Product Safety

CBS4.com (Miami), Michele Gillien
Published October 31, 2007

The daily and nightly rituals of how we keep our children clean from washing their hair and teeth, to moisturizing their precious skin are in the spotlight, with an exhaustive study reviewing ingredients linked to allergies, cancer and other concerns for children. The Environmental Working Group, a non-profit public advocacy and research center, analyzed everything from baby shampoo to sunscreen to diaper cream. Products they studied included shampoo and conditioner, body wash and liquid soap, toothpaste, sunscreen, baby wipes, lotion and moisturizer, diaper cream and baby powder. Researchers on overviewing on what they found said "we were surprised each day children are exposed to five dozen chemicals a day." One scientist said a "child's skin is 30 percent thinner until 6 months old, and most vulnerable what we put on it." The Environmental Working Group researchers suggested avoiding harmful preservatives such as "DMDM hydantoin", an allergen and irritant that can form cancer causing contaminants. Or avoid fragrances, which may contain neurotoxic or hormone disrupting chemicals; ceterareth and peg compounds, which are petrochemicals that may contain contain cancer causing impurities; for example, they say think about what is in the baby powder before using it. Like auto exhaust or secondhand smoke, tiny airborne particles from baby powder can damage a baby's delicate developing lungs. These researches said if you use it, choose powders without suspected preservatives, fragrance, or sodium borate, an ingredient that the cosmetic industry's own safety advisory panel says is unsafe for infants. The American Dental Association recommends fluoride free toothpaste for children under 2. For children under 6, the Centers for Disease Control recommends "child-strength" toothpaste with about one half of what's found in regular strength toothpaste. Low-fluoride children's toothpaste is common in Europe, but hard to find in America. If your children use a fluoride toothpaste, make sure they use a pea-sized amount and thoroughly spit and rinse. The products, according to this group, were ineffective in protecting children's skin and others contained ingredients they recommend avoiding.