.png)
3 Chemicals Your Children Should Avoid
As my daughter Anna approaches her 15th month of age, I cannot believe how quickly she is changing. From growing over 10 inches in her first year (wow!) to her ability to understand both Spanish and English, on a daily basis I’m simply amazed. She’s scampering around the house and keeps my wife and me on our toes. Kids’ development from all perspectives (physically, mentally, neurologically, socially) is faster during the first year than during any other time of their lives. Ensuring proper nutrition is critical during this process, but just as important is the avoidance of the seemingly ubiquitous pollutants found around us that can affect normal development. Unfortunately, our world has become a place full of chemicals that are nearly impossible to avoid including paints, glues, garden chemicals, vehicle emissions and so on. And because young children are typically more inquisitive than their older counterparts, risk from multiple contact routes (skin, inhalational and oral) is increased. Plus, per unit body weight, children eat more food and breathe more air than adults, which again increases their exposure. Some chemicals are more dangerous than others and understanding which chemicals must be avoided is critical to your child’s (and your) health.1. Bisphenol A (BPA)
You might have been hearing about this chemical lately. There has been a lot of press about the problems associated with BPA, especially following the Food and Drug Administration’s change on its position with BPA. It is estimated that 93% of Americans have BPA in their body and although it was previously considered to pose no health risks to humans, in January of this year, the FDA made a 180-degree shift by stating BPA is of “some concern” for infants and children. BPA is one of the world’s highest production-volume chemicals and for the last 40 years has been used to make plastics (baby bottles, beverage bottles, lining of food containers, electronics, compact discs, etc.). Another interesting study found that cash register receipts, which use heat to imprint the information (the majority of receipts today) have 10-50 times the amount of BPA found in plastics. So don’t let your children play with receipts and store them away from where kids can get into them. It appears that BPA can affect the brain, reproductive systems and even promote asthma in susceptible children. Another study showed that BPA is linked to heart disease in adults. Fortunately, because of these recent studies, many manufactures are taking it upon themselves to remove BPA from products when possible. So, be sure to look for “BPA-free” on the labels of many plastic and food containers. Instead of drinking water from plastic bottles (and the “flimsier” the plastics, the greater the BPA content), switch to stainless steel or glass bottles, especially if there is a chance that the bottle may be exposed to heat. Plastic containers exposed to heat appear to have greater amounts of BPA than non-heated containers. As a result, be sure to avoid heating food in plastic containers or covering your food with plastic when heating in the microwave.2. PFOA and PFOS
Perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) are known as perfluorinated chemicals. These 26 and 35 scrabble word scores, respectively, are quite a mouthful to say, and they can cause serious problems when we’re exposed to them. More specifically, liver damage, hormone imbalances, and infertility are issues that are well-documented with PFOA and PFOS exposure. In fact, a 2009 study in the journal Human Reproduction demonstrated that women with the highest measured levels of PFOAs and PFOSs took up to 154% longer to become pregnant. Although a recent study by the governmental organization National Institute of Health did not find any connection with PFOAs and PFOSs causing developmental delays in children, they did recommend “further study” and “limiting or avoiding pediatric exposure.” These chemicals are often found in teflon and other non-stick cookware, stain-proof and no-iron or “wrinkle-free” fabrics, microwave popcorn bags and flame retardants. It turns out that many infant and children’s clothing are being bathed in PFOAs and PFOSs for their flame retardant qualities, but a recent Environmental Protection Agency panel is requiring all manufacturers to have these chemicals completely removed from children’s clothing by 2015. In addition to this good news, manufacturers are required to list these chemicals on clothing labels; so, be sure to read all children’s clothing labels and avoid those products that contain either PFOAs or PFOSs. Plus, by having your children consume plenty of fresh drinking water and eat lots of fresh, organic vegetables, you’re helping to ensure that their natural detoxification pathways are working properly.3. Phthalates
Found in perfumes, cosmetics and very soft plastics (plastic wrap and children’s toys, for example), phthalates are a part of many of the products we use on a daily basis. On children’s toys, the most common type of phthalate is diisononyl phthalate or DINP—time to get your scrabble board out again. Unfortunately DINP does not “bind” to toys very well and can leach out over time. Children who put plastic toys in their mouths significantly increase their exposure to phthalates and parents are urged to keep plastic toys out of children’s mouths. Again, look for labels on toys that are “phthalate-free” or contain ethylene vinyl acetate, or “EVA.”By informing yourself and taking a little extra time to read labels, you can quite effectively remove many of the harmful chemicals that surround us. Try to limit your use of plastics and instead use glass or stainless steel containers. Be sure to not heat plastic containers, especially if you plan on consuming their contents. By taking these few simple steps, you can dramatically reduce the amount of chemicals found both in your own body and in those of your children.
Dr. Phil Wazny NMD
Contributing Author and Naturopath
No comments:
Post a Comment