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PrintAges & Stages - October 2011
School lunches, Baby products with dangerous chemicals, and Flu shots
Keep Your Cool with School Lunches
Packing school lunches can be a pain for parents, but at least you gain some peace of mind about what your kids are eating. It’s a great way to help children maintain healthy, balanced diets — and to save money, too.
But if parents don’t take certain precautions, even the most well-meaning moms and dads could make their children sick.
A study published recently by the American Academy of Pediatrics found that more than 90 percent of sack lunches in a recent survey were kept at unsafe temperatures, exposing children to foodborne illnesses.
The report found that even lunches that included ice packs reached unsafe temperatures if too few were included or if too much time passed before lunchtime and the ice pack melted.
In the study, published in the September issue of Pediatrics, sack lunches of more than 700 preschoolers were measured 1.5 hours before the food was served. Researchers found that while 39 percent of the 705 lunches had no ice packs, about 45 percent had at least one.
Despite parents’ best efforts, only 1.6 percent of lunches with perishable items were found to be in a safe temperature zone, while more than 90 percent were at dangerously warm temperatures. Of the 1,631 perishable food items in the lunches that were studied, only 22 items were found to be in an acceptable temperature range.
For parents, this study should serve as a wake-up call. Children are at particular risk for foodborne illnesses. Studies conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2009 confirm that children younger than 4 years have 4.5 times the number of bacterial infection incidents transmitted through food compared with adults.
Symptoms of foodborne illness are unpleasant and debilitating. Severe cases, especially in young children whose immune systems are not fully developed, can lead to serious medical issues such as kidney problems, malnutrition, and even death, the study noted.
Controlling the temperature of food is an important way to prevent bacteria from growing and making kids sick. Here are some helpful tips for parents:
- Start with an insulated lunch bag or box. Soft, insulated lunch bags or boxes are the best choice. Avoid paper lunch bags.
- Include small, frozen gel packs. Have extras in the freezer in case you forgot to put yesterday’s in the icebox to refreeze.
- Consider freezing a juice box or water bottle and including it in the lunch. By lunchtime it will melt, providing a cool refreshing drink.
- Be aware that leftovers, cold cuts, tuna salads, chicken salads and egg salads all must be kept cold to avoid the growth of bacteria that can make kids sick. Even store-bought, packaged lunch combos containing lunch meats, crackers and cheese need to be kept cold.
- Don’t re-use foil, plastic wrap or Baggies even if it seems environmentally friendly to recycle. After a day in a lunch bag, they have become incubators for bacteria. The safest thing to do it to discard them.
- If you have reusable containers, be sure to wash them out thoroughly with soap and hot water.
Do your baby products contain dangerous chemicals?
The very products that parents hope will keep their babies safe and comfortable may be exposing children to potentially hazardous chemicals.
In a recent report by the American Chemical Society (ACS), scientists reported the detection of potentially toxic flame retardants in car seats, bassinet mattresses, nursing pillows, high chairs, strollers, and other products that contain polyurethane foam.
The study, carried out at Duke University in North Carolina, examined flame-retardant chemicals used in 101 baby products. Published in the ACS’ journal of Environmental Science & Technology, the findings suggest that a flame retardant banned years ago may actually remain in use in many products, although none were identified by brand.
The study detected potentially toxic flame retardants in 80 percent of the polyurethane foam samples.
Among them were compounds associated with pentaBDE, a substance banned in 172 countries and 12 U.S. states. In addition, two potential carcinogens, TCEP and TDCPP.
Flame retardants are added during manufacture to reduce the risk of polyurethane foam catching fire and to slow down burning if it does. In many products, they are required by government standards. However, it is unclear which flame retardants are being used in polyurethane foam products, and at what concentration levels.
Some child safety advocates have suggested parents avoid polyurethane foam when possible. But the Duke scientists who conducted the study suggested more analysis.
“Future studies are … warranted to specifically measure infants’ exposure to these flame retardants from intimate contact with these products, and to determine if there are any associated health concerns,” the report stated.
Don’t Skip Those FLU SHOTS this Year
If you were thinking that maybe this year your child could skip his or her flu shot, think again.
Even though this year’s flu vaccine protects against the same three influenza strains as last year’s, the American Academy of Pediatrics is stressing the importance of getting a new flu shot this season – even if children received one last year.
A person’s immunity drops by as much as 50 percent 6-12 months after vaccination, so it’s important to receive another dose this year to maintain optimal protection, according to the pediatricians’ organization.
The AAP recommends everyone 6 months or older receive influenza vaccine. Special efforts should be made to immunize all family members, household contacts, and out-of-home care providers of children who are younger than 5 years. In addition, children with high-risk conditions (e.g., asthma, diabetes, or neurologic disorders) and all women who are pregnant, considering pregnancy, or breastfeeding during the flu season should get a new vaccine because these groups are most vulnerable to influenza-related complications.
Parents and caregivers can find more information at healthychildren.org/flu.
