http://www.greenlivingonline.com/Family/toxic-baby-care-products/
(Mar 12, 2008)
When it comes to your baby’s lotions, shampoos or powders, you need to go green. Doctors and researchers have found many personal care products used on babies are laced with the harmful phthalates. 
Toxic to wee ones
Phthalates are man-made chemicals used in plastic and vinyl products to make them soft. They are also found in cosmetics and personal care products in the form of fragrances and colours. Traces of these chemicals are showing up in everyone's blood but infants and toddlers seem to have the highest concentration.
At first, researchers thought children were picking up traces from sucking or chewing on plastic on toys or from playing on dusty floors.
No tears but lots of chems
But a new study, completed at the University of Washington and published in the February journal of Pediatrics suggests another source: through the skin via baby care products.
Researchers measured the urine from the diapers of 163 infants aged 2 to 28 months and all had detectable amounts of at least one type of phthalate. More than 80 percent had seven or more types. The amount of phthalates increased with the amount of grooming.
More than half the mothers had used baby shampoos on their infants within 24 hours of the urine tests; fourteen percent had used powder and one-third lotion. These babies had four times the level of phthalates in their urine as those whose parents had not used any products on them.
Want grandchildren?
Other studies have found that phthalates can alter children’s hormones, especially the human male reproductive development when a fetus is developing. While more research is needed, many scientists are clear that these are dangerous chemicals and young infants may be more vulnerable because they are smaller and still developing.
"At this time, we do not know what the potential long-term health effects might be, but there is a large body of animal studies to suggest developmental and reproductive toxicity (from phthalates) and a few human studies with changes in health outcomes as well," said Dr. Sheela Sathyanarayana, the lead scientist on the study.
There are concerns these chemicals could interfere with reproduction when exposed children reach puberty.
Out of sight
Although there’s been a law passed in California that will ban six types of phthalates there are no federal U.S. or Canadian laws prohibiting their use in personal care products or cosmetics. Since cosmetic and personal care companies are under no obligations to list their ingredients there’s no way of knowing which products have phthalates.
Go organic
Many European countries are erring on the side of caution and banning these chemicals. You should too. Fortunately there are plenty of chemical free and healthy products out there for baby:
Erbaviva Baby Hankettes Earth Mama, Angel Baby Burt’s Bees Mom and Baby Gaia Skin Naturals Babecology Little Forest Aubrey’s Organics Let's keep our babies clean but also green.
Shelagh McNally is the editor of Green Living Online.
Toxic baby care products
Image: istockphoto.com/Joan Kimball
Toxic to wee ones
Phthalates are man-made chemicals used in plastic and vinyl products to make them soft. They are also found in cosmetics and personal care products in the form of fragrances and colours. Traces of these chemicals are showing up in everyone's blood but infants and toddlers seem to have the highest concentration.
At first, researchers thought children were picking up traces from sucking or chewing on plastic on toys or from playing on dusty floors.
No tears but lots of chems
But a new study, completed at the University of Washington and published in the February journal of Pediatrics suggests another source: through the skin via baby care products.
Researchers measured the urine from the diapers of 163 infants aged 2 to 28 months and all had detectable amounts of at least one type of phthalate. More than 80 percent had seven or more types. The amount of phthalates increased with the amount of grooming.
More than half the mothers had used baby shampoos on their infants within 24 hours of the urine tests; fourteen percent had used powder and one-third lotion. These babies had four times the level of phthalates in their urine as those whose parents had not used any products on them.
Want grandchildren?
Other studies have found that phthalates can alter children’s hormones, especially the human male reproductive development when a fetus is developing. While more research is needed, many scientists are clear that these are dangerous chemicals and young infants may be more vulnerable because they are smaller and still developing.
"At this time, we do not know what the potential long-term health effects might be, but there is a large body of animal studies to suggest developmental and reproductive toxicity (from phthalates) and a few human studies with changes in health outcomes as well," said Dr. Sheela Sathyanarayana, the lead scientist on the study.
There are concerns these chemicals could interfere with reproduction when exposed children reach puberty.
Out of sight
Although there’s been a law passed in California that will ban six types of phthalates there are no federal U.S. or Canadian laws prohibiting their use in personal care products or cosmetics. Since cosmetic and personal care companies are under no obligations to list their ingredients there’s no way of knowing which products have phthalates.
Go organic
Many European countries are erring on the side of caution and banning these chemicals. You should too. Fortunately there are plenty of chemical free and healthy products out there for baby:
Shelagh McNally is the editor of Green Living Online.
2 Comments
posted Mar 12, 2008 - 10:30 pm by Kathy
Some of the baby skin care lines are phthalate free, but still use parabens which can also have estrogenic properties as well.Just something else to chew on. There are several lines available that are free of both.
posted Apr 13, 2008 - 11:07 pm by judy
How can I tell what plastic bottle are harmful??
Add your comment
Facebook
Digg It
del.icio.us
Reddit
StumbleUpon
Care2
RSS
.gif)
rss