Five Problems with crib mattresses: Baby Vulnerability

Many researchers suspect that toxic chemicals are playing a significant role in the dramatic increase in childhood disorders. Just as lead paint was once widespread before it was found to be toxic and banned, many components of today’s crib mattresses are also toxic. Eventhough many of these chemicals are currently legal, they are likely to eventually be banned as well.

There is growing concern among physicians, health professionals, public safety officials, environmental advocacy groups, and consumers regarding the possible effects of these chemicals on our children. Many researchers suspect that toxic chemicals are playing a significant role in the dramatic increase in childhood disorders.

“Today, children are exposed to thousands of substances in the environment, most of which have never been tested for toxicity to
children… The implications of this massive experiment in exposure are unknown. Environmental toxicants are suspected to be correlated with
many disorders that, until recently, have been assumed to be genetic in origin… attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder,
and autism are among the disorders that may be linked to environmental toxicants.”
(Center for Children’s Health and the Environment at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York.)
www.childenvironment.org/factsheets/environmental_pediatrics.php)

“… EPA has determined that infants up to age two are, on average, ten times more vulnerable to carcinogenic chemicals than adults,
and for some cancer causing agents are up to 65 times more vulnerable… children accumulate up to 50 percent of their lifetime
cancer risk by their second birthday… many chemicals linked to mutagenic activity are commonly used in consumer products and can
contribute to children’s exposure to carcinogens.”
(Children’s Health Policy Review: “EPA Cancer Policy Revisions Highlight Risks to Children.” 3 Mar. 2003. Environmental Working Group.)
www.ewg.org/issues/risk_assessment/20030303/index.php)

“The survey found that nearly one out of 10 (9.2%) American children 18 years of age and younger currently suffers from asthma. This
figure is comparable to the most current estimate of the National Center for Health Statistics, which estimates that 8.8% of children 18 years of age
and younger have the disease.”
(Children & Asthma in America. “Executive Summary.”)
www.asthmainamerica.com/children_index.phpl)

“We have come to understand that chemicals in the environment can cause a wide range
of developmental disabilities in children. In the words of pediatrician Herbert L. Needleman,

’We are conducting a vast toxicologic experiment in our society, in which our children and our children’s children are the experimental subjects.”
(“The Developing Brain and the Environment: An Introduction.” Bernard Weiss MD, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, and Philip J. Landrigan MD, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York. Environmental Health Perspectives. Volume 108 Supplement 3. June 2000. http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/docs/2000/suppl-3/intro.phpl)

Researchers are increasingly concluding that the dramatic rise in many childhood disorders is not primarily caused by any significant increase in awareness or diagnostic methodologies. 10-30 years ago, the medical community was well able to diagnose these disorders. Furthermore, normal genetics is also not a likely explanation as the increases are too dramatic and too rapid. Finally, to the degree that genetic mutations are involved, the question still remains as to what is causing these mutations and/or triggering these disorders.

“The increases are too rapid to reflect genetic changes, and better diagnostic detection is not a likely explanation. The strong probability
exists that environmental factors are playing a role.”
(Philip Landrigan, MD, Pediatrician. Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Advisor to Office of Children’s Health at U.S. EPA. John H. Cushman Jr., New York Times, 9/29/97)
“The incidence of asthma and allergy has increased throughout the developed world over the past 30 years (Beasley et al. 2003). The short
interval over which it has occured implies that the increase is caused by changes in environmental exposures rather than genetic
changes (Etzel 2003; Stachan 2000). ”
(Bornehag, Carl-Gustaf, et al. “The Association Between Asthma and Allergic Symptoms in Children and Phthalates in House Dusts.” Environmental Health Perspectives Oct. 2004.)
http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/docs/2004/7187/abstract.phpl?section=children)

“… children are more vulnerable to the effects of carcinogens than adults. In fact, chemicals that cause cancer via genetic mutations were
up to 65 times more potent when exposures occur during childhood instead of adulthood.”

(“Children’s Health Policy Review: EPA cancer policy revisions highlight risks to children.” 3 Mar. 2003. Environmental Working Group.
www.ewg.org/issues/risk_assessment/20030303/index.php)