Pacifiers may poison your baby

17 Dec 2008, 0254 hrs IST, Rupali Mukherjee, TNN

NEW DELHI: The next time your baby cries, and you run to give it a pacifier, hold on - you may be giving poison.

Popular pacifiers and teethers (teething rings) that may contain toxic metals like lead, are picked up by unsuspecting parents from shopping malls and upscale stores.

Most of these are imported from China and other Southeast Asian countries.

Scientists say metals like lead, cadmium and chromium, consumed even in small traces through teethers and pacifiers, are hazardous to health, especially for infants and babies. This happens as the hazardous element gets ingested into the body with the baby’s constant sucking over a period.

Earlier, Ahmedabad-based organization Consumer Education and Research Centre (CERC) conducted tests on eight samples of pacifiers and teethers for migrated elemental lead, cadmium and chromium.

What is shocking is that none of the samples tested by CERC were free from harmful metals - lead, cadmium and chromium. The samples were tested as per specifications set by Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) for safety requirements for toys. Worse still, there are no standards for infant pacifiers and teethers.

Experts say pacifiers and teethers cannot be clubbed with other children’s toys, for which specifications exist. Unfortunately, lead is only part of the malaise - examination of toys and other children’s products has revealed several potentially harmful chemicals linked to reproductive problems, learning disabilities, hormone problems, and cancer.

In one of the largest recalls of toys last year, Mattel recalled millions of popular toys in US because of dangerous lead paint.

Perceiving the danger of consuming toxic metals like lead, many countries including US are planning to lower maximum limits or completely eliminate toxic chemicals in toys and other children products.

Experts point out that no amount of lead in the blood is safe or normal, and long-term consumption of the metal can be more dangerous than a single ingestion of concentrated lead. Alarmingly, no steps have been taken here in India to restrict the use of lead and other metals in infant toys.


-----

For your Reference:

Are Pacifiers Good For Baby?

The pacifier recently got an endorsement from the American Academy of Pediatrics. This happened after pacifier use was linked to a lower risk of sudden infant death syndrome. Now many dentists are going to bat for the binky. Dubbed everything from the "dummy" to the "binky," the pacifier is famous for its ability to soothe fretful infants. Now there's another group that's happy about the pacy: dentists. The group that has preached the perils of pacifier use is now giving the habit the thumbs-up for its ability to help cut the risk of SIDS.

"It is better to suck the pacifier than the thumb because you can get rid of the pacifier," said William Vann, a pediatric dentist at the University of North Carolina.

Dr. Vann notes that both the pacifier and thumb can lead to tooth troubles, but says thumb-sucking is a much tougher habit to kick. "You can't get rid of the thumb. It's there, and a lot of children suck subconsciously at night while they are sleeping and that is a very difficult habit to break," he said.

Vann points to research out of Scandinavia that shows a push towards the pacifier greatly reduced the number of thumb-suckers. He hopes the American Academy of Pediatrics endorsement will trigger the same trend here. "I'm really optimistic we can, over a 25-year time horizon, greatly reduce thumb-sucking in the United States with this new philosophy."

Dr. Vann is quick to point out that pediatric dentists who are pro-pacifier, support limited use, holding off until a baby is a month old to help promote breastfeeding, and stopping soon after the first year. At that point, notes Dr. Vann, the SIDS pacifier protection is no longer needed and research suggests beyond a year, the binky may increase the risk of ear infections and later the risk of tooth troubles.

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry doesn't have a formal pacifier or thumb-sucking policy. The group promotes an individualized approach for each child in evaluating the oral habits.

Teething Rings

A lot of mothers prefer to use teething rings over any other means in alleviating the discomfort of baby teething. Unlike gels they are believed to be free of chemicals, and unlike teething biscuits there is no risk of baby digesting too much sugar, salt or any other food stuff that they don't need to eat. Teething rings have been around a long time and have come in all shapes and sizes.

The history of the teething ring

Teething rings have been around for thousands of years. The first recorded use has been found on Sumerian sandstone tablets, around 3000 years ago. The Egyptians used coral teething rings and they had a head of Bes inscribed, a god associated with child welfare. They also wore a child's first shed tooth as an amulet against the pains of teething. Parents in the 1600s used white candy sticks as teething rings for their children - hmmm, not sure that this was a good idea! Gum sticks and gum rings were also used in the 17th and 18th centuries. Wax candles were popular as gum sticks, as well as sticks of liquorice dipped in honey.

