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Phalates found in urine of powdered, lotioned babies
Filed under: Babies, In The News
A small study found traces of phthalates in the urine of all 163 babies tested in the sample group.
Phthalates are chemicals found in ordinary products like cosmetics, toys, vinyl flooring and medical supplies and is used to stabilize fragrances and make plastics flexible. The highest concentrations of phthalates in the study were found in babies younger than 8 months old and who had been shampooed, powered, or had lotion applied in the past 24 hours.
Large amounts of exposure to phthalates resulted in reproductive problems in test animals but the FDA "has no compelling evidence that phthalates pose a safety risk when used in cosmetics," spokeswoman Stephanie Kwisnek said. "Should new data emerge, we will inform the public as well as the industry."
What should concerned parents do? A follow-up article based on suggestions from pediatricians quickly appeared on the site after readers sent emails asking that very question.
The doctors suggestions ranged from inexpensive (don't use baby soaps, baby lotions or powders at all. Plain water cleans babies just fine.) to rather pricey (use only organic soaps and lotions that can be found at health food stores) to just adjusting prior habits (the regular baby products you have are fine, just use them sparingly and don't bathe, powder, or lotion up the baby every day).
Dr. Benjamin Danielson, pediatrician and clinic chief of the Odessa Brown Children's Clinic in Seattle had the best bedside manner in his summary, "Sometimes you need to be able to get a little more information before deciding which way to jump. I think that this is an important issue, but it's also a stay-tuned issue. It's a good sign when issues are brought to light and people have a chance to address them, but I also worry about getting too panicked, too quickly."
Keys words? Don't panic, just be aware.
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
2-05-2008 @ 12:42PM
bb said...I was a chemist before I was a full-time mom, and one thing this article neglects to discuss are which phthalates were found. Some phthalates have showed much greater reproductive toxicity than others in animal studies. So the traces of material found in these kids could be cause for concern or it could be a lot of hype about something fairly harmless. The article also failed to mention the concentration found. With advances in analytical technology in the last few years, much smaller traces of chemicals can be reliably detected, but those levels may be well below the level that is considered safe. I really wish that when outcomes of these studies are published in mainstream media, they would give adequate information instead of just trying to scare parents.
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