As parents we baby-proof, install car seats, bring floats to the pool, and slather on the sunblock – all to keep our kids as safe from harm as humanly possible. And to me, protecting your baby from toxic chemicals and dangerous pollutants is no different.
The fact is, we don’t know how all the contaminants our children inhale and absorb into their bodies daily actually harms their health; only that everything from childhood asthma and autism, to cancer, is rapidly on the rise. Until proper testing and regulation is put in place for chemical substances, our families are at risk.
Yes, exposure levels may be low, but as with any other precautionary measure you take with your child, practice common sense and decide for yourself what changes you personally want to make.
One of the first things I looked at was my son’s home life. At the age of one, he spends a large part of his day crawling around our house – and then of course sleeps all night in his bedroom. A home is supposed to be a haven for a child, but just how “safe” was our home?
Well, it turns out that over 300 chemicals can be found in the average nursery,which means it’s probably safer to leave your baby outside, where there are only two or three on the lawn! Of course it’s not practical to spend 24 hours a day outdoors, so the only way to reduce your child’s environmental health risk is to make a few small changes.
I say ‘a few’ because I know it sounds like a painstaking process, but it’s really not – I promise! I like how Healthy Child, Healthy World put it: “No one can do everything but everyone can do something.” I hope you find your “something”, even if it’s just one thing – from the simple and super-easy list of tips I’ve made just for you:
Before we get started, here’s a quick look at the toxic chemicals you need to watch out for and why (taken from Healthy Child, Healthy World). Don’t worry, I can’t pronounce most of them right either!
- Formaldehyde – A known human carcinogen found in wood furniture and building materials.
- PVC – A known human carcinogen found in baby gear (plastic) linked to birth defects and hormone disruption.
- Flame Retardants – Linked to cancer, hyperactivity and reproductive healthy issues, found in crib mattresses and changing pads.
- Toluene – Interferes with brain development and is found in glue and paint.
- Antimony Trioxide – Probably carcinogen found in paint, curtains, carpets and more.
- Lead – Linked to behavourial disabilities, found in paint (and very old houses).
- Phthalates – Linked to cancer and hormone disruption, found in PVC plastic and wood finishes.
- Benzene – Known human carcinogen, found in paint, plastic, and rubber.
- 4-PCH – Reacts with indoor air to create carcinogenic formaldehyde, found in carpet backing.
- Styrene – Interferes with (blocking, mimicking) hormones, used in plastic, coatings, and carpets.
- Xylenes – Linked to respiratory issues, found in lacquers, leather and more.
Sounds scary right? It certainly stopped me from buying anything additional for my home – which leads me to the first of my ‘Seven Simple Steps to a Safer Home’:
Tip No. 1: Cut the number of items you have in your baby’s room by half. The fewer pieces of furniture, toys, rugs and matching pillows you have, the safer.
Tip No. 2: Ask around for, or buy, second hand furniture (more likely to have off-gassed) to decorate your baby’s room with. Avoid brand new as much as possible.
Tip No. 3: Pick low-VOC paint to avoid possibly carcinogenic toxic fumes (I have yet to find “Zero-VOC” or natural milk paint here in Malaysia).
Tip No. 4: Choose an organic cotton or natural fibre mattress for the crib; foam fillings contain Polyurethane which can emit formaldehyde and PBDEs (flame-retardants) which can cause skin allergies and developmental issues.
Tip No. 5: Take a good sniff around – anything that smells suspicious or has that overpowering scent of “new” should probably be tossed.
Tip No. 6: Open the windows at least once a day for half an hour to an hour to air out all those pollutants lurking inside!
Tip No. 7: Grab a copy of the Green Pages Malaysia whenever you want to renovate or make any changes to your home, for the safest building material options.
Check out Raising Baby Green by Alan Greene, MD or BabySafe in Seven Steps by Kevin Schwartz and Keith Garber if you want to learn more about creating a healthy environment for your child. They are the ones who convinced me to change household cleaners and try out cloth diapers – but more about that next time.
For now, Happy Healthy Home-Making!
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Michelle Lim-Chua is a banana born in New York City, who fell in love with a boy from Melaka and became a mama of one.
