Hello, friends! I’m sorry to have been entirely absent this last month. My full-time job went into overdrive, and unfortunately something had to give. It was really important to me that my family get what was left of my free time, so PureBebe had to take the back seat. My apologies to all of you.
Life is still a bit hectic, and as I’ve been thinking about how I can better use my time to keep up with PureBebe, I’ve decided to change it up with our weekly highlights post. Don’t worry, we will still keep you in the know – Just hop on over to our Facebook page and follow us there.
On our timeline, Heather and I will share the latest health and safety news, research, and recalls as well as other fantastic reads and pinterest-worthy finds too. And we encourage you to do the same. We want to know what you’re reading and what interests you. Ask us your questions and share with us your knowledge.
If you miss our recall notices on Facebook, you can also find them now in our right sidebar. We’ve added continuous feeds which will always be up to date with the latest recalls of children’s products and toys, car seats, and foods.
And now my time spent on weekly highlights will be dedicated to research and writing on other child health and safety topics as well as great family recipes. I’ve got some fantastic ones coming up!
Welcome to this week’s highlights, our weekly post that recaps important health and safety news, research, and recalls from the previous week and other great finds we’ve come across in our internet travels. If you see anything you think we should feature, please send it to jasmine@purebebe.com. Thanks, and we hope your week is off to a great start! - Jasmine
In the News:
Ban on BPA? FDA Says No - In a truly disappointing but not surprising decision, the FDA will not place a ban on BPA in food packaging, citing a lack of sufficient scientific evidence to support the ban.
Despite the FDA decision, the FDA has not changed its position that it holds “some concern” over the effects of BPA in children, and the government is currently funding $30 million to conduct additional studies.
FDA Responds to GMO Label Petition - In yet another truly disappointing and, again, not surprising decision, the FDA has decided it needs more time to consider labeling of genetically-modified foods.
While no one should be surprised by the decision, much controversy has arisen over the petition as the FDA has severely discounted the number of responses it received. While the Just Label It organizers say the petition garnered over a million signatures, more than any petition submitted to the FDA in history, the FDA says it has officially received a measly 394.
Some say the FDA has deleted signatures, however I suspect that is not the case. The FDA’s official rules require signatures to be submitted individually via their regulations.gov website in order to be counted. Because the website is difficult to navigate, Just Label It organizers collected and accumulated signatures on their website before submitting them to the FDA.
While each submission may have contained over thousands of signatures, each submission counts as just 1. Ultimately, it is just semantics. The FDA has to understand that there is overwhelming support for labeling GMOs. The question is just if and when they will act.
While I admit I was a bit puzzled when I saw the video myself, I was more intrigued when I discovered that the idea of premastication is actually used in some cultures to promote infant health as it gives baby access to nutrients from foods they cannot chew and promotes immunity through antibodies received in the mother’s saliva.
While some experts express concern over the possibility of spreading disease such as HIV and tooth decay, it depends in large part on the health of the mother and child. And other experts have expressed more concern that the practice is dwindling in some poorer societies where it may be critical to the child’s health.
Hmm, you learn something new every day.
New Research:
CDC: New High in Autism Rates
The CDC’s latest analysis reports that about 1 in 88 children in the U.S. experience autism or a related disorder, nearly double the rate 10 years ago with cases in boys outnumbering girls 5 to 1.
The report analyzed data from 2008 in 14 states, and found rates much higher in some states like Utah; however, increased awareness and access to services are cited as likely factors in those states.
In fact, increased awareness and better diagnoses are cited as major factors in general for the rise, but recent research also points to environmental factors as a possible contributor.
Pinpointing the environmental culprit, however, seems next to impossible when we’re exposed to a veritable soup of chemicals daily. Two large studies funded by the National Institutes of Health are hoping to do just that, though, by examining everything from what mother eats during pregnancy to toxins in the home.
