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Join us at noon CT (1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT) on Tuesday, July 12, for an hour-long chat about creating the safest, healthiest environment for children, with the Tribune's health reporter Trine Tsouderos and panelist Dr. Carl Baum.

Lead paint, mercury bulbs, BPA, flame retardants. On and on. We as parents worry about chemicals and toxins and their effects on our children. We stare at our walls and wonder whether there is lead paint there. We worry about metals and chemicals in our kids' food and soil and clothing. We wonder whether our lifestyles are docking IQ points from our kids, causing behavioral troubles, delaying them developmentally. We wonder whether there are things in our house that shouldn’t be.

What should we be concerned about, and what should we scratch off our list of worries? Are there companies out there exploiting our fears and offering solutions to problems that don't exist or solutions that could actually be harmful? How can we, as parents, create the safest, healthiest environment for our children?

Dr. Carl Baum is the director of the Center for Children's Environmental Toxicology at Yale School of Medicine and the director of the Yale Lead Program. He's also an attending physician in the emergency room at Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital. Dr. Baum has ties to Chicago, having worked at Children's Memorial Hospital, Cook County Hospital and Illinois Poison Control in the mid-1990s.

Health Chat: Healthy, safe environment for children

(07/12/2011)

  

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11:47

[Be Right Back Countdown]

10 minutes  Tuesday July 12, 2011 11:47

11:58

Trine Tsouderos:  Good afternoon! Thanks so much for joining us. We're so lucky to have Dr. Carl Baum with us today. He's truly an expert on environmental toxins and children, and has enormous wisdom and knowledge on topics many of us parents worry about. Okay, let's go... Tuesday July 12, 2011 11:58 Trine Tsouderos

12:00

Trine Tsouderos:  Carl, can you talk a little about 'summer lead'? This is an issue we as parents should be thinking about. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:00 Trine Tsouderos

12:01

Carl Baum:  Great question. "Summer lead" refers to a tendency for children's lead levels to rise in the summertime. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:01 Carl Baum

12:01

Carl Baum:  Very often, people renovate their homes in the warmer months, and create a dust hazard, particularly when the house is older than 1978. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:01 Carl Baum

12:02

Trine Tsouderos:  So what should parents who are undertaking - or planning to undertake - projects do? Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:02 Trine Tsouderos

12:03

Trine Tsouderos:  Especially those of us with homes that are older than 1978, which likely have lead paint lurking behind that Benjamin Moore Timid White we painted when we moved in. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:03 Trine Tsouderos

12:03

Carl Baum:  We usually recommend that parents NOT undertake these projects themselves: better to leave it to expert deleaders. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:03 Carl Baum

12:03

Trine Tsouderos:  Who are expert de-leaders? Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:03 Trine Tsouderos

12:04

Carl Baum:  Deleaders are contractors who are certified to remove lead safely. Remember, the dust hazard can be quite significant, even when your neighbors are doing the work. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:04 Carl Baum

12:05

Trine Tsouderos:  Wow, neighbors. Hard to convince them to do work with de-leaders, I would imagine. So what do you see, lead level wise? And what are the consequences? Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:05 Trine Tsouderos

12:06

Carl Baum:  The summer lead phenomenon can complicate treatment for lead poisoning. You may be following a child with falling lead levels, only to have them rise, or spike in the summer. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:06 Carl Baum

12:06

Trine Tsouderos:  What can be done? Chelation is not recommended except for high levels, right? Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:06 Trine Tsouderos

12:07

Carl Baum:  These days, we see a lot of children who have relatively low lead levels, so there are no chelations strategies that work for them. So the treatment is removing them from the environment where they were exposed, and to optimize their diet. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:07 Carl Baum

12:07

Trine Tsouderos:  Optimize their diet? How so? Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:07 Trine Tsouderos

12:08

Carl Baum:  Children who are iron deficient have a tendency to absorb more lead from the gut. It turns out that lead and iron share some qualities, so they may be transported the same way. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:08 Carl Baum

12:09

Trine Tsouderos:  Like serving your kids (more) liver? Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:09 Trine Tsouderos

12:10

Trine Tsouderos:  What kind of diet do you recommend, typically? Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:10 Trine Tsouderos

