When you buy lotion, shampoo or powder for your baby, you assume that it is safe and good for your baby. However infant’s and toddler’s blood have the highest concentrations of phthalates and other chemicals of anyone tested. Phthalates are man made chmicals used in plastics, household items, cosmetics and pesticides. Worldwide use is estimated at several MILLION TONS each year. However research indicates that phthalates are mutagenic, cancer-causing and adversely affect human male sperm. At first, researchers thought that children were ingesting these chemicals from chewing or sucking on plastic toys, or playing on dusty floors contaminated with dust from vinyl household items such as shower curtains.
However recent studies, including one conducted at the University of Washington and published in the journal “Pediatrics” suggest anouther source: baby care products. Doctors and researchers have found that most personal care products manufactured and marketed for babies are laced with phthalates, parabens and other potentially toxic chemicals.
Researchers tested the urine from the diapers of 163 infants, 2 to 28 months, and all had detectable amounts of phthalates, and more than 80% had 7 or more types of phthalates present. The levels increased with the amount of grooming. More than 50% of the infants had exposure to a baby shampoo used withint 24 hours, 14% had exposure to baby powder and 33% had exposure to baby lotion. So not only are our babies absorbing toxic chemicals from the mothers while still in the womb, the very products we rely on to protect our babies are toxic as well.
Studies have found that phthalates can alter children’s hormones, especially the human male reproductive system while a fetus is developing . The science is clear that these chemicals are dangersous and that infants and children are more vulnerable because they are still developing . There are grave concerns that these chemicals could interfere with reproduction when exposed children reach puberty. Scientists do not yet know for certain the long-term health affects of accumulated phthalates in the human body. However there is a large body of animal studies which document developmental and reproductive toxicity, and a few human studies thus far which document negative changes in health outcomes as well.
Currently California bans 6 types of phthalates, however there are NO Federals laws banning their use in cosmetics or personal care products. In fact, cosmetic and personal care manufacturers are under no obligation to list ALL their ingredients, so there is no way of knowing which products contain these chemicals.
The European Union has banned the use of phthalates in nail polish and certain other personal care products. You should as well. Many companies have been creating personal care and cosmetics products which do not contain harmful chemicals for years. Companies such as BOD, Aubrey Organics, Earth Mama, Angel Baby and Burt’s Bees Mom and Baby have forged a path to chemical free products. Vote with your dollars and support these and other companies which are striving to reduce the chemicals in our world.
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