Ultimately, earlier diagnosis is needed. The earlier a child is diagnosed and gets help, the better their chances are for reaching their full potential.
Babies Take Longer to Come Out Than They Did in Grandma’s Day
A comparison of nearly 140,000 births found that first-time mothers today labor longer than they did fifty years ago, about 2 1/2 hours on average. The reason for longer labor is not entirely clear, but today’s mothers are older, delivering larger babies, and more likely to use epidural anesthesia. Epidurals can prolong labor anywhere from 40 to 90 minutes.
The more striking implication is that OB’s today may be rushing to C-sections based on an out-of-date expectation as to how long a “normal” labor should take. OB’s today still rely on a definition of normal labor that was defined back in the 50′s.
Good Reads:
Weekend Detox For Your Home from Houzz - Some easy steps you can take to green your home and improve your health. Now that spring is in the air, I love the idea of completely unplugging on a Friday night after a long week at work and getting outside, and then waking up Saturday to open the windows and freshen the air.
Pinterest-Worthy Finds:
I came across this image this week as I am working to rearrange and redecorate my family’s home office/playroom. I love this arrangement that creates a fantastic workspace for the entire family. These stools are a little high for young ones, but the concept still applies. As our family grows, I want us to have a place where we can all be together as we do homework, pay bills, blog, etc.
I’m sure something like this could be a reasonable DIY project - cube bookshelves could be used to form the bases. I’d probably choose to use planks of wood for the surface and sand them down as opposed to plywood or other large particle board which often uses formaldehyde-based adhesives to bind.
If you’d like to follow us on Pinterest, find us here.
We hope you had a fantastic long weekend! This week’s highlights was delayed a bit so I could devote some time to the arsenic and rice news that came out late last week. Here’s a little more of what I’ve been reading this past week. - Jasmine
In the News:
Johnson & Johnson Recalls Infant’s Tylenol - In case you missed it on our Facebook page, Johnson & Johnson has issued a nationwide recall of all infant tylenol on the market due to reported difficulties using the new dosing syringe.
You may recall that manufacturers of infant’s tylenol were in the process of changing the concentrations and dosing systems to make administering easier and safer. Unfortunately, back to the drawing board for J&J.
No adverse events have been reported, but if you’d like a refund you can visit their website or call for a refund. Consumers can still use the product if the flow restrictor remains in place. The instructional video below issued by McNeil demonstrates how to use the syringe.
Maine Groups Press for BPA Ban After Chemical Found in Baby and Toddler Food - 11 out of 12 major brands of jarred baby food tested positive for BPA in the lids, and tests also showed that the BPA had been found in the baby food. Levels were 1 to 3 parts per billion, but the physiology professor cited in the article says that’s enough to be concerned. Levels in toddler canned foods were found up to 134 parts per billion. Just one of the many reasons I chose to make my own baby food. If you’re interested, you can find tips here: Homemade Baby Food - As Easy as 1-2-3.
EPA Issues Long-Awaited Dioxins Report - After working on the report for decades, the EPA has released the first half of its assessment on the toxicity of dioxins, the most toxic of all man-made chemicals. The first release addresses the noncancerous effects, while the second half of the report is expected to address evidence of the chemical’s cancerous effects.
While the report concludes that dioxins are seriously toxic at low levels, it says that exposures have declined so much over the past few decades that most people should not be concerned. As one scientist put it, though, that statement is “very odd” as it ignores people who are exposed to higher levels or more sensitive to the effects, like fetuses and young children.
FDA Will Not Allow More Fungicide in Orange Juice - Back in January, the FDA halted imports of orange juice and began inspecting them after they received notification that Brazilian growers had been using a U.S.-banned fungicide. Now Brazil has requested an exception for the fungicide until they can phase it out, but the FDA has denied the exception. As a result, Brazil will have to stop exports of concentrated OJ until they can meet EPA limits for the fungicide.