12:10

Trine Tsouderos:  Readers, feel free to ask questions. Anything at all, on toxins and kids. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:10 Trine Tsouderos

12:11

Carl Baum:  One consideration is the bioavailability of iron, which is not the same across all food groups. Iron from red meats is much more bioavailable than iron from vegetables, gram for gram. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:11 Carl Baum

12:11

Trine Tsouderos:  That's really interesting... Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:11 Trine Tsouderos

12:11

Trine Tsouderos:  So what do you recommend parents do, who maybe have had work done on their old homes? Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:11 Trine Tsouderos

12:11

Carl Baum:  In terms for renovations, "don't try this at home." Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:11 Carl Baum

12:11

Trine Tsouderos:  Right. And say you have? Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:11 Trine Tsouderos

12:12

Trine Tsouderos:  And you are cringing right now, thinking about your poor kids? Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:12 Trine Tsouderos

12:12

Carl Baum:  I'd leave it to professionals. And if you're looking at a new house, consider a house newer than 1978. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:12 Carl Baum

12:13

Carl Baum:  If you have younger children, check with your doctor, and make sure your kids are screened for lead. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:13 Carl Baum

12:13

[Comment From MelissaMelissa: ]  In summer camp season, I have two worries: sunscreen and insect repellents, both used daily for eight weeks. Has anything been proved safe. Or unsafe? Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:13 Melissa

12:15

Carl Baum:  For sunscreen, the American Academy of Pediatrics has published recently guidelines on the use of these products. But moderation is a good idea--try to limit the number of hours that you and your kids are out in the sun, even on cloudy days. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:15 Carl Baum

12:16

Carl Baum:  Remember, none of these products are "waterproof" and therefore need to be re-applied. I believe the FDA just weighed in on the use of these terms. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:16 Carl Baum

12:16

Trine Tsouderos:  A lot of camps are five days a week, with sunscreen required. What do you think? Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:16 Trine Tsouderos

12:17

Carl Baum:  When re-applying sunscreen, follow the manufacturer's recommendations. Re-application may be necessary over the course of a several-hour camp session. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:17 Carl Baum

12:18

Carl Baum:  In general, sunscreens are safe, and are certainly safer than a sunburn. And remember that even the "healthy tan" is really sun damage. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:18 Carl Baum

12:19

Trine Tsouderos:  And bug spray? My memories of camp from childhood are of the smell of bug spray? Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:19 Trine Tsouderos

12:20

Carl Baum:  There are insect repellants that are designed for kids that have lower amounts of DEET, which can be hazardous in multiple reapplications. Probably best to moderate time outdoors, and wash off bug sprays. Also, there are some botanical products that can be effective. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:20 Carl Baum

12:20

[Comment From TheyreAllToxicTheyreAllToxic: ]  People are always talking about "detoxing" ostensibly because the world is full of toxins these days when it presumably wasn't in the past. What other kinds of toxins we're trying to get rid of when we're detoxing? Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:20 TheyreAllToxic

12:20

Trine Tsouderos:  Detoxing has become a big industry, absolutely. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:20 Trine Tsouderos

12:21

Carl Baum:  Well, there are a lot of chemicals out there, especially in the decades after WWII. But you have to be careful with products that claim to "detox," because many are ineffective and actually dangerous. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:21 Carl Baum

12:22

Trine Tsouderos:  One is chelation, I hear about that a lot. What are thoughts on using chelation? Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:22 Trine Tsouderos

12:23

Trine Tsouderos:  Last year, the FDA sent out a series of warning letters to companies illegally selling non-FDA-approved products as chelators. A lot of companies on the Internet are happy enough to sell just about anything as chelators even though they are not proven to do anything and may actually be harmful. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:23 Trine Tsouderos

12:23

Carl Baum:  I get a lot of calls from parents who have fallen under the influence, for lack of a better expression, of practitioners who claim a need to chelate a child. This can be extremely dangerous, and has actually resulted in deaths from improper chelation. Often, there are concerns about "heavy metals" in a child that are unfounded. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:23 Carl Baum

12:24

Trine Tsouderos:  These parents often have in hand lab reports from provoked urine tests for heavy metals. Can you talk about this? Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:24 Trine Tsouderos

