Babies being exposed to brain-damaging chemicals while they sleep

By Stephen Beech

Babies are being exposed to brain-harming chemicals while asleep, warns new research.

Harmful substances have been detected in children's mattresses and bedrooms.

Babies and young children may breathe and absorb plasticizers called phthalates, flame retardants, and other harmful chemicals from their mattresses while they sleep, say scientists.

Researchers from the University of Toronto in Canada warned that the chemicals are linked to neurological and reproductive problems - including asthma, hormone disruption, and even cancer.

Senior author Professor Miriam Diamond said: "Sleep is vital for brain development, particularly for infants and toddlers.

"However, our research suggests that many mattresses contain chemicals that can harm kids’ brains.

“This is a wake-up call for manufacturers and policymakers to ensure our children’s beds are safe and support healthy brain development.”

The Canadian researchers conducted two studies, published in the journals Environmental Science and Technology plus Environmental Science and Technology Letters.

For the first study, the team measured chemical concentrations in 25 bedrooms of children aged six months to four years old.

The researchers detected "concerning" levels of more than two dozen phthalates, flame retardants, and UV filters in bedroom air, with the highest levels lurking around the beds.

In a companion study, the team tested 16 newly purchased children's mattresses and confirmed that they are likely the major source of those chemicals in children’s sleeping environments.

When the researchers simulated a child's body temperature and weight on the mattresses, chemical emissions increased "substantially" - as much as by several times.

The mattresses were bought in Canada, but most contained materials originating from other countries including the United States and Mexico.

The research team said the phthalates and organophosphate ester flame retardants measured in the study are hormone disruptors and linked to neurological issues - including learning disorders, reduced IQ scores, behavioral problems, and impaired memory.

Some are also linked to childhood asthma and cancer. Several UV filters are hormone disruptors.

The researchers explained that children are uniquely vulnerable to exposure, given that they are still developing, have hand-to-mouth behaviors, and have breathing rates 10 times higher than adults.

Youngsters also have more permeable skin and three times the skin surface area relative to their body weight than adults, according to the findings.

The research team said the high levels of flame retardants in most of the mattresses tested were puzzling, given the chemicals are not necessary to pass either Canadian or U.S. mattress flammability standards.

Flame retardants are linked to neurological, reproductive, and hormonal harm as well as cancer, and also have no proven fire-safety benefit as used in mattresses.

Study co-author Dr. Arlene Blum, executive director of the Green Science Policy Institute, said: "Parents should be able to lay their children down for sleep knowing they are safe and snug.

“Flame retardants have a long history of harming our children’s cognitive function and ability to learn."

She added: "It’s concerning that these chemicals are still being found in children’s mattresses even though we know they have no proven fire-safety benefit and aren’t needed to comply with flammability standards.”

The research team is calling for manufacturers to be more vigilant about the chemicals in children’s mattresses through testing.

They say further, stronger regulations on the use of flame retardants and phthalate plasticizers in children’s mattresses are needed.

The team recommends extending restrictions on certain plasticizers from toys and objects to be mouthed to include mattresses and other bedding items and passing long-proposed restrictions on two flame retardants.

They said that parents can take action to reduce their children’s exposure.

The team recommends decluttering a child’s sleeping area by reducing the number of pillows, blankets, and toys.

They also recommend washing and refreshing a child’s bedding and bed clothing frequently since these act as a protective barrier to reduce exposure.

The researchers say that undyed or neutral color fabrics are likely safer since keeping strong colors requires the addition of UV filters and other additives that may be harmful.