New Research:
BPA’s Obesity And Diabetes Link Strengthened By New Study
To date, studies have suggested a link between BPA and metabolic problems, but no one was really sure why until now. A new study released last week has determined that BPA fools a specific receptor into thinking that it is estrogen, an insulin regulator, and triggers the release of almost double the insulin actually needed to break down food. When that specific receptor was removed from the subject mice, the effect disappeared.
According to the author of the study, Angel Nadal, “When you eat something with BPA, it’s like telling your organs that you are eating more than you are really eating.” And surprisingly, the effects were seen at very low levels of exposure - a quarter of a billionth of a gram was enough to do the trick. What is most concerning is the impact on pregnant women and developing fetuses, who are particularly sensitive - ”The fetus is not only exposed to BPA but also to higher levels of insulin from the mother, making the environment for the fetus even more disruptive,” says Nadal. “This is a very delicate period.”
Children at Risk for Ingestion of PAHs from Pavement Sealant
Coal tar sealants, commonly used in the Central, Southern, and Eastern U.S. to refresh driveways and parking lots, are a source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, some of which can cause cancer. Researchers from Baylor University and the U.S. Geological Survey have found that children living next to driveways or parking lots coated with coal tar are exposed to 14 times the amount of the chemicals than those living near untreated asphalt. Exposure is primarily through contaminated dust tracked into the home, rather than food as once thought. Coal-tar-based pavement sealant has PAH concentrations 100 to 1,000 times greater than most other sources.
A History of Kids and Sleep: Why They Never Get Enough
I wouldn’t say that the article explains why children never get enough, but a recent review of about 300 studies on sleep duration in children found some interesting results:
Over the 112 years the study covered, age-specific recommendations for sleep and actual sleep duration of children has declined at similar rates.
Over that same period, children have lost about 75 minutes of shut-eye with overstimulation and modern technology to blame.
There’s not much evidence behind sleep recommendations; they’re pretty subjective. Kids consistently get at least 30 minutes less than the recommendations.
Different countries have different standards, but American children sleep less than nearly all other children.
Fantastic Finds:
How to Get Rid of Facebook Timeline, Bring Back a Simpler View - Anyone else struggling to get used to the new timeline view? It seems cluttered and messy to me. LifeHacker just published an article with a plugin that can be used to adjust your browser’s Facebook view for a cleaner look. I’m definitely going to try this out.
Clean Protein & Organic Foods, Does it Matter? - An absolutely fascinating read on why it’s important to look beyond the organic label and really understand where your food came from and how it was raised.
We hope you had a wonderful weekend! Welcome to this week’s highlights, our weekly post that recaps important child health and safety news, research, and recalls from the previous week and other great finds we’ve come across in our internet travels. Enjoy! - Jasmine & Heather
In the News:
Pfizer Recalls 1 Million Birth Control Pills - In case you missed our notice on Facebook earlier this week, Pfizer recalled 1 million pills due to a packaging mishap. Check the article to see if your pill was affected.
Home Birth Advocate Dies in Child Birth - A home birth advocate passed away after going into cardiac arrest during childbirth bringing into question the safety of home births as their popularity rises. I found this article a really refreshing take on home vs hospital births.
Qantas Flight Grounded by Dirty Diaper – Yes, you read that right. A plane was forced to land and passengers removed by forklift 5 at a time due to a foul odor coming from a dirty diaper stuffed in the airplane toilet.
Senator Wants More Done to Warn of Mercury Hazard in New Light Bulbs - Nebraskan Senator Hulton is concerned that most people aren’t aware of the hazards of compact fluorescent light bulbs in the home. Read the article for info on how to properly handle and dispose of these mercury-containing light bulbs.
New Research:
Why Spanking Doesn’t Work
A new analysis of two decades of research on the long-term effects of physical punishment finds that it doesn’t work and can have serious long-term effects. While it may work in the moment, it leads to increased aggression in children in the longer term and can harm the relationship between parent and child as well as affect a child’s sense of self-worth. Later in life, it’s associated with mental health problems as neurological analysis has found that it can affect brain chemistry.