12:25

Carl Baum:  The tests are often done improperly by dishonest practitioners who have the tests assayed at labs with questionable credentials. It doesn't make sense to give a child a dose of a chelation medicine, and THEN test the urine. You would expect there to be an increase in metals in anyone's urine under those circumstances. Better to test the urine or blood first. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:25 Carl Baum

12:26

[Comment From momchicagomomchicago: ]  My kids help me clean the house - they enjoy the sense of satisfaction and I am glad they learn to clean up. Besides the obvious (injestion) concerns, is it ok for them to help use cleaning products? Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:26 momchicago

12:26

Trine Tsouderos:  That's a great question, momchicago. My kids are always clamoring to help me clean - but I worry too about the chemicals. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:26 Trine Tsouderos

12:27

Trine Tsouderos:  But boy, I do want them to help clean! Eventually I would love them to take over cleaning... Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:27 Trine Tsouderos

12:27

Trine Tsouderos:  Keep the questions coming readers, we're happy to answer every one we can get to. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:27 Trine Tsouderos

12:27

Carl Baum:  Difficult to give a short answer--it depends on the chemicals. And combinations of certain chemicals, such as ammonia and bleach, can produce toxic chloramine gas. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:27 Carl Baum

12:28

Trine Tsouderos:  So that would be ammonia-containing Windex and bleach? Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:28 Trine Tsouderos

12:28

Carl Baum:  Right. Or substitute vinegar-containing Windex, which is much more benign. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:28 Carl Baum

12:28

Trine Tsouderos:  And baking soda for the bathtub with a lemon actually works. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:28 Trine Tsouderos

12:29

[Comment From howard snyder M.D.howard snyder M.D.: ]  I would like to hear comments on endocrine disrupting man-made chemicals that children are exposed to in the environment. Howard Snyder M.D. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:29 howard snyder M.D.

12:29

Trine Tsouderos:  This is a big worry for many parents. I remember throwing away my kids' sippy cups - two dozen of them - because I was worried about BPA. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:29 Trine Tsouderos

12:30

Trine Tsouderos:  And then I bought a Sigg bottle for each child thinking they were BPA free and they turned out not to be. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:30 Trine Tsouderos

12:30

Carl Baum:  There are lots of chemicals out there that can mimic, structurally or functionally, certain hormones in the body. And there is animal research that suggests that some of these may effect growth and sexual development. As you know, many states have banned BPA, a chemical formerly found in #7 plastics. But there are limited data in children. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:30 Carl Baum

12:31

[Comment From MelissaMelissa: ]  How about water? What would you suggest a parent give young children? Tap? Filtered tap? Bottled? Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:31 Melissa

12:32

Carl Baum:  Great question. Water comes from so many different sources. I remember in Chicago, the tap water was pumped from Lake Michigan. Here in CT, my water comes from 300 feet below ground. Cities routinely test their tap water. I am responsible for my own, and have to test annually for the presence of bacteria. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:32 Carl Baum

12:33

Trine Tsouderos:  How do you test your own water? Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:33 Trine Tsouderos

12:33

Trine Tsouderos:  And is it expensive? Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:33 Trine Tsouderos

12:33

Carl Baum:  My water comes from a well. There are local labs that perform the tests, but I have to pay for the service. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:33 Carl Baum

12:34

Carl Baum:  I think it's under $100, but they offer tests for a wide range of chemicals, including a test for radon in the water. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:34 Carl Baum

12:34

Trine Tsouderos:  So when you the get the test results back, what would you be most worried about? Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:34 Trine Tsouderos

12:35

Carl Baum:  Personally, I worry most about bacteria in my water--we have had "coliforms" a couple of times in the past decade--but there are chlorine treatments for that. Local well services can help with that. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:35 Carl Baum

12:36

Trine Tsouderos:  Test the water from the tap, and then consider other sources of water if it is worrisome? Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:36 Trine Tsouderos

12:37

Carl Baum:  Right. But many people get their water from a municipal supply, so it's up to local authorities to do the appropriate tests. Bottled water is one option if you are concerned, but there is the expense and environmental impact. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:37 Carl Baum

