EWG RANKS CLEANING PRODUCTS FOR BABIES

Every parent knows that caring for a new baby requires lots and lots of cleaning. But can washing up the milk and spit-up introduce your baby to potentially harmful chemicals?

For its spring 2016 update, EWG’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning analyzed more than 400 new cleaning products and formulations, including ones marketed for new parents and their babies’ needs.

The guide looks closely at product ingredients, labels and online transparency, then ranks products with a letter grade from A (best) to F (worst). Of course, some of the products are better than others. Click here to view the list of cleaning products for babies.

Products that score poorly contain such hazardous ingredients as the allergenic preservative methylisothiazolinone (MIT) or sodium borate (borax), which can disrupt hormones and harm the reproductive system.

Poorly rated products use sparse or vague terminology – such as “biodegradable surfactants,” “fragrance” and “fabric brighteners” (also known as optical brighteners) – but do not disclose specific ingredients on the label. Visit the guide’s Label Decoder to learn more about what these terms mean.

Almost half of the products EWG analyzed failed to display a complete list of specific ingredients anywhere. Manufacturers can get away with this legally, since virtually no federal or state laws require manufacturers to disclose their cleaning products ingredients.

Products with better scores contain ingredients with fewer health hazards and make more ingredient disclosure on the package and on the company website.

The cleaning products for babies are among 406 new products from 85 brands just added to EWG’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning. The new products were available in stores from October 2015 to February 2016 or were submitted directly to EWG by manufacturers. EWG evaluated and rated the products according to the Guide to Healthy Cleaning methodology.

For more information on the cleaning products for babies – as well as those for your whole household – visit EWG’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning.

Importance of Child Health Care

With their youth and vitality, most children are relatively healthy. Issues, however, can arise that impact a youngster's wellbeing. To ensure that you discover any problems quickly, schedule regular child health care appointments with a practitioner. An active relationship with a physician will enable you to quickly address concerns.

Importance of a Healthy Childhood

Kids are vital to the overall future of society. For humankind to continue to prosper and grow, kids must be alive and well to carry on the race. Youngsters will play a vital role in the ongoing creation of families, filling positions in the workforce, and participating in democracy. To achieve these lifetime goals, kids need to have good health. Wellbeing during childhood often carries over into adulthood, resulting in healthier adults.

Keeping Kids Healthy

Parents play a vital role in child health care. To maintain wellbeing, offer a variety of whole foods containing vitamins and minerals. Ensure that offspring get sufficient sleep every night. A lack of sleep can lead to both physical and emotional problems. Everyone needs regular exercise every day to maintain a strong cardiovascular system and to burn calories. A lack of exercise could lead to the development of diseases and obesity. Children also need ongoing supervision to ensure safety. Parents must oversee activities to keep kids from injuries.

Importance of Care

Because of their dependence on adult caregivers, youngsters need parents or other responsible adults to seek appropriate services to maintain wellbeing. Kids cannot make their own decisions about care, they cannot purchase it independently, and they cannot evaluate services to judge necessity. The rapid growth and development of bones and muscles may place young bodies at an elevated risk level for some illnesses and injuries. Without ongoing evaluations, problems may not be identified and treated in a timely fashion. Kids may experience marked physical, cognitive, and emotional issues if an undiagnosed condition continues. Some of these issues could impact long-term development and growth, even having a permanent effect on a youngster.

Wellness Exams

Wellness exams are examinations that occur at regular intervals to assess physical development and growth. Youngsters are generally well when they receive these examinations. During infancy, babies often receive wellness exams at increased intervals due to rapid growth. As growing slows into childhood, the frequency lengthens to once each year or longer. During these examinations, a physician will evaluate growth, administer immunizations, assess or identify conditions, answer questions, and give recommendations for care. Follow physician recommendations for the frequency of these wellness exams.

Reasons to Seek Additional Care

Kids of school age should see a physician if unusual symptoms occur. These symptoms include a significant change in weight, disturbances in sleep or behavior, a fever higher than 102 degrees Fahrenheit, skin rashes, recurring sore throat, and issues with breathing.

By seeking child health care on an ongoing basis, you ensure that any underlying issues are discovered and addressed. Your youngster's overall wellbeing can be impacted by the level and frequency of physical examinations.


Author,
Andrea Avery