Parents Cheat on Booster Seats, Despite Safety Risks
A new survey in this week’s Pediatrics found that more than half of parents carpool children other than their own, but they don’t always use booster seats for children who should be in one. Only about half of parents who carpool require their own child to ride in a booster, even when their friends are not. And 21 percent would allow their child to ride boosterless in someone else’s car.
Breastfeeding Tied to Stronger Lungs, Less Asthma
Two new studies out this week on the effect of breastfeeding on lung function: The first followed 1500 UK children from their birth in the mid-1990s and tested for lung function and allergies between the ages of 8 and 14. Two out of the three tests showed that babies who were breastfed by asthmatic moms for at least four months may get more benefit from breastfeeding than babies of asthma-free moms, countering previous studies which suggested asthmatic moms may put their babies at risk with breastfeeding. The second study followed 1000 children in New Zealand and concluded that each month of exclusive breastfeeding was tied to a 9% drop in asthma risk.
Word! from An Inch of Gray – Touching words on coping with grief and what almost was before the tragic loss of her child in the floods of VA last year. Pray for those who have loved and lost that they will be comforted through such grief and pain.
No child safety seat recall announcements this week.
USDA/FDA Recalls
A number of recalls below are driven by the recall of hard-cooked eggs produced by Michael Foods which have been sold to retail/institutional establishments and may be contaminated with listeria. Be cautious purchasing products containing hard-cooked eggs.
We hope you had a wonderful weekend! To catch up for missing last week, you’ll see a little more in this weeks highlights, our weekly post that recaps important child health and safety news, research, and recalls from the previous week and other great finds we’ve come across in our internet travels.
In the News:
Agencies: No Need for Baby Formula Recall - Test results are in on the Enfamil formula recall, and all tests of factory-sealed containers found no bacteria. However, the bacteria was found in an open bottle of water and prepared formula of the child who died in Missouri and authorities are unsure how it got there, which stresses the importance of safely preparing infant formula.
Get the Lead Out: Panel Wants Kids’ Limits Halved - An advisory panel to the CDC is recommending that the current threshold for child lead poisoning be cut in half based on new research that children could be harmed from levels far lower than the current standard. They also recommend a prevention policy that includes removing children from buildings with lead-based paint hazards. The CDC has yet to approve the change in threshold, and a decision to ramp up prevention will take significantly more time and resources.
Widowed Teen Mom Kills Intruder to Protect Baby - An 18 year old teen mom shoots and kills an intruder in her home just one week after losing her husband to cancer on Christmas Day. What a tragic week for such a young girl. Video coverage of her ordeal and amazingly calm and collected 911 call below.
Oops…Company Publishes X-Rated Children’s Clothing Ad - French clothing company, La Redoute, apologizes for somehow missing the naked man wandering around in the background of their latest photo shoot after it appeared online.
‘National Opt Out Day’ Rejects Standardized Tests - On the 10th Anniversary of the No Child Left Behind Act, United Opt Out National is encouraging parents to opt out of standardized testing this spring citing limited benefits from the high-stakes testing brought on by the Act. Personally, I worry that teaching to a test is stifling our children’s creativity.
First Grader Dies After Allergic Reaction at School - Ammaria Johnson, 7, died at her elementary school after suffering from an allergic reaction to peanuts. The girl’s death has sparked conversation about schools’ ability to handle allergic reactions and proposed legislation that would allow schools to have non-prescription epi-pens available.
Poor Kids Miss Out on Playtime
A new report from the American Academy of Pediatricians indicates that poor children are lacking unstructured, free playtime because of a lack of safe places to play, parents who are busy trying to make ends meet, and schools cutting out recess and phys ed in order to focus more on academics. The article suggests that schools should be encouraged to keep recess and cities should aim to provide safe places to play - much easier said than done for sure.
