Latex is Unsafe for Children: The Dangers and How to Avert Them

As reported earlier, the chemical makeup of latex can lead to serious health hazards for all consumers, particularly mothers, children, and healthcare workers. In this article, I will discuss the demographic that is perhaps in need of the most urgent attention: children.

There are currently many everyday baby products on the market that use latex, including pacifiers, diapers, bandages, baby bottle nipples, bandages, balloons, and rubber toys. These products are unsafe for several reasons. First, they put children with Natural Rubber Latex allergy (NRL) at serious risk of breakouts, which range from mild sneezing to severe symptoms like anaphylactic shock and even death.

Second, as Beverly Smith and Dr. David Cohen from Forward Face Organization describe, the more children are exposed to latex, the more likely they are to have severe reactions. Therefore, even if children do not initially react to latex, there is still a good chance that they could exhibit symptoms later on as they continue to use latex-ridden products.

Children who need multiple surgeries are most at risk for developing NRL. This is because they are often exposed to latex in hospitals through tools like surgical gloves, catheters, adhesive tape, electrode pads, stethoscopes, and blood pressure cuffs.

Children with spina bifida, a condition requiring multiple surgeries, may have the highest risk of acquiring NRL, with up to 60% of patients possessing the allergy. Dr. Frank Thien of Australia explains that in such children, latex allergy prevalence is directly related to the number of surgeries he or she has undergone. Children with complex genitourinary disease and chronic indwelling medical devices made of latex are also particularly at risk.

Children who have NRL may also be allergic to certain foods, as some fruits and vegetables contain the same proteins as latex. As the Cincinnati Children's Hospital suggests, children who have already demonstrated NRL should avoid bananas, avocadoes, tomatoes, celery, kiwi, passion fruit, figs, peaches, plums, nectarines, and chestnuts.

In order to keep your children safe from latex and decrease the chance that they will develop a future reaction, you should limit latex exposure as much as possible. Ask your children's doctors to avoid latex products if possible, particularly gloves.

Replace latex products in your home with latex-free substitutes (visit http://my.execpc.com/~alert/homeprod.html for a comprehensive list).

While such endeavors may seem like a hassle, they will protect your children from developing an allergy that could threaten their lives. Details on other at-risk groups and latex substitutes will be discussed in future articles.