Early Puberty and Problems in Sexual Development
Circumcision: the Health Benefits and Risks
While many parents decide whether to circumcise their sons based on culture or religion, a 2012 report found that the health benefits of circumcision outweigh the risks of the procedure. Read More
Are Bisphenol A (BPA) Plastic Products Safe?
Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical used to make plastics. It is frequently used in sports equipment, water bottles, medical devices, as a coating or lining in food and beverage cans, and in credit card receipts. It leaches out of plastic into liquids and foods, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found measurable amounts of BPA in the bodies of 93% of the U.S. population studied. While early concerns about BPA’s health effects were based primarily on animal studies and research on cells, there is increasing evidence from studies in humans that BPA can cause serious harm, such as increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and sexual dysfunction. Read More
Early Puberty in Girls
Ten years ago, shocking new guidelines for pediatricians advised that girls who start to develop breasts and pubic hair at age six or seven are not necessarily “abnormal.” In fact, by age eight, 48 percent of African American girls and 15 percent of white girls are showing clear signs of puberty. Read More
Boys To Men
The early sexual development of girls has received tremendous media attention, but there has been no similar attention to boys. A new study of signs of puberty among boys between 8 and 19 may change that, because it shows that early puberty is also happening among boys. Read More
Are Pretty Products Causing Early Puberty?
Medical experts wonder why so many third grade girls have already developed breasts and pubic hair. Early puberty in boys is less obvious but also of concern. Read More
Are Bisphenol A (BPA) Plastic Products Safe for Infants and Children?
Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical used to make plastics, and is frequently used in baby bottles, sports equipment, water bottles, medical devices, and as a coating in food and beverage cans. Read More
Phthalates Q&A
All of your phthalate questions answered. Including what a phthalate is! Read More
Phthalates and Children’s Products
The ban on phthalates is the result of a law passed in 2008, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. The law permanently bans BBP, DBP and DEHP from toys and child care products, and temporarily bans DIDP, DINP and DnOP until a scientific board (the Chronic Hazard Advisory Panel) determines for the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) whether or not they are safe. A few months before the bill passed, major retailers such as Wal-Mart, Target, and Babies “R” Us promised to remove or severely restrict children’s products containing phthalates by the end of 2008. But children and adults in the U.S. are STILL EXPOSED to phthalates in many other products, including shampoo, soap, lotions, food packaging, Read More