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OT Flame retardant sleepwear
Hi everyone, Thought I'd ask tis bunch of mothers-in-the-know about the hazards (if any) of flame retardants used on children's pajamas. I've heard this and that in the news about the pervasive flame retardants in mattresses, furniture, carpets, etc., that apparently pose a number of risks, including cancer and diminished fertility in male children. (This flap is distinct from the one over Tris 25+ years ago.) I bought a pair of fleece pajamas for DS and only later did the matter of flame retardants come to my attention. The pajamas are nice, and I see that if one washes them in soap rather than detergent, the flame retardant effect is lost. What I'd like to know is if this also renders the garment less toxic. Anybody know anything about this? Thanks! Beth |
#2
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OT Flame retardant sleepwear
I specifically stay away from the flame retardant treated sleepwear. The
stink of the chemicals is enough to make me run the other way. Someone gave my mom a pair as a baby gift for us when ds was born, and when I opened the package, I nearly choked. Also, most kids sleepwear is made from polyester, which I think also makes it flame resistant, and we just don't do polyester, either. I think it's really bad for the skin, for one thing. Breathable 100% cotton with no flame retardant is all I'll ever put on my kids. I have found cotton pajama/sleeper type things in catalogues, and other wise use alternate things like sweatshirts and pants, waffle knit thermal tops and long johns, etc. We are very suspicious of chemicals and long term consequences of them. We cloth diaper, eat as much organic as possible, etc. Not totally crunchy, but crunchier and more sceptical and suspicious than most. I also remember reading one time that kids who cosleeep are safer in the instance of nighttime fires, because they are in the room/bed with their parents, not off in a room alone somewhere where they need to be found or gotten to in an emergency. That's just the way we do things around here. -Karen, mom to Henry 4/24/04- |
#3
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OT Flame retardant sleepwear
"Beth" wrote
Thought I'd ask tis bunch of mothers-in-the-know about the hazards (if any) of flame retardants used on children's pajamas. I've heard this and that in the news about the pervasive flame retardants in mattresses, furniture, carpets, etc., that apparently pose a number of risks, including cancer and diminished fertility in male children. (This flap is distinct from the one over Tris 25+ years ago.) I'm not so much against the flame retardant, but don't understand why. If the flames are close enough to DD that the pajamas are going to save her because they don't burn, she's pretty much toast anyway. We buy 100% cotton jammies and have a smoke detector in her room. Her sheets are cotton/lycra and the decorative bedding is 100% cotton, so none of it is flame retardant. I guess in my life there are enough other things that I worry about that giving her comfy jammies is more important to me than worrying about fire. -- Melissa (in Los Angeles) Mum to Elizabeth 4/13/03 |
#4
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OT Flame retardant sleepwear
"Melissa" wrote in message
news:I3dQb.131847$xy6.536344@attbi_s02... I'm not so much against the flame retardant, but don't understand why. If the flames are close enough to DD that the pajamas are going to save her because they don't burn, she's pretty much toast anyway. This is exactly my thinking as well. I wonder why they don't make kids' daytime clothes flame retardant, not the PJ's. They're not going near anything hot while in bed, but when they're up running around an accident is more likely to happen IMO. I'm guessing it was mandated as the direct result of some particular tragedy and big lawsuit, so I wouldn't expect it to be logical or well-thought-out. -- Cheryl S. Mom to Julie, 2 yr., 10 mo. And Jaden, 4 months Cleaning the house while your children are small is like shoveling the sidewalk while it's still snowing. |
#5
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OT Flame retardant sleepwear
"Melissa" wrote in message news:I3dQb.131847$xy6.536344@attbi_s02... I'm not so much against the flame retardant, but don't understand why. If the flames are close enough to DD that the pajamas are going to save her because they don't burn, she's pretty much toast anyway. That's in the event of a house fire. How about playing around matches, stoves or a parent who smokes, though? Beth |
#6
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OT Flame retardant sleepwear
"Beth" wrote in message .. .
