A parent reports palpitations and increased seizures in a child after nearby smart-meter installation, de…

I am submitting this comment in response to HHS’s Request for Information on Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs), Radiofrequency (RF) Radiation, and Wireless Radiation Exposure. I am responding from the perspective of a husband and father. We live in a condominium community and there are 6 so-called "smart meters" on the other side of the wall of my son's bedroom. My son is autistic, has seizures and is non-verbal. I always suspected that wireless radiation was one of the causes of his condition. Right after with wireless meters were installed, I called con edison and asked them if they knew how safe they were. Their response was that the meters were approved by the FCC. That is their only answer to this day. Being a graduate of mass communications, I know a bit about FCC regulation. The FCC has nothing to do with people's health. They only check to see if devices interfere with other communication devices. They also told me that the previous meters had also been wireless, but a meter man had to drive alongside the meters to get the reading. I told con edison that I wanted to opt out of the wireless meters. It was almost useless because there are 5 other wirelessmeters on my son's wall, but I did it anyway. I am now charged extra money because I am concerned for my son's health and nobody in New York government (who gave con edison permission to install the meters) seems to care at all. A couple of days after the meters were installed, I was feeling unwell at work and started to drive home. For the first time in my life, I had heart palpitations. I didn't know what was happening so I called 911. An ambulance took me to the hospital. After following up with a cardiologist, he put me on Xanax and I have been on it ever since. There was also an uptick in my son's seizures. He is now on 5 medicines to help control the seizures and he is unable to make it to school regularly. I had planned for us to move out of here, because I had seen a couple of houses where the people moved the meters away from the house. I had planned the move to be for 2020. But then, the pandemic hit and real estate in Westchester got out of control and out of reach for middle class families. I want a way to measure the wireless radiation in our home. I did buy a small device, and it of course flashes "DANGER" around the wall adjacent to the meters. But we need professional, government approved proof of what is happening. Just last month, I made a formal complaint with New York state about it. All they did was have someone at con edison call me, and that person referred me to the FCC web site, which again is absurd because the FCC is only concerned about whether a communication device interferes with other communication devices. They have no concern for people whatsoever! I support HHS taking an active role in examining the potential health and environmental effects of wireless radiation. Questions about human health should be addressed by federal agencies with appropriate expertise in medicine, biology, epidemiology, and public health, and the experiences of individuals and families who report being affected should be considered alongside the scientific evidence. I urge HHS to carefully evaluate these experiences and the scientific evidence, identify gaps in current research, give particular attention to children and other potentially vulnerable populations, and establish appropriate federal research priorities regarding wireless radiation and public health. Thank you for providing individuals and families with an opportunity to be heard.