The Hormone Surge of Middle Childhood
Middle childhood, the age between about 5 or 6 and the teenage years, is a busy time for a child’s brain. It is the time when a child’s brain has reached its adult size and now focuses on forging connections. It’s a time of great creativity and a time where children begin to gain the ability to control impulses, to reason, to focus, and to understand and accept mortality and plan for the future. And it’s apparently an age that has been very much overlooked until lately.
Fantastic Finds:
Don’t Carpe Diem from Momastery.com - Parenthood is hard. We don’t always want to seize every moment. But there is Kairos - God’s time - those metaphysical moments when time stands still and you look at your child with wonderment, awe, and unconditional love. Cherish Kairos. I love this post!
Welcome to “Weekly Highlights”, our weekly post that recaps important child health and safety news, research, and recalls from the previous week and other great finds we’ve come across in our internet travels.
In the News:
Mead Johnson Retests Samples of Enfamil and Reaffirms Safety - The company completed a second round of testing on samples of its Enfamil Newborn formula from the batch under recall. The tests showed no signs of the bacteria, but tests results from federal health officials will not be in until later this week. Check enfamilalerts.com or our sidebar for updates.
EPA Issues Historic Regulations on Air Pollution - New rules issued this week by the EPA, overdue by about 20 years, will dramatically reduce mercury levels as well as other toxins from coal power plants, resulting in a significant reduction in premature births, childhood asthma, bronchitis, and other related illnesses, the EPA estimates.
Studies Suggest an Acetaminophen-Asthma Link
Evidence is mounting of a possible link between acetaminophen use in infants and the development of childhood asthma. One study in 2008 found that children under 1 who had taken acetaminophen for a fever had a 50% greater risk of developing asthma symptoms. A single dose can reduce the body’s levels of a peptide that helps prevent inflammation in the airways. Yet, researchers still say it is difficult to determine whether the acetaminophen or the infection are to blame. The doctor quoted in the article suggests reserving acetaminophen only for very high fevers and major pain relief.
How Toddlers Hear Themselves
Ever wonder why toddlers can’t seem to pronounce certain words just right? 2 year olds do not listen to themselves and self-correct like adults do. They focus on the content of what they are saying rather than how they say it, which is why when you repeat back to a child what you think they said (pronounced correctly) they will say “yes”. Starting around age 3, children begin to develop the ability to repair conversations. Be a good speech model and focus on what your children are saying rather than correcting how they say it.
Welcome to “Weekly Highlights”, our weekly post that recaps important child health and safety news, research, and recalls from the previous week and other great reads we’ve come across in our internet travels.
In the News:
FDA Agrees to Determine Safety of BPA - Well, sort of. In response to a lawsuit, they’ve agreed to decide by March 31, 2012 whether to ban BPA in food packaging. They may very well decide not to ban BPA, and nothing much will have changed.
Some News Guests Paid to Promote Products on Air - The next time you see an “expert review” news segment touting the latest products in children’s safety, for example, keep in mind that you may just be watching a commercial in disguise. Despite being illegal, “Safety Mom” Alison Rhodes admits to being paid for her recommendations by the companies whose products she plugs.
New Research:
Scientific Panel Finds Few Clear Environmental Links to Breast Cancer
At the request of Susan G. Komen For the Cure, a panel of scientific experts reviewed research on environmental risks and possible links to breast cancer. Their report released this week, however, makes only a few firm recommendations, one of which includes minimizing radiation from medical tests during childhood. Two or three abdominal CT scans give as much radiation as atomic bomb survivors received. Yikes! The review was unable to draw conclusive links in other areas such as BPA, but the link above gives a good summary of the results of the study.
