Janet says: I may be one of the few that can legitimately say I love my mother-in-law. She is not meddlesome and loves her granddaughter. And like most grandmothers she loves to buy my daughter gifts. Just recently, she purchased a Cabbage Patch Kids doll. When we opened the package we noticed there was a fragrance in the doll’s hair. My first question was; why would a toy designer/manufacturer put fragrance on a doll? Kim Ode of the Star Tribune (Minneapolis- St. Paul, MN) in her article Fragrance Debate: A Matter of Scents and Sensibility wrote “Scents sell.” I think a scent in a toy makes no sense!
My point ~~ with so many children developing Autism, ADD/ADHD and Asthma what possesses the toy manufacturers to put fragrance is children’s toys? Simply, this is not a good idea! Very few of these children know or can even articulate that the fragrance is what is contributing to their disorder. I know I become irritable, erratic, nauseous, even vision impaired (among other symptoms) when exposed to certain fragrances. As an adult, it took a series of events (see upcoming blog Mommy Monster) to make the connection between the fragrance and these symptoms; children are not as savvy.
Ms. Ode also wrote, “The American Lung Association says that an estimated 4 million children under 18 years old had an asthma attack in 2004, and that many others have “hidden” or undiagnosed asthma. Almost eight in 10 kids with asthma have significant allergies — one reason asthma is considered the most common cause of school absenteeism. Fragrance is among the many triggers the association lists for asthma attacks.”
Furthermore, do you really want your child to develop Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Environmental Illness, Fibromyalgia or any other chronic illness along with the challenges they are already experiencing? Fragrance is a Molotov cocktail of chemicals. The more a person is exposed to toxic chemicals the more their immune systems become deficient. The more their immune system becomes deficient the more likely they will develop a chronic illness such as mentioned above. Trust me you do not want your children to go through what Nancie and I have to endure every day.
Children do not need to be in fear of their environment. They may intuitively know that if they go a relative’s house they will get sick because of the Glade air freshener used in the house but do not know the source or how to verbalize the problem they are having. Ah hah! That is why they cry and scream uncontrollably when they know they are going to particular environment. The last thing they need is to be assaulted with fragrance from a toy in their own home.
There has been uproar about phthalates (THAY-lates) in products particularly children’s products because they release toxins that cause birth defects, seizures, infertility, cancer, etc. So the concern is mainly regarding the plastics in baby bottles or toys and what happens when these plastics are heated. Phthalates are a hidden component in fragrance. Can someone hear this, FRAGRANCES OF ANY SORT DO NOT BELONG IN CHILDREN’S TOYS.
What happened to the doll? Finally, she was soaking in Earth Friendly Products’ Oxo Brite the odor has diminished. She is now soaking in vinegar, if that doesn’t remove the odor, she will be thrown away.
Sedu Beauty Tips Skin Care Womens Perfume…
I didn’t agree with you first, but last paragraph makes sense for me…
All my life I have had numerous allergies. For the most part, it didn’t seem that bad as a child. I wasn’t allowed certain red dyes because it made me hyper and other food were also off limits for various reasons. I even used to be allergic to the sun, specifically the ultra violet rays. I would break out in hives, and the doctor even cut off some of my skin with hives on it to test (apparently it was a perfect example of hives, but never seen for this cause).
To deal with any allergies, it’s best to avoid them. My mom forbid things in my diet, I wore a funny hat for the sun (my mom made them herself, they were usually 90’s dayglo). My mom put me on claritin at one point (I turned into a devil child from all the speed, and I never want to take it again). Pretty much, it was easy to avoid those things.
I had lots of allergies and these allergies aren’t prevalent in my life anymore. I don’t get hives anymore, red dyes don’t make me hyper, etc.
I would gladly have those allergies instead of the ones I have now.
It started early this year (9 months ago). I started getting bothered by fragrances. Then cigarette smoke (I smoked for two years!) followed by a handful of chemicals.
What I’m allergic to is everywhere. It’s on nearly everyone. I cannot ever get away from it.
My quality of life has been going in a downward spiral. I have been getting chronically sick about once a week. I don’t ever want to go out. I avoid half of all stores. I cannot go to parties anymore. The worst, travel is no longer a stress reducer, it’s not worth it to go on vacation anymore.
My house and all the products I use are of course fragrance free. I’ve stopped drinking any form of alcohol (it stated to make me really sick). Most recently I have started to alter my diet.
I’ve done a lot to change my life around, but the fact remains I cannot avoid fragrances. There is no way short of wearing a mask everywhere I go. I can’t stop breathing, and I don’t want to stay at home 24/7.
It’s a terrible terrible thing to happen to any person. I’ve become very resentful and angry because of it.
Is it right to direct these anger towards companies that produce fragrances? What are these companies? What can I do to make them change, or failing to do that, screw them over?
Oh, well….