect to Community: Join webinars, support groups, and online courses for continued learning and encouragement.
• Advocate: Promote awareness in schools, libraries, and local policy.

Key Timestamps

• 00:00 – Story of immediate improvement after wireless reduction
• 05:00 – Cece’s personal journey and discovery of EMF risks
• 10:00 – Science and institutional challenges
• 14:46 – How to get access to EMF meters at libraries
• 19:39 – On psychological resistance and “inconvenient truths”
• 20:08 – Practical tips for families to identify and reduce EMF
• 26:43 – Case studies of sleep and behavioral improvements
• 29:56 – Lawsuits, medical research, and policy advocacy
• 31:43 – Smart meters and household exposure
• 36:58 – Creating a “sleep sanctuary” and digital detox
• 40:38 – Measurement results: safe vs. typical exposure
• 41:42 – Pediatric digital detoxes and reported breakthroughs
• 42:47 – Accessing further resources and community support
• 45:11 – Where to find more info and get involved

For full links, referenced studies, and community webinars, visit the episode’s show notes or go to: ma4safetech.org and saferscreentime.org.