When exposed
to toxic chemicals, children are not miniature adults.Even small doses can affect their sensitive
developing bodies, leaving them vulnerable to allergies and frequent bouts of
infections, colds, and even behavior challenges.
In the
February 2008 issue of the journal Pediatrics,
it was reported for the first time that infants and children are exposed to
toxins from everyday baby products, including shampoo, lotion, and powder.One such toxin is phthalates.The damage is specially harmful among baby
boys and their reproductive system.Many
other countries ban such ingredients, but unfortunately the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) does not regulate or assess for safety any personal care
products.
The F.D.A.
does require testing for food additives and drugs, but personal care and
cosmetic companies are not required to test ingredients for safety before they
are sold.The Environmental Working
Group (EWG), a non-profit research based, consumer advocacy organization based
in Washington DC, reports that personal care products expose children to an
average of 60 chemicals every day that they can breathe in or that absorb
through their skin.EWG conducted
product testing in partnership with Health Care Without Harm and other members
of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.They
found phthalates in three-quarters of 72 name-brand products tested.They go on to report that since federal law
contains no safety standard for cosmetics, it is legal for companies to use
ingredients that are reproductive toxins like phthalates, carcinogens, and
other potentially harmful substances.
Depending on what’s in your
child’s personal care products, there’s a potential for toxic overload. This
means that if your child uses only one product with its chemical content, your
body’s immune system will be capable of filtering out the toxins.But, if you continually bombard your child’s
vulnerable body with more and more chemicals, you may be overworking it!
Let’s look briefly at only one of these
chemicals called phthalates (pronounced tha-lates). These have not been banned
yet even though they have potential to cause reproductive problems in women as
well as birth defects.
Phthalates are primarily used in the
manufacture of plastics.But they’re also
used as a solvent in a myriad of other materials, including personal care
products like soap, shampoo, hair spray and nail polish, reports the Centers
for Disease Control. Phthalates are even found in baby care products!
It should come as no surprise, then, that
the CDC reported recently that women of childbearing age were found to have
high levels of phthalates in their bodies.
What’s more, of all the nearly 10,500
chemicals used in these products today, merely an 11 percent of them have
available safety data on them.These
data, though, may be a formality, since little testing for the effects
involving long-term exposure have ever been completed on them.
Harmful ingredients in major brands of baby products are notuncommon
Pthalates aren’t the only toxic ingredient in baby personal care
products.Perfumes, artificial dyes, BHT
along with other harsh preservatives, strong detergents and salicylates are
some of the other potentially harmful ingredients.The Feingold Association is a non-profit
organization started by a pediatrician dedicated to helping expose how
ingredients in foods and personal care products can triggereczema, hives, asthma, headaches, dyslexia,
irritability, infections, autism, PDD, ADHD and ADD.
Most people don’t realize just because a product has a label indicating
it’s a baby product, it doesn’t mean it is safe.Toothpaste is one of the most deceiving.Many popular children’s toothpaste contain
glitter, bright colors and taste like bubble gum.Although there is a warning on all toothpaste
for the active ingredient fluoride, perhaps the warning should be for the
inactive ingredients as well.The
American Dental Association and the FDA only require testing and warnings drug active
ingredients such as antibiotics and fluoride.Unfortunately the inactive ingredients are not tested for safety or
considered.
Sodium lauryl sulfate is a common inactive ingredient in toothpaste as
well as shampoos, skin care and bubble baths.It is a surfactant that forms lather to the formulas.Besides finding it in your child’s
toothpaste, you may be surprised to learn it is a common industrial detergent
used to clean oil off car engines.It’s
true.You could use your child’s
toothpaste to clean your car engine.Studies
report of allergies and outbreak of canker sores with this ingredient.
Artificial sweeteners are another common ingredient in toothpaste for
children.It’s amazing that as a culture
we have become so addicted to sweets, we can’t even motivate our children to
brush unless we add artificial sweeteners to them.Saccharin is the most often used which is
banned in many countries.It used to be
banned by the FDA, but is now accepted as safe.
Natural
ingredients can be toxic too
Synthetic ingredients are not the only ones that contain toxic
ingredients.A recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM)
reported three cases in which young boys aged 4-7 began to grow breasts after
using skin care products containing lavender oil and tea tree oil.The study concluded the oils appear to be
endocrine disruptors.The endocrine
system is a system of glands that secrete hormones directly into the
bloodstream to control certain functions in the body.The body’s growth hormone, maturation of sex
organs and metabolism are some of the functions the endocrine system
controls.You can see why it’s important
not to use any ingredients which might be endocrine disruptors.The study concluded that more research is
needed on the effect of these and other potential endocrine disrupters added to
personal care products.
Lavender oil and tea tree oil have been considered pretty safe and
routinely found in many personal care products.Most consumers erroneously think herbs are innocuous since they are “natural”.What we don’t consider often is that
pharmaceutical drugs are originally founded on herbs and plants.Extracts and essential oils are the most
potent with the potential of side effects.
Teen agers are also subject to toxic ingredients since they are heavily
marketed to by cosmetic companies.Cosmetics are another multi-billion dollar industry with harmful
ingredients that are not regulated or tested for safety by the FDA.
Informed
consumers make wise choices
We can’t turn a blind eye to the rise in allergies, cancer and other
forms of chronic illness.Informed
consumers make wise choices.It’s
important to choose personal care products for your family very carefully.Endocrine disrupters and other toxins are
found in our food and personal care products.To make wiser choices, you should use Cleure Products for you and your entire family.
