We’re adding a new feature to Purebebe this weekend that we hope you’ll enjoy.
Welcome to our first edition of “Weekly Highlights”, a weekend post that will recap important child health and safety news, research, and recalls from the week but also give us an avenue to share some of the other great reads we’ve come across in our internet travels.
So happy weekend reading, and please let us know what you think!
In the News:
CPSC Announces New, Lower Limit for Lead in Children’s Products - 100 ppm. Hooray!
Senator Dianne Feinstein urges BPA regulation – Last month, China banned BPA from baby bottles. CNN Opinion piece from Senator Feinstein urging US to step up.
Filth in Fast-Food Playlands – Makes me grateful we don’t frequent fast food chains.
Roundup pesticide used on genetically-modified crops linked to birth defects – Evidence that buying organic and using unprocessed, whole foods is the way to go.
Lawsuit ties tainted wipes to one twin’s brain damage - Lawsuit aims to change FDA inspection and enforcement practices for medical products.
Recalled alcohol wipes may still be in use – You may want to check your first aid kit or medicine cabinet. The alcohol wipes noted in the lawsuit above may still be out there.
New Research:
A Balanced Diet + Prenatal Exposure to BPA = Fatter, Sicker Rats
Rat pups exposed to the reference dose of BPA, that which the EPA considers safe, through their mothers while in the womb and nursing – but fed a balanced diet as they grew – were fatter and had a suite of metabolic problems later in life when compared to unexposed rats. The effects were even worse on pups fed a high fat diet.
Even BPA-Free Plastic is Not Always Safe
Lab tests were conducted on more than 20 top-brand baby bottles along with 450 plastic food and beverage-packages. Nearly all leached endocrine disrupting chemicals, even though many were BPA-free. It is possible to make estrogenic-activity free plastic, but we need urge manufacturers to do so and label them as such. In the meantime, my $ is on glass.
Birth Defects Linked for First Time to Smoking in Pregnancy
Smoking in pregnancy has been linked to miscarriages, premature birth, and low birth weight, but new research now links specific birth defects such as clubfoot, missing limbs, and deformed limbs.
Prenatal Vitamins Lower Autism Risk
A study of mom/child pairs in California found that taking prenatal vitamins around the time of conception decreased autism risk by half. Results indicate that proper prenatal nutrition may be especially important for susceptible individuals.
New Study Implicates Environmental Factors in Autism
A study of autism rates in identical and fraternal twins in California found that rates were higher in identical twins than fraternal twins. Mathematical modeling and analysis of the study’s results suggested that only 38% of the cases could be attributed to genetics and that 58% were attributable to shared environmental factors, most likely from the womb given that the rate of autism in two siblings who are not twins is much lower than that of twins.
Good Reads:
Got 15 Minutes? Whole Food To-Go Lunches for Impromptu Summer Fun from Simple Organic
What Life is Like with 4 Kids from Suburban Daddy
Once Upon a Time from How the Hell Did I End up Here?
Recalls, July 10 – 16:
CPSC Child Product Recalls
No product recall announcements this week.
Child Safety Seat Recalls
No product recall announcements this week.
USDA/FDA Recalls
- Bruce Foods Corporation recalls Food Club Red Enchilada Sauce Because of Possible Health Risk
- Willamette Valley Fruit Co. issues allergy alert on undeclared butter in 8″ Apple, Cherry, and Marionberry Pies
- New York Firm Recalls Imported Ready-To-Eat Smoked Duck Breast Products Due To PossibleSalmonella Contamination
- Massachusetts Firm Recalls Imported Ready-To-Eat Smoked Duck Breast Products Due To Possible Salmonella Contamination
We’d love your feedback! What did you like? If there is anything you’d like us to add or change, we’d love to hear it!
Have a lovely weekend!
XOXO,
Jasmine & Heather
