Can Antibacterial Sprays Be Harmful to Children?

It seems that everywhere you look these days is a new germ-killing product. Antibacterial spray soaps, household cleaners and even hand sanitizers that come in a spray form. With all of these antibacterial cleaners on hand, you can̵7;t help but wonder if your family is overexposed to the very chemicals that are supposed to keep them safe from microbes. The jury is still out, but the effects that antibacterial sprays have on children may be cause for alarm.

  1. Allergies

    • The use of antibacterial sprays may be counterproductive, especially if used in excess. Spraying and spraying in an effort to eliminate as much bacteria as possible increases your child̵7;s exposure to harmful chemicals in the home. According to the Tufts University School of Medicine website, the overuse of antibacterial products may compromise children̵7;s immune systems, resulting in improper development. This scenario lowers resistance to certain bacteria and increases the risk of allergies.

    Triclosan

    • If you read the labels on your favorite antibacterial sprays, you are likely to notice triclosan as one of the ingredients. Although there is no hard evidence that triclosan is dangerous to humans, the Food and Drug Administration notes that the ingredient does have adverse effects on animals in the testing lab. This data leads some to question triclosan̵7;s effects on humans, prompting further testing by the FDA. Further testing will also determine whether adding triclosan to antibacterial products is worth the suspected risks, since the FDA sites no concrete evidence that it increases antibacterial effectiveness.

    Ingestion

    • Always keep antibacterial sprays out of your child̵7;s reach. If you do allow your child to use antibacterial spray soaps or hand sanitizers, she should only do so under adult supervision. If the antibacterial agent gets in her eyes, flush with cold water and contact her doctor if burning or irritation persists. The ingestion of any type of antibacterial product has serious health risks. If your child does swallow an antibacterial solution, the U.S. National Library of Medicine̵7;s website states that an immediate call to the Poison Control Center is advisable.

    A Safer Alternative

    • According to the FDA, washing your hands with plain soap and water is an effective way to kill germs -- rendering antibacterial spray soaps unnecessary for this purpose. Store-bought antibacterial sprays are also unnecessary for housecleaning. In fact, you can replace those questionable antibacterial sprays with a homemade version that is safer for children. Simply add 1 3/4 cups of hot water, 1 tsp. of borax, 2 tsp. of white vinegar, 2 tsp. of liquid dish soap and ten drops of antibacterial eucalyptus, lemon or peppermint essential oil to a 16-ounce spray bottle -- and spray away.

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