12:38

Trine Tsouderos:  Keep up the questions, readers! Happy to answer what we can! Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:38 Trine Tsouderos

12:38

[Comment From ELBELB: ]  Back to sunscreens - I have the perception that barrier sunscreens (like zinc) are safer than chemical ones. True or not? Then I read things like the recent EWG report that make me think they're all going to render my children infertile. Chicago summer is short and they want to be outside! Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:38 ELB

12:38

Trine Tsouderos:  Summer is too short, ELB. And my kids want to be outside from dawn to dusk. So good question. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:38 Trine Tsouderos

12:39

Carl Baum:  I believe the so-called barrier sunscreens are safe, and there should not be substantial--if any--absorption of ingredients. And they are very effective! Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:39 Carl Baum

12:39

[Comment From FranciscaFrancisca: ]  What about hand sanitizers. Are they as effective as soap and water? Which ones are safe? Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:39 Francisca

12:40

Trine Tsouderos:  A great question, Francisca. These are ubiquitous. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:40 Trine Tsouderos

12:41

Carl Baum:  Great question. There are some bacteria that are NOT killed by hand sanitizers, so soap and water should be used before eating. But where I work in the emergency room, we try to use the 62% ethanol sanitizers before and after every patient encounter, and they are effective and preventing the spread of most pathogens. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:41 Carl Baum

12:41

Trine Tsouderos:  Are those ethanol santizers the same as what we get at the grocery store? Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:41 Trine Tsouderos

12:42

Trine Tsouderos:  There was an urban myth going around about a child who ingested a drop of it from her hand and died immediately. I am assuming this is a myth...what do you think? Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:42 Trine Tsouderos

12:42

Trine Tsouderos:  I remember receiving numerous forwarded emails from my mom friends. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:42 Trine Tsouderos

12:42

Carl Baum:  Yes. Also, there are urban myths about kids becoming intoxicated from a "lick" of these products. Not really an issue, unless the kid is drinking out of the bottle! I think adult supervision is the answer here. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:42 Carl Baum

12:43

Trine Tsouderos:  So bottom line - don't let your kids drink the sanitizer. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:43 Trine Tsouderos

12:44

Carl Baum:  By the way, you may be more familiar with the tradename, Purell. This is not meant as a promotion, as many chains carry the generic, which is effective. We use Purell in the hospital. Just check and make sure it's 62% ethanol minimum. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:44 Carl Baum

12:44

Trine Tsouderos:  So in hospitals, santizers are used, not handwashing? Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:44 Trine Tsouderos

12:45

Carl Baum:  We try to use both, but there is the realization that hand sanitizers are faster and very effective, and can be mounted everywhere, even where there is no plumbing. But best to do soap and water before eating. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:45 Carl Baum

12:46

Trine Tsouderos:  But sanitizer in a pinch. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:46 Trine Tsouderos

12:46

[Comment From FranciscaFrancisca: ]  OK. Organic produce or not? Also, cow's milk or alternatives such as rice milk or almond milk (I understand soymilk has its own set of controversies). Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:46 Francisca

12:47

Trine Tsouderos:  So I guess the issue there would be pesticides, hormones and antibiotics? Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:47 Trine Tsouderos

12:47

Carl Baum:  Organic produce can be quite expensive, but I've heard that even very large chains are carrying more and more of these products, creating more of a market, and bringing the price down. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:47 Carl Baum

12:47

Trine Tsouderos:  Wal-Mart is. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:47 Trine Tsouderos

12:48

Trine Tsouderos:  So worth it? Not worth it? Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:48 Trine Tsouderos

12:48

Carl Baum:  Depends on the product. Certain fruits and vegetables are considered "cleaner" than others. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:48 Carl Baum

12:48

Trine Tsouderos:  The dirty dozen list is available on the internet... Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:48 Trine Tsouderos

12:49

Carl Baum:  Right. And often, things that you can peel are in theory cleaner. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:49 Carl Baum

12:49

Trine Tsouderos:  Bacteria - e.coli - can be an issue for both. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:49 Trine Tsouderos

12:49

Carl Baum:  Outbreaks of E. coli and other pathogens, of course, are reported all the time. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:49 Carl Baum