Children’s Cereal: More Sugar Than a Twinkie
The EWG has released a new report which analyzed the nutrition in 84 popular cereals and found that you might as well serve most of them for dessert. The worst offender, Kellogg’s Honey Smacks, packs more sugar than a Hostess Twinkie, coming in at 56% sugar by weight. The same serving of 44 other popular cereals, including Honey Nut Cheerios, has more sugar than three Chips Ahoy! Cookies. While sugar was the top problem, many also contain too much sodium or fat or not enough whole grain.
The Anatomy of a Temper Tantrum
Researchers at the University of Connecticut have deconstructed the toddler temper tantrum and determined that most tantrums follow a similar pattern and rhythm. Based on audio recordings of toddler tantrums, they found that sadness tends to occur throughout a tantrum with peaks of anger in the form of yelling and screaming. The researchers suggest that the trick to ending a tantrum is to get the child past the anger, where only sadness remains and children begin to look for comfort. The quickest way to do that, they say, is to do nothing. Easier said than done, of course.
Good Reads & Videos:
The Coat: A short animated video of one child who gives selflessly to another. A great illustration of charity for little ones.
Chemicals In Your Child’s Car Seat from The Car Seat Lady - An excellent read on the issues/limitations of HealthyStuff.org’s study on flame retardants and other chemicals in childrens’ car seats that was released earlier this summer.
Welcome to “Weekly Highlights”, our weekly post that recaps important child health and safety news, research, and recalls from the previous week and other great reads we’ve come across in our internet travels.
Consumer Reports Study Backs Dr. Oz’s Claim About Arsenic in Apple Juice - Consumer Reports study validates Oz claim; finds arsenic and lead in apple juice at levels exceeding drinking water standards. And while the FDA had blasted Oz for his claims, turns out they were holding on to similar findings from their own testing.
Top 100 Baby Names of 2011 – BabyCenter.com released its annual list this week, with Aiden and Sophia topping the list.
News Anchor Draws Chicago Ire after Santa Denial – In an opinion segment on evening news (see video in the link), a Chicago anchor says as soon as kids can talk, parents should say “There’s no Santa!” Criticism and an apology have ensued.
Horse: Coming Soon to a Meat Case Near You? The recent spending bill lifted a ban on slaughtering of horses for meat. I may be with PETA on this one. It may be more humane than what is otherwise happening to these animals, but you won’t see me eating it anytime soon.
New Research:
40% of Kids Who Attempt Suicide First Try in Elementary or Middle School
A chilling discovery was made in the process of a study evaluating whether recall of previous suicide attempts was a reliable way of gathering data. Of 883 young adults aged 18 and 19, 78 had tried to commit suicide. 39 of the teens reported multiple attempts, with attempts beginning as early as age 9, the average age of a third grader! Researchers suggest that we should consider suicide prevention programs at younger ages and opening lines of communications providing children with options for letting adults know that they are not doing well.
Cigarettes May Be Useful for Distance Runners?
I’m sure you read the headline and said, what? Well, in actuality, this is a great read about a review study that was put together to show how conclusions can be drawn by selectively using data to support the theory. See the article’s alternative title: “How to prove anything with a review article.” It’s a good read about the dangers of over-interpreting correlations, reminding us to approach research with a skeptical eye.
Good Reads:
7 Foods You Should Never Eat - 7 Foods that notable food experts refuse to eat and their suggested alternatives.
Welcome to “Weekly Highlights”, our weekly post that recaps important child health and safety news, research, and recalls from the previous week and other great reads we’ve come across in our internet travels.
In the News:
Serious Head Injuries to Infants Continue Due to Falls from Bumbo Baby Seats Used on Elevated Surfaces - Infants aged 3-10 months old have fallen out of the Bumbo seat and suffered skull fractures and other injuries. At least 45 incidents from elevated surfaces have occurred since the recall of the seat in October 2007, when warnings were added to the seat. At least 50 other incidents have been reported in which children fell out of the chair on the floor or an unknown elevation onto hard flooring. Please use these chairs with caution.
