Are You Poisoning Your Child? Part 1:

No one in their right mind chooses to poison their child. No one we know purposely  chooses to expose their child to toxic chemicals. The reality, however, is that most, if not all children are exposed to frightening levels of chemicals and toxins. And the most frustrating aspect? Most likely it’s not from their daycare center, their school, or even the air outside. The toxins most harmful to children emanate from the home.

For the last 100 years or so, we have steadily moved away from practices that are the most in tune with nature. Bed frames were once always made of pure, unadulterated, pesticide-free, VOC-free, fungicide-free, formaldehyde-free wood. Not anymore. One must search far and wide for a company that maintains a production line worthy of furniture entering the most sacred of places- our bedrooms! Since World War II the amount of synthetic chemicals produced is in the 100,000 range. Many of them have not been fully tested, but are still widely used by thousands of companies. We are their guinea pigs. Many that have been scientifically tested, have proved to be everything from carcinogenic, neurotoxic, asthma-inducing, and disruptive of our endocrine (hormones) system.

Which now leads us to the frustrating fact (and yes, we really do mean fact) that most mattresses, which includes ones made for infants and children, are tainted with toxic chemicals. Unless your mattress is 100% certified organic cotton with pure grown wool batting, it is most likely toxic to you and your loved ones. Why the concern? Think about it. We spend more time in the bedroom over the course of a day, week, month, year, lifetime than in any other room. A third of our life in fact. The bedroom must be a sacred place of healing that promotes health and well-being.

So what’s the worry? First of all, most mattresses have more synthetic chemicals than a barrel of crude oil. Many manufacturers in the US use petrochemical derivatives then add fire retardants and toxic dyes to create a more visually-pleasing product. Not exactly what we want our children or ourselves to be sleeping on.

The tags that are attached to mattresses seldom inform the consumer that the mattress was most likely made with toluene, formaldehyde, and benzene. These chemicals are treacherous for all bodies, but especially for children. There are many chemicals that we must take precaution with even if we don’t know the problems they cause. Toluene, formaldehyde, and benzene however don’t fit that category. They are know carcinogens and hormone disruptors.

All mattresses in the US must pass a fire retardant test. They do not however have to use chemicals that are harmful to our health--certainly those that are carcinogenic. These chemicals outgas for many years, all while we are lying on our mattresses thinking nothing of it. As a mattress ages, the outgassing of harmful chemicals increases and our health and wellness decreases.

The toxins that outgas from our mattresses eventually latch onto house dust, which is then breathed in.  We spend 8 hours a day on our beds. Every hour we sleep, we inhale, at very close range, whatever chemicals are in our beds.

A little more subtle, but just as worrisome is the fact that many mattresses are also produced with non-organic cotton. Cotton is one of most heavily pesticide-sprayed crops in the world. The pesticides don’t simply disappear after its sprayed. The residue can linger for years causing a myriad of health problems. Hence, the importance of certified organic cotton mattresses.

No adult should have to inhale any of these chemicals, but at the very least, our hormonal, skeletal, and nervous systems are in tact and not in a state of growth. The same can’t be said of our children. Children are still developing and growing. Interference from toxic chemicals and outgassing can disrupt any one of their systems. Increasing rates of Autism, cancer and immunological diseases are found in children. There are many scientists at this very moment who are working to find the links between the quality of indoor air that a child breathes and the rising rates of disease and illness. Most likely those cause and effects links will be found and validated. Until then, it is up to us, the consumer, to say no to the very harmful products that harm those  most precious to us-- our children.

For more information on how to offset the harmful chemicals in your home and protect your family. Please contact Neill Alleva at neillalleva@me.com

From a very early age, Neill has been passionate about finding a holistic approach to healthy homes and workplaces. None of us are safe from the battery of hormone-disrupting and cancer-causing chemicals that invade the very indoor air we breathe. 

Educating and changing the habits of the the public about the dangers of electro, water, and air pollution in ones home is of monumental importance to bodily health and function. Neill will diagnose the problems, prescribe remedies, and inform you on how to 

be your own advocate when it comes to maintaining a healthy home.

Neill is currently working on his Building Biology Practitioner Certification at the

International Institute for Bau-Biologie and Ecology.