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I just got this email and the story just about made me choke. I had no idea the vinyl bib I am putting on my 15-month old contains high amounts of lead! That really makes me mad. Luckily, I only have one of them!
Here's the message I got:
"I don't know if you have covered this story before, but besides the issue w/ BPA in bottles, I am also concerned about the recent reports that vinyl bibs have lead in them. Toys R Us took a proactive response to this concern and have pulled ALL vinyl bibs off their shelves (last year but I am unsure about now). They conducted individual studies and some brands and found that the lead levels were higher than recommended for children. Therefore, they have decided to pull all bibs until they can do more extensive testing on the products they carry. Why is it that products made for the most vunerable population are containing toxins?? It is frustrating and upsetting as a parent to have to worry about even more than we worried about before!!"
The Center for Environmental Health did the study. In 2007, it looked at vinyl bibs with cotton/polyester backings made by Wal-Mart, Toys R Us, and Lisa Kline. The vinyl portions of all the bibs tested came back above the recommended lead levels for paint, more than 600 parts per million. What's so bad about lead exposure? It lowers your child's I.Q. level and causes behavioral problems. We are talking about a toxin known to cause neurological problems. Why would it be put in children's clothing? (Here's the link to the full report)
What should you do?
The Center for Environmental Health suggests using cotton bibs. If you want to use waterproof bibs, they suggest looking for PVC-free or vinyl-free.
I don't think my son has ever chewed or sucked on his vinyl bib, so I don't think he has lead poisoning, but I still don't want a toxin hanging from his neck. You can get your child tested for lead by a simple blood test at the Public Health Department or at your pediatrician's office.
-NewsAnchorMom Jen
Methodist Medical Center's new online healthcare program, MyMethodist eHealth, is a proud sponsor of this blog post. MyMethodist eHealth is the secure link to your doctor's office that lets you request appointments, order prescription refills, update your personal health record, and more. Sign up for MyMethodist eHealth here.
3 comments:
Thanks for sharing this story with others. I believe all parents deserve to be informed. I also wanted to add that you can also buy a home lead test kit (at drug stores) and test the bibs you have in your home to see if they are considered toxic. Although we have two that we use, luckily my daughter had no trace of lead when she was tested a few weeks ago at Dr. office. I hope this helps others. Thanks again!
Hi Jenny,
Thanks for writing in. I just wanted to pass along some CDC info. When I talked to them a couple months ago they said they studied home lead testing kits and they came back with false positives and false negatives. They told me they are very inaccurate. I don't remember which brands they tested or if that would make a difference. I wish the results would have been better!
I didn't realize that (about the home lead test kits), so thank you for passing along. I was going to get one but keep forgetting. Glad I did now!!
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