April 25, 2008
How Air Quality Affects Your Baby
As you prep the nursery to ensure a healthy and happy environment for your newest family member, keep in mind that sometimes the basics can make all the difference. Though the new shade of paint and wall paper borders may make an ordinary room look like an adorable baby boudoir, they may bring some unseen complications. The same applies to even the most common and necessary articles in your baby survival kit, like your baby’s crib or baby powder.
The one element that is often overlooked in nursery renovations how the changes will affect the quality of the air that your baby breathes. Research has shown that in more modern homes with almost airtight construction, air pollution can be many times worse than that which occurs outdoors.
Babies Are More Susceptible to Air Quality Problems
The impact that air quality has on children and infants is enormous. This is partially due to the fact that their lungs are still developing and therefore are more sensitive than an adult’s. Another reason why babies are so susceptible to air quality ills is because of the over size of their lungs. What would represent a small amount of air pollution for a pair of parent’s lungs would constitute a huge problem to lungs that are less than a quarter the size of an adults’. Yet, size is not the only factor: babies take many more breaths per hour than an adult, so they have greater exposure to air quality problems.
Start Basic:
Cleaning up the air in the nursery should be a priority on an expectant parent’s “to do” list. Running an air purifier in a child’s room will reduce overall exposure to airborne contaminants. This in turn may shield them from developing respiratory problems like allergies or asthma or even more life-threatening conditions related to air quality, such as COPD or cancer.
Several lines of air purifiers like the IQ Air HealthPro Plus or Dynamic Air Quality Solutions’ CT100 employ both HEPA filters to catch fine particles and carbon to absorb harmful fumes. This HEPA and carbon combination is recommended over ionic or o-zone producing machines. IQ Air is one company that has fine-tuned their line of air purifiers to remove the full gambit of air quality concerns. The HEPA filters catch even the tiniest of particles in the air (baby powder pollen, dust, etc) as well as eliminate many other air concerns like formaldehyde from furniture glues and carpeting. Based on consumer reports, the IQAir models are considered a “best buy”—but the peace of mind that they offer to parents is priceless.
More Clean-Air Tips for Nurseries:
Here are some commonly overlooked air concerns that have tremendous effects on air quality in baby’s rooms.
Baby Powder
Nearly 69% of parents use baby powder when changing their baby’s diapers. The talcum powder used on most baby bottoms is comprised of several combinations of zinc stearate and magnesium silicates, as well as other silicates which are finely ground. When airborne, the powder is easily inhaled into lungs and can cause pneumonia, inflammation of the airways and sometimes even result in death.
Baby-Friendly Solution:
Ointments are another method of treating or preventing diaper rashes. The switch doesn’t have to be a painful one, either: most dermatologists agree that ointments are just as effective as baby powder when it comes to treating diaper rashes.
Allergens
The United States has experienced a dramatic increase in the number of babies and children with allergies and asthma. Dust, pollen, and dust mites are very common allergens and research has shown that heavy exposure to these elements at a young age often sparks allergies (which in turn can develop into asthma if untreated).
Baby-Friendly Solution:
The key is that it is never too early to prevent contact with allergens. Though there are many ways to avoid exposure, one of the simplest is running an air purifier with a HEPA filter. Air filters like the IQ Air HealthPro Plus or the Dynamic CT100 are designed to remove 99.97% of particles down to 0.3 micrometers in size. HEPA filters are the only method of air purification endorsed by Allergists and Asthma Specialists.
Paints
A fresh coat of paint can transform any plain wall into one with pizzazz—and is often the first step in converting a room into a nursery. Latex paints are by far the most commonly used interior paints because many of them are water soluble and easy to clean up. But, after the initial application, these paints emit Volatile Organic Compounds (or VOC’s) into the air for an extended period of time (often for years). This process is known as off-gassing—and though many materials “off-gas” harmless, odorless elements, synthetic materials or materials what have been treated with synthetic substances are usually toxic.
Baby-Friendly Solution:
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These fumes are readily absorbed by the activated carbon in the IQAir HealthPro Plus or Dynamic Air Quality Solutions’ CT100.
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Because paints have long been associated with toxic fumes, recent attempts to protect consumers have resulted in most major brands carrying “green” paints. These paints have lower or no long-term VOC emission. Check with your local paint or home improvement store to see what is available—this little bit of extra research will ensure your baby’s health.
Furniture
Who would have ever thought that their baby’s crib or changing table could be a breathing hazard? The truth is that most varnishes and adhesives used in furniture production are quite toxic. Many of the glues used to hold these pieces together re-emit a heavy dose of formaldehyde—a known carcinogen—into the air. The same is applicable to the varnished wood of cribs, changing tables, rockers and other accoutrements in the baby’s room. The effects of VOC exposure associated with the ingredients in furniture glues and varnishes range from nausea to various forms of cancer (with long term exposure).
Baby-Friendly Solution:
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Many of the newer lines of furniture being manufactured are paying closer attention to the ingredients that are used on their products. As you shop for nursery furniture, it’s always better to opt for natural or beeswax wood finishes. Again, most of the furniture pieces that are marketed as “green” or “natural” baby furniture will use glues that do not contain toxic elements like formaldehyde.
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VOC’s are directly targeted by the IQ Air air purifiers. Running one in your baby’s room will ensure that the air remains healthy, whether you use the furniture that has been passed down from you grandmother or the latest and greatest on the market.
Carpeting
Though the idea of your little baby’s toes sinking into a soft carpet it much more comforting than the thought of him or her playing on a bare floor, your might want to get rid of the wall-to-wall carpeting. Most often, it is the carpeting that it responsible for producing the lion’s share of off-gassing contaminants.
Baby-Friendly Solution:
At this time, there are exceedingly few rugs that are non-toxic. Even the padding beneath carpeting is dangerous in terms of it’s affects on air quality. Though an air purifier could remove this airborne health concern as well as those associated with paint and varnish, a bare floor is going to be a much healthier choice in the long run.
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