I wanted to touch on a few ideas for parents to watch for regarding child safety and toxins.  Many commonly used products ranging from baby bottles to toys contain chemicals that are being widely scrutinized by scientists and advocacy groups worldwide.  Two chemicals in particular are phthalates and bisphenol A.  Bisphenol A is used to make plastics stronger and shatter-resistant.  It is found in water bottles, food containers, baby bottles, dental fillings and the coatings for the inside of cans containing foods.  Conversely, phthalates are used to make plastics softer and more flexible.  Common products containing this are toys, rattles, teethers and in car interiors and medical devices.  

Just to give you an idea of how common exposure is, a CDC study in 2000 found phthalates in the urine of 75% of people studied.  95% of Americans test positive for bisphenol A.  Even the AMA has recommended that the FDA require labeling for medical devices containing phthalates that are used on newborns in hospitals.  California recently passed a law banning the use of phthalates in toys and other kids’ products.

More and more parents are going back to glass baby bottles and wooden toys.  Many household names make chemical free products.  Evenflo makes glass bottles, Gerber has many bisphenol free lines and smaller companies such as Adiri and BornFree have become very popular.

The bottom line is that it is important for parents to be aware of potential hazards in everyday products that are used with their children.  Be aware of the dangers of these chemicals and try to use products that are phthalate and bisphenol A free.