Top 4 Ways To Protect Your Child From Toxic Chemicals

After 9 months of caring for your developing baby by eating nutrient dense foods, it’s now time to bring your little peanut home. But did you know that the average home environment houses chemicals that interfere with brain development and hormone balance?

 Top 4 Ways To Protect Your Child From Toxic Chemicals

1. Furniture, Electronics & Baby Gear

Makers of your beloved baby swing, crib mattress, car seat, sofa, carpet, television, computers, cell phones and more have a dirty little secret they don’t want you to know. All of these products are sprayed with toxic fire retardants. Even in very small doses these chemicals have been found to cause disruption to reproductive systems and affect the development of motor skills, memory and behavior. Want to avoid exposure to fire retardants?

Non-Toxic Solution: Opt for eco-friendly furniture, buy wool mattresses free of chemicals (wool is a natural fire retardant) and eco-friendly baby gear. When in doubt ask the manufacturer if they use fire retardants and just say no to any products that have them. Do not allow babies to put things like cell phones in their mouths and always wash children’s hands before eating. Learn more here.

2. Personal Care Products

The cosmetics industry is unregulated and unaccountable for the ingredient lists of products. Most companies today are selling products containing chemicals that may cause cancer and developmental problems. Our skin is the body’s largest organ and any product we use on our skin is absorbed directly into our bloodstream. For babies and children this is particularly disturbing as their bodies are so small and chemicals have a greater impact. Want to give your baby a chemical-free start?

Non-Toxic Solution: Try non-toxic DIY personal care product recipes you can make at home. Not feeling very crafty? Then check the safety of your personal care products in the Skin Deep Database before using them on children and support companies selling non-toxic products like this.

3. Cleaning Products

The products used for cleaning are a major source of indoor pollution in the average home. It’s hard not to want to disinfect the entire house when you have a baby crawling around and mouthing everything! However most cleaning products on the market today contain chemicals associated with cancer, hormone disruption, neurotoxicity and asthma. Want to protect your child from these chemicals?

Non-Toxic Solution: Save money and a trip to the store by making your own non-toxic cleaning products. If you decide to buy cleaning products, check their safety here and only use non-toxic cleaners like this or this. Also keep your windows open as often as possible for ventilation when cleaning.

4. Dust

Dust exposes children to heavy metals like lead and chemicals like PBDEs from fire retardants. These heavy metals and chemicals are known to lower IQ and cause developmental delays in children. Want to protect your child from heavy metals and PBDEs?

Non-Toxic Solution: Vacuum frequently and use a vacuum that houses a HEPA filter. Take your shoes off when you enter the house to avoid tracking in outdoor dust and chemicals. Consider installing HEPA air filters in your baby’s nursery and living space. Wet dust and mop frequently with water or non-toxic cleaners and make sure your children wash their hands before eating.

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About Heather Haynes

Heather Haynes, MA, is a holistic nutrition and wellness educator working in the field of whole foods nutrition and holistic health. She is passionate about the health of all children and believes raising happy, healthy kids starts with getting back to basics and cooking with real food. Heather blogs at Kula Mama.