Date: February 5th 2008

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BABY 411 and TODDLER 411 NEWS UPDATE: February 2008
The free eNewsletter for the readers of BABY 411 and TODDLER 411
http://www.Baby411.com
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What’s in this issue?

1. Is baby shampoo safe?
2. Infant car seat recall
3. Flu season is here
4. RES-Q Wedge for acid reflux
5. More on toys and lead

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1. Is baby shampoo safe?

A study in the February issue of Pediatrics found babies and young children who used baby shampoo, baby lotions, and baby powders had a chemical called phthalates in their urine.

Phthalates (pronounced Thal-ATEs) are used to make PVC plastics soft, and as solvents/fixatives in fragrances/cosmetics/other hygiene products. Previous concerns about phthalates focused on toys like teethers.

The big news here is that phthalates are in baby care products like baby shampoo and lotions—and that the chemical is being absorbed into the skin, metabolized in the body, and then eliminated. In this case, the phthalate in question is diethyl phthalate (DEP), which is a component in fragrance in some baby care products.

So, is this a concern? Are these products safe? Unfortunately, this study leaves many unanswered questions—the study did NOT say how much shampoo/lotion/powder was used or how long it was left on the skin. Because phthalates are used for so many things and are released into the environment when they are produced, used and disposed of, their traces can be found in floor dust, food, soil, indoor air, and even breastmilk. Hence, babies in this limited study could have absorbed phthalates from other sources, since the researchers did not control for other possible exposure.

Are there any adverse health effects from phthalate exposure? We don’t know. Animal studies show that phthalates mimic natural sex hormones which, in turn, can disrupt the normal hormone pathways in the body. Phthalates also have cancer causing potential in animals. But, so far, none of these effects have been identified in humans.

For the record, the baby care products industry says DEP is safe: “DEP has been extensively researched and is not linked to reproductive toxicity or endocrine disruption.”

Currently, manufacturers are not required to list phthalates on their ingredients list. So, even if you wanted to avoid these products, it might be difficult to know what to avoid. Some manufacturers of “natural” baby care products state they are phthalate-free in their product literature.

But . . . as we noted in our book Baby 411, some natural baby care products contain highly allergenic ingredients (we found one baby lotion with nut oils—something you should NOT put on baby’s skin). See page 73 for a detailed discussion. The take-home message: read the labels carefully!

Bottom line: there’s no need to panic and throw out the baby shampoo. But now we know that these products contain phthalates and that babies can absorb them through the skin, it makes sense to consider limiting exposure. Therefore, consider baby care products that are fragrance free—or seek out shampoo or lotion that is labeled as phthalate-free (unfortunately, these are usually more expensive).

We also urge makers of baby care products and toys to disclose which items contain phthalates. Like our discussion last year of polycarbonate bottles, consumers should have choices if they seek to avoid these chemicals.

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2. Infant Car Seat Recall

Evenflo issued a voluntary recall on 1 million of their Discovery infant car seats (Models 390, 391, 534, 552) that were made between April 2005 and January 29, 2008. Tests have shown that the seat can separate from the base in high-impact side collisions. Evenflo will provide the affected model car seat owners a supplemental dual-hook fastener to keep the seat attached to the base. According to their website, “call Evenflo at 1-800-356-2229 between 8 AM and 5 PM EST or visit www.evenflo.com/Discovery. No shipping costs will be incurred and orders will arrive in approximately 3 to 4 weeks. In the meantime, consumers should continue to use their Discovery infant car seat and there is no need to return it to retailers.”


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3. Flu season is here

Flu season is in full swing in the United States and will probably be peaking in the next few weeks. At our practice, if anyone comes in with a fever of 102 or greater without some other good excuse for it, it’s flu until proven otherwise! Fever, body aches, chills, and headache tend to be the first clues of flu. The cough and runny nose come later.

If your child does have the real deal—influenza virus—and is one year of age or older, there is a treatment option. It’s called Tamiflu, and it is an antiviral medication that specifically shortens the duration of symptoms of Influenza A and B. The medication must be started within 48 hours of symptoms, though, to do any good.

So, if you think your child might have the flu, see you child’s doctor sooner rather than later. If you do end up using Tamiflu, one word of warning—about 15% of children have nausea or vomiting with the medication. And, it tastes pretty bad (new this year: capsules for lower weight kids if they can swallow a pill). We suggest giving bread or a cracker before giving the medication.


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4. RES-Q Wedge to the Rescue

There’s a new product for babies who suffer from acid reflux. It’s a sleep wedge designed by a pediatric occupational therapist that may help reduce the nighttime symptoms (code phrase for everyone gets more sleep!) when a child is sleeping flat. There are other sleep wedges out there, but a few things we like about this one are a) insurance companies may cover part/all of the cost of the wedge as durable medical equipment, b) the product is made with a nest area for the head that helps reduce the dreaded flat head and c) it’s adaptable to grow with your child. To get more info, go to www.azream.us/catalog26.html


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5. Toxic Toys update

Many of you scrambled over the holiday season to buy lead-free toys for their kids and wrote in, asking for advice on what to buy. Even if you wanted to avoid all toys made in China, it’s nearly impossible to do. Even Ikea’s toys are made in China (hmm, that makes us wonder if their Swedish meatballs come from China too)! Since you may be getting a few things for your little Valentine, here are some tips from Dr. Michael Shannon, co-director of the Pediatric Environmental Health Center at Children’s Hospital, Boston.

• DON’T buy non-brand toys.
• DON’T buy toys from discount shops or private vendors.
• DON’T buy old or used toys.
• DON’T buy costume jewelry for young children.

What you need to know about lead exposure and toys is that lead will not be absorbed through skin that is intact and is not inhaled. So, unless your kid is mouthing, chewing, or swallowing the lead-laden toys, the risk of exposure is pretty low.

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Thanks again for reading Baby 411!

Denise Fields & Dr. Ari Brown
Authors, BABY 411 * TODDLER 411

Got a toddler? Then you need TODDLER 411! The secrets of toddlers, de-mystified! Learn more at http://www.toddler411.com