ASK MOMMY! MOMMY NOSE ALWAYS KNOWS!

PROTECTING YOUR BABY'S HEALTH

HealthyChild.org.

With a new baby or toddler in the family, most parents baby proof the home, putting locks on the cabinets and bumpers on the tables. But what about the dangers we can’t see—the environmental toxins that can affect our children’s health, growth and development? To help guard against these dangers, there’s Healthy Child Healthy World, the nation’s leading non-profit organization dedicated to protecting children’s environmental health.

For over 16 years, the Children’s Health Environmental Coalition (CHEC) has been the nation’s leading non-profit organization dedicated to protecting children’s environmental health. This year, CHEC announces a new name and an expanded mission: Healthy Child Healthy World will educate parents and empower communities to make wise choices and create a healthy environment where our children and families can flourish.

HCHW Executive Director Christopher Gavigan is an expert in this field. As an easy-to-understand starting point, Gavigan recommends taking the following five easy steps. HCHW can illustrate a simple kitchen “walk-through” to demonstrate how it can be done to any home.

Avoid the use of chemical pesticides and insecticides. Children are more vulnerable to pesticide exposure because they spend more time playing outdoors on the grass and indoors on carpeting where lawn chemicals may have been tracked in on shoes.
Use non-toxic or natural household cleaners and products. Look for products labeled nontoxic, bio-based, chlorine-free, organic, phosphate-free, natural fragrance, and/or biodegradable, and avoid products labeled poison, danger, warning or caution.
Clean up indoor air by avoiding chemical air fresheners, changing air filters on heaters, air conditioners and vacuums, and opening windows. On a typical cleaning day in a typical home, levels of chemicals in the indoor air can be thousands of times higher than the outdoor air in the most polluted of cities, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Eat more organic food. Non-organic foods often contain chemical and pesticide residues. Foods with the highest pesticide residues include foods that kids eat a lot of such as apples, cherries, grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, strawberries, carrots, green beans and spinach. In addition, conventional meats and dairy are treated with artificial hormones and antibiotics that can affect human health and development.
Use plastic products wisely. Plastics have been linked to endocrine disruption in babies, cancers, birth defects, and poor brain/nervous system development. Some petroleum-based plastics leach harmful chemical into foods and drinks. Avoid placing plastic containers in the microwave or dishwasher—hand wash with mild soap instead—and be cautious of cling wraps, especially in the microwave: waxed paper or paper towels are great alternatives.

Founded by Jim and Nancy Chuda in 1992 after their daughter Colette died from a rare form of non-hereditary brain cancer that has been linked to pesticides, Healthy Child has since become a resource for millions of parents and caregivers worldwide. Business partners include Whole Foods, Seventh Generation, Coach and IKEA, and more; celebrity supporters include Gwyneth Paltrow, Brooke Shields, Laura Dern, Amy Brennemann and Meryl Streep, among others. More information is at HealthyChild.org.