Legend has it that in 1683 in Vienna, Austria, a local Jewish baker wanted to thank the king of Poland for protecting his countrymen from Turkish invaders. As bagels gained popularity in Poland, they were officially sanctioned as gifts for women in childbirth and mentioned in community registers. Mothers used them as nutritious teething rings that their infants could easily grasp - a practice still popular today.

The expression 'born with a silver spoon in his mouth' comes from the nineteenth century, when it was common practice for well-off parents to use a silver spoon as an aid to relieve the discomfort of teething. The well-healed also like to use teething rings made from mother-of-pearl.

During the mid-nineteenth century gum rings were manufactured using rubber. Within a few short years rubber had replaced other materials such as coral, bone, ivory and bread-crusts. The early rubber teething rings came in three colours, white, blue and black. Unfortunately, the white rubber models contained large quantities of lead!

What types of teething rings can you buy?

Today there are many different types of teething rings available. Thankfully, they are free of lead! In fact, all rings bought in most western countries are nontoxic, so you can rest assured that no matter what kind you buy, it will be safe for your baby. Some are made of firm rubber (with or without bumps); others are filled with water and made to be chilled in the refrigerator. Don't freeze these types of rings or teethers because they become too hard and may harm your baby's gums. For those of you who consider your self as upper-crust (only kidding), you can buy silver teething rings. These can also be chilled in the fridge.

Clean teething rings, teethers, and toys after each use. Check the package label to see if the object is dishwasher-safe. It is highly recommended that after you clean your child's teething ring, you place it in a bottle sterilizer. Don't boil water-filled teethers because they may break open.

Never tie an object such as a teething ring or pacifier around your baby's neck. The cord could tighten and choke the baby or, at the very least, irritate his or her skin.

A note of caution

During the last few years, concern has been raised over the use of diisononyl phthalate in plastic teethers. This chemical is used as a softening agent during the manufacturing process and most teething toys contain about 10 to 20 percent phthalate. This chemical is believed to be cancer causing and the fear is that babies may ingest the chemical as they suck on the ring. The Consumer Product Safety Commission have advised parents to dispose of Gerber Products Inc. Clear and Soft line of pacifiers, nipples and teething toys. These products contain diisononyl phthalate. The following manufacturers have stopped or will stop using phthalate in teething toys by early 2000: Sassy, Hasbro, Tyco Preschool, Shelcore Toys, The First Years, Safety 1st, Playskool, Chicco, Little Tikes, Disney, Fisher-Price, Mattel and EvenFlo. Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Spain, Germany and Belgium have already proposed a complete ban on soft toys that contain phthalates. Although the U.S. warning stopped short of complete prohibition, Sears, Walmart, K-mart, Toys R Us and Target vowed not to sell toys that contain phthalate.

The concerns raised by the Consumer Product Safety Commission are only precautionary and it is still a matter of debate if diisononyl phthalate found is teething rings could cause cancer. If you wish to avoid teething rings that contain diisononyl phthalate then best bet is to buy ones made of latex or silicone.

Do look after you child's teething ring. Throw away a ring if it is damaged in anyway; rough edges can cut your baby's gums and inner mouth and bent or misshapen teething rings have been known to be swallowed by children.

Do's and Dont's of teething rings

Do's

Quote:

•It is preferable to use a teething ring instead of teething biscuits or cookies. •Cool liquid filled rings in the refrigerator but never freeze •Throw out a liquid filled ring if it leaks, or if a ring is damaged in anyway •Always thoroughly wash teething rings after use.

Don'ts

Quote:

•Never, ever freeze liquid filled teething rings. They may burst or crack if frozen.
•Never boil teething rings or put them in the dishwasher (unless the manufacturer instructions say it is dishwasher safe).
•Your baby's teething ring is their teething ring; never share.
•Don't tie the teething ring to the baby with a string. This could strangle the baby.
•Don't use a teething ring made of several parts. Small pieces can break off and cause the baby to choke.

Articel source: http://www.medicalgeek.com/pediatrics/15255-pacifiers-may-poison-your-baby.html