Bisphenol A is a chemical found in plastics, toys, bottles, etc.  The NIH has accumulated all it knows about bisphenol A into a report. The conclusion?  There is “some concern” that it could cause developmental toxicity for fetuses, infants and children (effects on the brain, behavior and prostate gland).   That is code for they really don’t know, but better safe than sorry.  On a scale of 1 to 5, it’s a 3.   They say more studies are needed for better conclusions.

So what is a person to do?

A while back we asked our editorial board member, Dr. Kari Kassir, this question.  You can find her answer in our children’s section of our medical index I don’t think the current NIH report would change her thoughts much.  Bottom line?  Don’t let your child chew on PVC toys, or plastic that contains bisphenol A.  Better safe than sorry.

Tags: breastfeeding

Related Posts

• Doctors should encourage breastfeeding. Best for mother, baby. All groups agree.
• Double recommended dose of vitamin D for kids, says American Academy of Pediatrics
• Can Plastics Make You Sick? More evidence BPA may cause heart disease, diabetes, liver damage - JAMA.

This entry's content reflects the opinions and reporting of the author and not necessarily that of JHMFD. This entry was posted on Thursday, September 4th, 2008 at 12:01 am and is filed under Children's Health, Medical Controversies, Studies. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.