PARENTS of young children here don't need to discard their baby lotion, powder or shampoo just yet.
A recent study has said these products could lead to higher concentrations of phthalates, which are chemicals linked to allergies and altered reproductive development in babies.
Phthalates are man-made chemicals commonly found in personal care and other household products such as plastic children's toys, lubricants and cosmetics.
But some experts here say the study's findings are inconclusive. The study was conducted at the University of Washington and Seattle Children's Hospital Research Institute.
It found that babies treated with common baby care products such as lotion, shampoo, and powder were more likely to have phthalates in their urine than other babies.
Reports by AFP and the Los Angeles Times said that the research, published in medical journal Pediatrics last week, found that the concentration of phthalates rose together with the rise in the use of such products.
Researchers measured the levels of nine different phthalates in urine samples collected from 163 infants, aged two months to 28 months.
They had the babies' mothers fill out questionnaires on their use of infant care products in the previous 24 hours.
The researchers found that at least one phthalate was present in every baby's urine sample, and that using baby powder, lotion and shampoo was strongly associated with higher phthalate levels in the urine.
Still, parents here should not be too worried about these findings, local experts say.
Dr Anne Goh, senior consultant for the Paediatric Medicine, Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology Service at KK Women's and Children's Hospital said: "Though phthalates may be associated with allergies and asthma, causal relationships have not been proven."
Added Professor Hugo Van Bever, senior consultant at the Department of Paediatrics at the National University Hospital: "There have been some studies on phthalates in the last couple of years, and the results are very discordant.
"Studies in animals with phthalates showed that they did not induce allergies. Moreover, there's no scientific evidence that these chemicals cause allergies in humans, and of course research is being done still, but I think there's no reason to really avoid these products."
But Mrs Joan Lee, 28, a mother of a 16-month-old daughter, is not taking chances. She is considering switching to brands that only use natural ingredients.
"There may be paediatricians saying that it's nothing to worry about, but we won't really know. So, I would rather be safe than sorry, especially when it comes to my baby and her health," she said.
For Mrs Geraldine Tham, 33, a mother of two young daughters aged two and three months, the study reinforces her practice of not using products like talcum powder and baby lotion.
She said: "I believe that we are all born with good skin, until we try to use a lot of other things on it."
