Carpet Installation and a Baby's Health Problems

When getting the nursery ready for a new baby, parents often paint walls and install new carpeting. Carpet seems the perfect nursery option; it diminishes sound, keeps the room warmer in the winter and provides a soft place for a new crawler. However, an increasing number of experts believe carpet poses an invisible health threat to babies, who are in close respiratory contact with it while their immune systems are developing.

Dust and Dust Mites

• According to the Washington Toxics Coalition, researchers have discovered "consumer lead, pesticides, and combustion byproducts to be common components of house dust... [and] also found levels of some persistent bioaccumulative toxic chemicals (PBTs) ... at higher levels inside household dust than in the surrounding outdoor soil." Carpet holds a measurable amount of dust, even when vacuumed regularly. It's been associated with "sick building syndrome"; those affected complain of headaches, dizziness and general fatigue. Dust mites are distinct from dust and require an element of moisture to survive. In humid environments especially, carpet is ripe to host dust mites which prompt asthma attacks and may in fact cause asthma's development.

Toxic Emissions

• Hundreds of toxic chemicals are used in the manufacturing process of carpeting. Even though carpet manufacturers have taken steps to reduce chemicals used, they're still commonly found in "fiber bonding material, dyes, backing glues, fire retardants, latex binder, fungicides, and anti-static and stain resistant treatments," according to Christi Graham, writer for Healthy Home Plans. Such chemicals include toluene, xylene, benzene, styrene and 4-phenyl cyclohexene (4-PC); a mix of neurotoxins (affecting the nervous system) and carcinogens (cancer-causing). Although not everyone has adverse reactions to carpeting, others develop headaches, skin rashes, and eye and respiratory problems, among other health issues.

Expert Opinion

• In her paper "Carpet Concerns Part Four: Physicians Speak Up As Medical Evidence Mounts", Cindy Duehring, Director of Research for the Environmental Access Research Network, sites a study in which two small children who often played on newly installed carpet began having epileptic seizures, which were confirmed through EEGs. The entire family complained of headaches, including the older children who hadn't played on the carpet. When it was removed, all symptoms and seizures disappeared. Occupational medicine specialist Dr. Grace Ziem, M.D. says "[I'm] deeply concerned about the common practice of redecorating nurseries with toxic products and putting in new carpet before babies are born. [That's] the baby's 24-hour environment. [It's] a ... dangerous risk to take."

Using Carpet

• In homes where removing carpet isn't an immediate or desirable option, homeowners can take action to minimize the potential impact of dust and toxic emissions for all occupants. It's been shown that outside doormats and shoe removal at the door may lessen a baby's subjection to dust by 90 to 98 percent. Additionally, using a vacuum with a clean filter and a beater brush will help effectively lift dust and dust mites from carpet fibers. Good ventilation can reduce the impact of any toxic emissions and maintain fresher air. Plants absorb and remove toxic elements from the air (including those of cleaners, paint, wallpaper and furniture).

Alternatives

• Alternative flooring options include cork, which is softer than hardwood, eco-friendly and sound-absorbing; bamboo, which is also eco-friendly; and tile flooring. Hardwood floors are the traditional alternative---it's a good idea to ask the supplier for the least toxic finishing option. All hard floors are more easily kept dust-free with frequent vacuuming and wet-mopping. However, unlike carpet---which holds dust---dirty hard flooring allows dust to swirl into the air where it's easily inhaled.