School Supplies Pose Toxic Threat to Children’s Health

New Guide to Help Parents Make Safer Choices for Back-to-School Shopping

Boston, MA – Massachusetts health advocates applaud the new Back to School Guide to PVC-Free School Supplies from the Center for Health, Environment & Justice (CHEJ).

The new guide gives parents specific recommendations for buying safer, PVC-free school supplies in over 20 product categories.

Just in time for back-to-school shopping, parents across the Commonwealth are stocking up on binders and lunchboxes. But while it’s easy to know the healthiest foods to pack in those lunchboxes, many parents are not aware of the toxic plastic used to make them. In fact, the average child’s character-themed backpack is filled with supplies and materials made from one of the most toxic plastics, polyvinyl chloride (PVC or vinyl).

“Numerous studies have found that young children are particularly susceptible to the harmful effects of chemicals released by PVC. Last year, the government banned phthalates commonly used in PVC from children’s toys. These known hazardous chemicals were banned from our children’s toys, but can still be found in school supplies marketed directly for young children,” said Elizabeth Saunders of Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow, a broad coalition in Massachusetts working to pass laws and policies that prevent harm to our health from toxic chemicals. “Parents can easily protect their children by shopping PVC-free. There are many safer PVC-free products available and even being sold alongside the toxic PVC items at your local retailer. Read the labels, and give your child a healthy start to the new school year.”

“Shopping shouldn’t be a game of roulette, but too often it’s impossible to know what chemicals are in products we buy for our children,” said Representative Jay Kaufman of Lexington, a leading proponent of legislation mandating that safer alternatives to toxics be used in manufacturing. “This guide will give parents the power to make smarter decisions.”

Although this toxic plastic is found in many name-brand products, parents can find safer PVC-free products. CHEJ is releasing the expanded 2nd Annual Edition of their popular Back to School Guide to PVC-Free School Supplies to help parents make informed shopping choices. Over twenty categories of school supplies, from backpacks to art supplies, are covered in the guide. As a companion piece to the full guide, a pocket guide with top-tips and at-a-glance advice is also available. A few of the top tips for avoiding toxic PVC school supplies are:

1. Avoid backpacks with shiny plastic designs as they often contain PVC and may contain lead.

2. Use cloth lunchboxes or metal lunchboxes. Many lunchboxes are made of PVC, or coated with PVC on the inside.

3. Used cardboard, fabric-covered, or polypropylene binders. Most 3-ring binders are made of PVC.

“This guide gives parents and teachers the guidance they need in a format that is easy to use and understand,” said Ellie Goldberg, Newton, Vice President of Legislation for the Massachusetts Parent Teacher Association (PTA). “But parents want to know: Why are we allowing companies to sell toxic school supplies such as lunch boxes, backpacks and binders at all? We need legislation that puts children’s health and safety first, that requires companies to make safe products and to eliminate hazards from our homes and schools.”

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) is unique among plastics because it contains dangerous chemical additives used to soften or stabilize it. These harmful chemicals include phthalates, lead, cadmium, and/or organotins, which can be toxic to a child’s health. Over 90% of all phthalates are used in PVC products such as school supplies. Federal law has banned the use of phthalates in children’s toys, but not children’s school supplies and other PVC products found in schools. Lunchboxes, binders, vinyl backpacks, and even art supplies are frequently made out of PVC.

Children are particularly vulnerable to the harmful health effects of toxic chemicals used in PVC. Recent studies have linked PVC flooring in the home to increased rates of autism and asthma in children. Chemicals that evaporate or leech out of PVC products may contribute to developmental disorders and damage to the liver, central nervous, respiratory and reproductive systems.

For a copy of the PVC-Free Back-to-School Guide, visit http://www.chej.org/, or click here.

Kids and Technology: Tips for Parents in a High-Tech World

Although children may not want to admit it, the school year is here. Parents know that back to school means a packed planner filled with everything from recitals to parent-teacher conferences. As time gets stretched, parents and children may talk less and fall back on timesavers, like notes or text messages.

But when it comes to your child’s safety in the virtual world, parents should not rely on one strategy alone. According to a study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, children say they know how to get around home and school filters to access MySpace, e-mail or instant messaging programs. Children also admit that they will access blocked sites from friends’ computers who do not have limits on their Internet access.

Experts recommend parents use multiple strategies to keep kids safe in the virtual world. “Unfortunately, prohibiting access to technology or sole reliance upon blocking or filtering software are often not enough to prevent electronic aggression,” says Marci Hertz, a health scientist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “Kids are savvy and can get around filters and blocking software. Just like putting a seatbelt on before starting the car, there are some fundamental strategies parents should observe to make sure use of electronic technology is a safe experience.”

A new CDC resource for educators and parents offers the following strategies:

Talk to your child. Parents ask their children where they are going and who they are going with whenever they leave the house. They should take the same approach when their children go on the Internet—where are they going and who are they with?

Develop rules. Together with your child, develop rules about acceptable and safe behaviors for all electronic media.

Explore the Internet. Visit the websites your child frequents, and assess the pros and cons. Most websites and on-line activities are beneficial. They help young people learn new information and interact with people who have similar interests.

Talk with others. Talk to other parents about how they have discussed technology use with their children.

Connect with the school. Parents are encouraged to work with their child’s school and school district to develop a class for parents that educates about school policies on electronic aggression and resources available to parents.

Educate yourself. Stay informed about the new devices and websites your child is using. Continually talk with your child and explore the technology yourself.


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This article reproduced with the kind permission of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Why Alcohol and Pregnancy Do Not Mix

A mother’s alcohol use during pregnancy can cause birth defects and developmental disabilities. These problems are completely preventable if a mother does not drink alcohol while pregnant.