The 8 Germiest Places in the Mall – Ewwww. Just ewwww. I must say a couple of these surprised me. While highlighting germy hot spots, the article does also provide some practical tips.
Consumer Interest Group Releases Annual Hazardous Toys Report - The U.S. Public Interest Group has released its 26th annual “Trouble in Toyland” report, in which it highlights toys on store shelves that contain potentially toxic chemicals or contain choking, strangulation, or noise hazards. The group has created an interactive site, www.toysafety.mobi, where you can find information about the toys you are shopping for. The site can be accessed by smartphones, so you can have this information at your fingertips!
New Research:
C-section Delivery Linked to Higher Risk of Childhood Asthma
In the largest study yet on the topic, Norwegian researchers examined asthma risk in more than 37,000 children. The researchers found that, even after accounting for other risk factors and protective factors such as duration of breastfeeding, children born via C-section were more likely to have asthma during their first three years. While the results are consistent with earlier studies, the reasoning is still not clear. Researchers believe that children born via C-section may miss exposure to important immune challenges compared to children born via the birth canal.
Canned Soup Raises BPA Levels Significantly
While we all know that soup cans are lined with BPA, a new study published this week was the first to measure the amount of BPA ingested from canned food. The participants in the study consumed a single serving of canned soup daily for a week, and their blood levels at the end of the week showed a 1221% increase in BPA levels, from approx 2 micrograms per liter to over 20. While the increase is likely temporary and will go down after a few days, we don’t know the health effects of transient increases in BPA such as this.
Delay in Clamping the Umbilical Cord has Benefits Months Later
A study published this month found that waiting three minutes or more to clamp a newborn’s umbilical cord can reduce the prevalence of iron deficiency later on. Swedish researchers studied 334 infants, statistically identical, assigning half to be clamped at 10 seconds and the other half after 3 minutes. There was no significant difference at 2 days after birth, but at 4 months iron concentrations of infants in the delayed clamping group were 45 percent higher. The study is one of the largest randomized trials on delayed cord clamping and the first to assess iron status beyond the newborn stage.
Good Reads:
Letting the Green Guilt Go from Canada.com - It’s so easy to get overwhelmed with so much information at our fingertips and still so many more questions about what truly is safe. I agree with the author that it helps to be flexible. Do what you can, little by little. Be happy with the healthy choices you’ve made so far, and continue to drive change with your pocketbooks. Little by little, you are doing the best that you can.
Recalls, November 22 – November 30:
CPSC Child Product Recalls
No child product recall announcements this week.
Child Safety Seat Recalls
No child safety seat recall announcements this week.
Welcome to “Weekly Highlights”, our weekly post that recaps important child health and safety news, research, and recalls from the previous week and other great reads we’ve come across in our internet travels.
In the News:
Crotchless Thong Underwear for the Mature 7-Year-Old - All I can say is that this is one twisted publicity stunt. The shop owner’s justification that these were intended for the older teenage customers is almost as disturbing.
Congress Invents New Vegetable: The Pizza - Actually, they just caved to food industry lobbyists and ensured that the two tablespoons of tomato paste on pizza continues to qualify as a vegetable. Disappointing, truly disappointing.
Toys Safer This Holiday Season Due to Stronger Safety Rules - Positive news from the CPSC. Recalls and lead violations are down. Still, there were over 180,000 treated in ERs last year due to toy-related injuries, so the CPSC also offers tips for choosing safer toys.
A thought-provoking video on what’s wrong with the U.S. education system, and an entertaining and fascinating argument to watch develop before your eyes:
PureBebe focuses on everything safe, healthy and pure for babies and young children. We conduct extensive research on baby topics and products. This site is about sharing that knowledge as well as the crying, laughing, and wincing that accompany being a parent.
We look forward to hearing from you – please leave us a comment to let us know what you think of our site!
-Heather & Jasmine
