Children at Risk From Bottles and Infant Formulas

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Parents worry about their child's safety from the moment of conception. They do everything to ensure the child will grow up healthy and happy. So it may come as a shock to some that the very steps they're taking to help a child grow and thrive could be detrimental to his or her health.

Problem Plastics

Plastics have revolutionized the world and the way many people live. But the chemical components of some plastic products could cause serious health implications for people, and most notably children whose small stature makes them more susceptible to toxic overdoses.

Phthalates are a family of compounds made from alcohols that are often used in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and other vinyl products to give them flexibility and soften the plastic. Phthalates are found in a number of items, from shower curtains to plastic food containers. Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a chemical compound that is primarily used to harden plastic. It is also widely found in the products people use. However, it's the presence of these substances in infant products, such as baby bottles, teethers and even in the lining of infant formula cans that gives parents reason for concern.

Prolonged exposure to moisture, heating, and even mashing of plastics (as would be common with a baby teether) can release chemicals stored in plastics. For infants who are putting everything in their mouths, this can pose a problem. Plus, baby bottles that are made with phthalates or BPA, then filled with formula that has trace amounts of these substances, present a double-dose of phthalates and BPA to babies. Independent testing with baby bottles has determined that many infants may be exposed to BPA at levels 40 times higher than the conservative definition of safety.

Administered to lab animals, phthalates and BPA cause a host of health problems, from cancer to liver and kidney damage to improper formation of genitals to brain damage. It's understandable that parents would want to protect their babies from these chemicals.

Protecting Children

It is recommended that parents actively look for and purchase infant and child products that are phthalate and BPA-free. There is no reason to worry about pacifiers and bottle nipples, as most are made from either silicone or latex. However, teethers may be made from PVC and contain the harmful substances. One may also want to look for alternative materials for baby bottles. Glass bottles are still sold, as are stainless steel ones if you do your research. Avoiding canned formulas and choosing powdered formulas that you mix with water can also help reduce risk. Breastfeeding eliminates a lot of the worry of phthalate and BPA