The U.S. Surgeon General, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and many other national organizations all agree that all alcohol should be avoided during pregnancy.

Women Need to Get the Facts:

Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can cause a baby to be born with birth defects and have disabilities. These conditions, called fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, or FASDs, are among the top preventable birth defects and developmental disabilities. FASDs can cause problems in how a person looks, grows, learns and acts. FASDs can also cause birth defects of the heart, brain, and other major organs. These problems last a lifetime.

There is no known amount of alcohol that is safe to drink while pregnant. All drinks with alcohol can hurt an unborn baby. A 12-ounce can of beer has as much alcohol as a 5-ounce glass of wine or a 1-ounce shot of liquor.

There is no safe time to drink during pregnancy. Alcohol can harm a baby at any time during pregnancy. It can cause problems in the early weeks of pregnancy, before a woman even knows she is pregnant.

Too many women think drinking alcohol during pregnancy won’t hurt their unborn baby. About 1 in 12 pregnant women in the United States reports alcohol use.

FASDs are 100% preventable—if a woman does not drink alcohol while she is pregnant.

Ways to prevent FASDs:

If you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant, do not drink alcohol.

Even if you are not trying to get pregnant, but could become pregnant, do not drink alcohol.

If you are pregnant and drinking alcohol, stop now.

Mothers-to-be are not the only ones who can prevent FASDs. Friends and family members can play an important role by encouraging women to avoid alcohol during pregnancy. Schools, health and social service organizations, and communities can promote FASD prevention activities through education and intervention.

If you have questions about alcohol and pregnancy, talk to your doctor, nurse or other health care professional.

For more information, go to the CDC’s Web site at www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fas.

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This article has been reproduced with the kind permission of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Collecting Your Family's Medical History Could Save your Child's Life

You might not realize that your father’s diabetes or your cousin’s sickle cell disease could affect your child, but this family history information could help save your child’s life.

According to a Pediatrics supplement, “Use of Family History Information in Pediatric Primary Care and Public Health,” that’s not the only family history information that can affect your child’s health or be important to their health care. Along with genes, your family often has similar behaviors, such as exercise habits, and a common culture, such as the foods you eat. You may live in the same area and come into contact with similar environmental factors. Family history includes these factors, which can all affect health.

In addition, a family history can help your child’s doctor make a diagnosis if your child shows signs of a disorder. It can reveal whether your child has an increased risk for a disease and, if so, can help your doctor suggest screening tests. Many genetic disorders first become obvious in childhood, and knowing about a history of a genetic condition can help find and treat the condition early.

You might not think that chronic diseases such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes affect children, but children with a strong family history of these diseases can show signs in childhood.

Having a family history of a disease does not mean that your child will get that disease. However, some children with a family history of chronic diseases can benefit from starting good lifestyle habits, such as exercising and eating healthy, right away.

Ways to Collect Your Child’s Family History

Record the names of your child’s close relatives from both sides of the family. Include conditions each relative has or had and at what age the conditions were first diagnosed.

Use the U.S. Surgeon General’s online tool for collecting family histories, called “My Family Health Portrait.” It is available at https://familyhistory.hhs.gov/.

Discuss family history concerns with your child’s doctor. Gather family history information before seeing the doctor, using “My Family Health Portrait.” Fill out family history forms carefully.

Update your family history regularly and share new information with your child’s doctor. Remember that relatives can be newly diagnosed with conditions between doctor’s visits. This information can help the doctor to determine which tests and screenings are recommended to help you know your child’s health risk.

The best way to learn about your family history is to ask questions. Talk at family gatherings and record your family’s health information—it could make a difference in your child’s life. More information is available at: www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/bd/family_history.htm and www.cdc.gov/genomics/public/famhist.htm.

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This article has been republished with the kind permission of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Play It Safe When It Comes To Concussions

More than 38 million boys and girls, ages 5-18, participate in organized youth sports across the country. And while sports can be a fun way to socialize and instill values such as teamwork, physical activity can also mean potential injuries. We need our coaches, parents and athletes to recognize and manage injuries – especially concussions – if we want our kids to be part of a safe, winning team.

Concussions are one of the most commonly reported injuries in children and adolescents who participate in sports and recreation activities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that as many as 3.8 million sports- and recreation-related concussions occur in the United States each year. A concussion is caused by a blow to the head or body that causes the brain to move rapidly inside the skull. Even a “ding,” “getting your bell rung,” or what seems to be a mild bump or blow to the head can be serious.

Concussions can occur in any organized or unorganized sport or recreational activity and can result from a fall or from players colliding with each other or with obstacles, such as a goalpost.

In response, CDC has developed the Heads Up: Concussion in Youth Sports campaign. The purpose of the campaign is to increase awareness and knowledge among youth sports coaches and administrators about concussion and the need to manage concussions appropriately.

As part of the campaign, CDC developed practical, easy-to-use information for coaches as well as sports administrators, athletes, and parents, including: fact sheets, a clipboard, magnets, and posters available at no cost.

It’s important for coaches to become familiar with the signs and symptoms of a concussion so that they can respond appropriately. To help recognize a concussion, coaches should be alert for any athletes who experience a forceful blow to the head or body that results in rapid movement of the head and any demonstrated changes in an athlete’s behavior, thinking or physical functioning. The “Heads Up” materials provide a comprehensive list of signs and symptoms of concussion as well as important steps to take when a concussion is suspected.

To learn more and order the Heads Up: Concussion in Youth Sports materials at no cost, visit: www.cdc.gov/ConcussionInYouthSports.

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This article has been republished with the kind permission of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.