Hi everyone, Thought I'd ask tis bunch of mothers-in-the-know about the hazards (if any) of flame retardants used on children's pajamas. I've heard this and that in the news about the pervasive flame retardants in mattresses, furniture, carpets, etc., that apparently pose a number of risks, including cancer and diminished fertility in male children. (This flap is distinct from the one over Tris 25+ years ago.) Hmmm....I hate flame-retardant sleepwear. It is plasticky and feels uncomfortable. So I buy 100% cotton. But to make it "safe" they make it skin tight, so I buy it a size up. I do buy fleece blanket-sleepers to put over the cotton jammies. Our house is cold. What seems wierd is that you don't seem flame-retardant sleepwear for adults. It's usually cotton. Why? Because it's UNCOMFORTABLE. A baby's chances of dying (or being saved by flame-retardant sleepwear) in a house fire are pretty low. I'd rather her be comfortable. Cathy Weeks Mommy to Kivi Alexis 12/01 |
#7
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OT Flame retardant sleepwear
"Karen" wrote in message hlink.net... I specifically stay away from the flame retardant treated sleepwear. The stink of the chemicals is enough to make me run the other way. Indeed! Also, most kids sleepwear is made from polyester, which I think also makes it flame resistant, I think plastics-based fabrics melt into the skin, causing injuries potentially worse than those inflicted by burning natural fibers. I have found cotton pajama/sleeper type things in catalogues, and other wise use alternate things like sweatshirts and pants, waffle knit thermal tops and long johns, etc. That's what I've been doing, too. I had some nice 100% cotton cozies that I cut off and hemmed up when DS grew out of them. They still make good summer nightshirts. But I did buy that pair of fleece pajamas for wintry weather (-20°F here the other night). DS always kicks the covers off, and even though we share a bed, I can't keep a cover on him . . . We are very suspicious of chemicals and long term consequences of them. Well the stuff coming out about falling sperm counts that implicate flame retardants are alarming . . . don't know how good they are, though. I'd rather do without the flame retardants--that's for sure. We cloth diaper, eat as much organic as possible, etc. Not totally crunchy, but crunchier and more sceptical and suspicious than most. That's the second such usage of "crunchy" that I've seen this week. Whence does it come? "Crunchy granola"? :-) Thanks for your input. Beth |
#8
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OT Flame retardant sleepwear
"Melissa" wrote
I'm not so much against the flame retardant, but don't understand why. If the flames are close enough to DD that the pajamas are going to save her because they don't burn, she's pretty much toast anyway. "Beth" wrote That's in the event of a house fire. How about playing around matches, stoves or a parent who smokes, though? I guess that's why we're supposed to not let children play with matches or stoves and it's a great argument (among others) to not smoke. I guess my point is that even if they're playing with matches and manage to light something, if a fire is close to them, the fire retardant in jammies isn't going to protect them from harm unless it covers they're hands and head and face and protects them from smoke inhallation (which is what kills most people in a fire anyway). -- Melissa (in Los Angeles) Mum to Elizabeth 4/13/03 |
#9
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OT Flame retardant sleepwear
Melissa wrote: "Melissa" wrote I'm not so much against the flame retardant, but don't understand why. If the flames are close enough to DD that the pajamas are going to save her because they don't burn, she's pretty much toast anyway. "Beth" wrote That's in the event of a house fire. How about playing around matches, stoves or a parent who smokes, though? I guess that's why we're supposed to not let children play with matches or stoves and it's a great argument (among others) to not smoke. I guess my point is that even if they're playing with matches and manage to light something, if a fire is close to them, the fire retardant in jammies isn't going to protect them from harm unless it covers they're hands and head and face and protects them from smoke inhallation (which is what kills most people in a fire anyway). You don't understand. Some clothing, when NOT treated with flame retardants, catch fire with a WHOOMP and it's not about being in a fire long enough to suffer smoke inhalation, but about NOT being incinerated like a roman candle from a small flame. In a major fire, they will not help, other than some fabrics not sticking to the skin, but will have an effect if the child is near a small flame. Who LETS a chld play with matches? I'd wager a fair bit that kids who find matches are not playing with them with their parents' concent/knowledge. Dawn |
#10
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OT Flame retardant sleepwear
"Dawn Lawson" wrote in message news:dAyQb.253897$X%5.3737@pd7tw2no... Who LETS a chld play with matches? I'd wager a fair bit that kids who find matches are not playing with them with their parents' concent/knowledge. Most parents don't, but my parents did. My brother and I must have been around five or six. We played with matches and candles and cigarrette lighters frequently and our parents knew all about it. We often closed off the hallway so it would be really dark and start lighting candles. Once, we were in a hall closet with a candle in a plastic pumpkin when the pumpkin caught fire. We ran back and forth to the bathroom with cups of water to put it out. Luckily, the closet was mostly empty. Anyway, my dad was in the family room reading the paper and didn't seem to know we almost burned the house down. We never got in trouble for it that I can remember. I told my co-worker that story once and she said he was probably too busy cleaning up the mess so he wouldn't get in trouble from my mom for not watching us. :-) I agree with you that the fire retardant clothing is to prevent clothing from going up in a flash from small flames, but we didn't play with flames when we were in pj's. They ought to make play clothing fire retardant, because that's when kids are up playing with fire. |
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