Raising Healthy Children in a Toxic World (Rodale Organic Style Books) [Illustrated] [Paperback]

Phillip Landrigan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 23, 2002 | ISBN-10: 087596947X | ISBN-13: 978-0875969473

A must-have Organic Style title for parents and parents-to-be! All parents want what's best for their children, and protecting them from the toxic materials that surround us---such as lead, asbestos, PCBs, and pesticides---is, of course incredibly pertinent to their well-being. Whether choosing where to buy a home, deciding which toys to buy, or just being informed about the safety of a child's school, Raising Healthy Children in a Toxic World provides parents with necessary information and recommended solutions. Tips for parents and parents-to-be include: Test peeling and chipping paint for lead content; Remove wall-to-wall carpets and replace with scatter rugs you can wash; No soap at all is just fine for bathing; Instead of commercial baby wipes, use a cotton cloth dipped in water and baking soda; Written by pediatricians who have done extensive research on pesticides and lead poisoning, this user-friendly volume includes checklists to help readers identify toxins in and around the home and an extensive list of resources for locating more natural products. Each solution is conveniently rated for its importance and difficulty.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

What do salt, peaches, and carpet have in common? Two things: chances are you have them in your house, and they all have the potential for serious toxicity. Raising Healthy Children in a Toxic World is full of scary eye-openers, but it also includes plenty of ways to improve the well-being and safety of your family at home, work, daycare, or the local park.

The 101 suggestions in the book range far and wide in the search for common sources of toxicity and are further subdivided into areas of special interest. Each chapter has a short list of questions to help you identify which topics to focus on, such as "How old is your house?" and "Does your school have science labs?". Depending on the answer, a list of topic numbers will be of special interest in your hunt for solutions. Chapter topics include food safety (stop using antibiotic washes), household chemicals (don't use mildew-resistant paints), and reproductive risks, so it's also possible to simply flip to the area of greatest concern.

Because of arrangement by topic rather than toxin, easy solutions like giving away poisonous philodendrons and poinsettias are featured right next to suggestions on ripping out carpets and putting down wood floors; chemicals that are known to be instantly deadly are listed right next to potential sources of long-range impact. While the overall range is excellent, the book may be overwhelming to novices in the world of chemicals. --Jill Lightner

About the Author

Philip J. Landrigan, M.D., is well-known for directing a major study on pesticides in children's diets at the National Academy of Sciences. He is Professor of Pediatrics at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City and Director of Mount Sinai School of Medicine's Center for Children's Health and the Environment. Herbert L. Needleman, M.D., is a leading researcher on childhood lead poisoning. He is Professor of Child Psychiatry and Pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh's School of Medicine. Mary Landgrigan is Director of Health Education and Information for the Westchester County Department of Health in New York.

Product Details

• Paperback: 168 pages
• Publisher: Rodale (February 23, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 087596947X
• ISBN-13: 978-0875969473
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #806,789 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended, very useful, January 1, 2003

By 

Melanie "mongoliamel" (Cass Lake, MN, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Raising Healthy Children in a Toxic World (Rodale Organic Style Books) (Paperback)

I will have to admit that on my first glance at this book, written by two doctors and a public health expert, I felt overwhelmed by its checklists and inspection suggestions to use in our home. Did I really want to know if our home was toxic? Did I want to know if my son's school was a safe place for him to be? I wasn't sure at first, but as is typical for me and other moms I know, my parental guilt got the best of me and I sat down to read this amazingly interesting book.

The environmental checklist at the back of the book proved to be more than just another thing to do; it helped me to focus in on areas of our home where we are at risk of being exposed to toxins.

Did you know, for example, that magic markers that contain xylene can cause your child to experience headaches, dizziness, confusion, and balance and breathing problems? Scented markers can be dangerous in addition because they encourage children to taste them.

The book does contain some good news. For example, olive oil can be effective in treating head lice, therefore avoiding the potential dangers of the more caustic over-the-counter head lice treatments.

Forget about creating a germ free kitchen or bathroom - it can't be done. Using antibacterial, germ killing, sterilizing sprays will rarely result in a germ free environment, even if that were something one would wish to do. Using toxic cleaners simply replaces the germs with a synthetic chemical hazard. Overuse of such products can actually increase the potency of germs that can rise up and revolt against the products themselves. For disinfecting, simple "green" products work and are safe, or a homemade solution of ¼ cup of bleach to a gallon of water will suffice.

I was further surprised to learn that commercial peanut butter might be better for your child than the ground peanut version. This is largely because there are government regulations limiting the amount of aflatoxin, a naturally occurring toxin produced by mold that contaminates peanuts. A child who eats a product with high levels of aflatoxin may develop liver failure. Some fresh ground peanut butters tested at natural food stores were found to have levels higher than the government standards of this dangerous substance.

Raising Healthy Children in a Toxic World has now joined the other reference books that sit on my kitchen counter for a quick thumb through when needed. I recommend other parents add it to their bookshelves as well.

--Reviewed by Carol LaLiberte

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Get this BOOK Back in Print PLEASE!!!!, March 31, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Raising Healthy Children in a Toxic World (Rodale Organic Style Books) (Paperback)

This is one of the best books I've read in a long time on the subject of environmental wellness. I recommend it to every person I know that has a child! It frustrates me that this book is hard to find. It's simple enough for the average consumer. It teaches alot-- Important stuff. When my friend told me his daughter has cancer, I urged him to read this book in order to protect her environment while she heals and make her future environment SAFE. PLEASE get this book back on amazon with unlimited availability!