Raising Non-toxic Kid
I have a new baby niece who is just a few months old. My sister and brother-in-law are eco-maniacs (I mean that in the best and most loving way possible). They make fresh organic sauces and rubs from the herbs and vegetables in their garden. Can’t get more local than that! My sister makes her own bath salts with baking soda and Epsom salts. Their six-year-old daughter can name every bug, plant and animal in their yard. They hang onto their cars forever – buying used and then selling them for junk – recycling – when they are beyond repair. My brother-in-law, who rarely complains, recently told me that they “took a bullet for the environment” when they decided to go with cloth diapers. These people (I know they are relatives but even so) are like super-heroes in my book!
My new family member got me thinking about the toxic world that we bring kids into these days. No matter how careful we are about this stuff, how many of us know if there were persistent toxic pesticides sprayed throughout our home by previous well-meaning occupants? We now know that certain plastic baby bottles are not safe, but what about pacifiers, toys and anything else that a baby will put in its mouth? And what about that PVC backing on your baby’s bib? Or have you ever let a baby chew on the brass car and house keys (which most likely contain lead) to calm them down? OMG! Not the brass keys too!
It is scary to think about all the unseen dangers for kids that we have no knowledge of or control over. It can make one feel a bit OCD trying to avoid it all. Some just throw up their hands and say, “everything is bad for us, so I can’t care”. Fortunately, there are now some excellent resources to help any new mom, dad, aunt or grandma (or Bubba as we called her in my family) keep kids safe from the toxic stew of modern day life.
Jennifer Taggart’s “Smart Mama’s Green Guide: Simple Steps to Reduce Your Child’s Toxic Chemical Exposure”, published June of 2009 by Hachette Book Group is good clear information for parents who don’t have the time to do the research. She delivers the message in way that is informative without being shaming or daunting, giving solutions and alternatives that make practical sense.
If you want just straight facts, try Mount Sinai’s Children’s Environmental Health Center. They conduct research and discover environmental causes of disease in kids like asthma, learning disabilities, autism, obesity and childhood cancer. According to their website, parents have cause to be concerned: more than 80,000 new chemical compounds have been developed since World War II. Of these, 3,000 are high-volume chemicals, with annual production exceeding one million pounds. These chemicals are used extensively in our homes, schools, communities, and they are widely dispersed in air, water, soil, and waste sites. Fewer than 20% of these high volume chemicals have been tested for their possible toxicity to children.
Another easy to use no-nonsense online resource is Mothering.com . The site provides clear and pertinent green information from pregnancy to parenting. The site is the online version of their magazine so the reader has product advertisements to distract from content, but even so, the articles are balanced and concise.
Children are uniquely vulnerable to human-made toxins because their bodies are growing and developing. It is better to be safe than sorry, knowing that you have eliminated as many risks as possible. Yes, new discoveries will be made everyday linking toxins to our health, giving us something else to fear. But having the knowledge gives us the control to make new and better choices so that our kids have a good shot at being healthy and happy adults.