Chemicals endangering our kids

We all fuss over the beauty of a new born baby’s delicate skin, but is it under siege from a barrage of chemical cocktail thanks to the everyday toiletries we use?

Public health researcher, Dr Sarah Lantz, says she has grave concerns about everyday chemicals we find on our supermarket shelves and how they could be affecting our children. So concerned in fact, she has just released a book on the topic: Chemical Free Kids - Raising Healthy Children in a Toxic World, which you can find at www.chemicalfreeparenting.com.

“We've got a world which is filled with chemicals and in lots of ways we're subjecting little bodies to a range of different toxins,” Dr Lantz told ACA.

“There is more and more research showing a link between chemicals and behavioural problems. There is also a link to a range of diseases with the potentially cancerous materials that show up in different products.”

According to Dr Lantz's research, our entire modern environment is toxic and we are all suffering the consequences with increasing numbers of children being diagnosed with asthma and behavioural problems including attention deficit disorder – even autism.

“There's a whole range of chronic problems the whole population is experiencing - and at a younger age these days,” she says.

Paediatric dermatologist, Dr. Gayle Fischer, at Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney suggests parents keep products on children to a minimum.

“I would really just recommend a mild soap and water, if your child has normal skin. The main complaint in little children is often that they're a little dry, in which case, just select an unperfumed moisturiser that's greasy enough to make your child's skin feel normal,” she says.

But Dr Fischer says we shouldn't be too concerned about the chemicals in our toiletries.

“Even though there are a lot of people worried about toxins and chemicals in the environment, the fact is that we are living to a ripe old age. And a lot of that has to do with modern hygiene and sanitation,” she says.

Not everyone is convinced.

Mother of three, Narelle Chenery, was very concerned about the chemicals in supposedly natural skin care products. So, she made her own totally natural products www.mionegroup.com.

“These products are something I started in my kitchen ten years ago and now we're a multimillion dollar company selling certified organic products around the world, it's very exciting,” says Narelle.

Now her adult skin care range is sold in over 60 countries and she's just launched a baby range.

And this young mum from the Gold Coast has done something else quite remarkable. She has the first fully organically certified range of baby skin care products in the world.

“The ingredients that go into our products, being certified organic, are actually edible. You can eat them, so that's utmost proof of safety.’ she says.

Whilst Narelle's business has been fully certified as organic, there are many out there who promote their products as natural or organic, but consumers beware!

“In theory a skin product that's organic should be entirely plant derived, have no petroleum products and no preservatives,” says Dr Lanz.

“But if you actually turn around the label, turn around the bottle and have a look at it - it contains a host of other really kind of toxic ingredients and a lot of chemicals.”

So here are Dr Sarah Lantz's tips on how to help keep your kids, chemical free.