12:50

Trine Tsouderos:  The E.coli in the German sprouts were actually in the plant - you could not wash it off. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:50 Trine Tsouderos

12:51

Trine Tsouderos:  How about organic milk? At $7 a gallon, we wonder whether it is worth it every time we go to the grocery store. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:51 Trine Tsouderos

12:51

Carl Baum:  Right. And milk, especially whole milk at 4% milkfat, can absorb some of these endocrine-disrupting chemicals that have a propensity for fat. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:51 Carl Baum

12:52

[Comment From MaggieMaggie: ]  What happens when you are breastfeeding? Does your body act like a filter? I always worry when I need to use bleach or put on mosquito reppelent. Should I not use anything chemical while breastfeeding? Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:52 Maggie

12:53

Trine Tsouderos:  And of course, the world is full of natural chemicals that can be neutral, beneficial or harmful. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:53 Trine Tsouderos

12:53

Carl Baum:  Best to talk to your obstetrician or pediatrician. Some chemicals and drugs are actually concentrated in breast milk, so the body does not filter everything. Of course, the AAP recommends breastfeeding if at all possible. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:53 Carl Baum

12:54

Carl Baum:  Impossible to avoid all chemicals, of course. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:54 Carl Baum

12:54

[Comment From GuestGuest: ]  I don't know if this question is too specific. But, if I use this bioenzyme stuff that I buy from an extermiantor store that is poured down the drans and is supposed to consume the stuff that drain flies eat - I have to do it daily - is that harmful to my child/baby? Thanks! Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:54 Guest

12:56

Carl Baum:  Not sure. Some people think if they have a septic tank that they need to drop various treatments into the drain to keep the system "healthy." Not sure if that's necessary. One option for any of these questions is to consult your regional PEHSU. These are clinics that are federally funded and help sort out the issues. Just google PEHSU. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:56 Carl Baum

12:56

Trine Tsouderos:  And I think lastly, I wanted to ask about the importance of keeping chemicals and medications out of reach of children. I imagine you see, in the ER, a lot of cases due to parents forgetting to do that. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:56 Trine Tsouderos

12:58

Carl Baum:  Always a good idea. But your average toddler is 2 steps ahead of you! So you do have to be careful, and lock these things up. I've seen many toddlers who climb up on a counter to reach a high shelf. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:58 Carl Baum

12:58

Trine Tsouderos:  Do you mean literally lock them up? Not just keep them out of reach? Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:58 Trine Tsouderos

12:58

Trine Tsouderos:  A lot of the chemicals look like drinks - brightly colored and smell good. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:58 Trine Tsouderos

12:59

Trine Tsouderos:  Why these companies dont put child-safety locks on these things is beyond me. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:59 Trine Tsouderos

12:59

Carl Baum:  Right. These kids are magicians! One of the big problems is that iron tablets, for example, look like M&M's. Tuesday July 12, 2011 12:59 Carl Baum

1:00	Carl Baum:  Be careful with "child-proof" anything. Nothing is childproof, just child-resistant. And some of these containers can be easily defeated, like if you cross the threads, or transfer pills into one of those Mon-Tues-Wed containers. Tuesday July 12, 2011 1:00 Carl Baum

1:00	Trine Tsouderos:  I bet you see evidence of that all of the time. Tuesday July 12, 2011 1:00 Trine Tsouderos

1:00	Carl Baum:  We do! Tuesday July 12, 2011 1:00 Carl Baum

1:00	[Comment From FranciscaFrancisca: ]  Thank you so much Trine and Dr. Baum - This has been a great and very helpful session. Look forward to doing this again in the future! Tuesday July 12, 2011 1:00 Francisca

1:01	Trine Tsouderos:  Thanks so much Francisca. We enjoyed it and hope you found this useful. Thanks so much to Dr. Baum for answering so many questions, and sharing his time! Tuesday July 12, 2011 1:01 Trine Tsouderos

1:02	Trine Tsouderos:  And join us next week at noon CT for Deb Shelton's chat on surviving childhood cancer. Thanks so much and have a great week! Tuesday July 12, 2011 1:02 Trine Tsouderos

1:02	Carl Baum:  My pleasure. Tuesday July 12, 2011 1:02 Carl Baum

1:02