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EU Wheels in ‘Forever Chemicals’ Ban for Children’s Toys
EU negotiators and member states have hammered out an agreement on how to better protect children from dangerous chemicals and hazardous toys sold online. While most hazardous substances are already banned, the bloc says action is still needed on certain chemicals that disrupt hormones and damage the nervous, respiratory, or immune systems.
What are the new rules on chemicals?
The new rules introduce a ban on PFAS — a group of synthetic chemicals known for their durability and health risks, except in electronic components in toys that are out of reach of children. Repeated exposure to PFAS has been linked to liver damage, high cholesterol levels, reduced immune response, low birth weight, and various types of cancer.
The regulations also expand existing bans on carcinogenic, mutagenic and toxic for reproduction chemicals to include other hazardous substances like hormone disruptors. Such chemicals are linked to increasingly common hormone-related disorders, often later in life, such as impaired sperm quality.
Fluoride Exposure Linked to ‘Detrimental Effects’ on Health of Pregnant Women, Infants
Fluoride has long been used as a dental health tool as a means of preventing cavities and fighting tooth decay — but now a new meta-analysis suggests it could have “detrimental effects” on the health of pregnant women and infants.
Researchers analyzed various studies, concluding that exposure to fluoride “offers little benefit to the fetus and young infant.” Systemic fluoride exposure can have a harmful impact on bone strength, thyroid function and cognitive development, according to the findings, which were published in the Annual Review of Public Health.
“Community-wide administration of systemic fluoride may pose an unfavorable risk–benefit ratio for the pregnant woman, fetus and infant,” reads the meta-analysis.
Philippe Grandjean, a researcher on the study and professor of environmental medicine at the University of Southern Denmark, told Fox News Digital that “fluoride is toxic to early brain development.”
Researchers Issue Urgent Warning About Invisible Threat to Children’s Health: ‘Long-Term Consequences’
A new study shows how air pollution can impact childhood development and mental health based on exposure levels at various ages.
What’s happening?
The paper used the Christchurch Health and Development Study — which tracks 1,265 people born in the New Zealand town in 1977 — and air pollution data to find links among air pollution, childhood development, and mental health through adolescence, as four of the researchers wrote for the Conversation. “We found an increased risk of attention problems, conduct issues, lower educational attainment and substance abuse in adolescence associated with higher exposure,” they said.
The researchers “were able to highlight the long-term consequences of growing up in polluted environments” by monitoring exposure to air pollution from the prenatal stage to age 10, as well as cognitive and mental health outcomes. The children were grouped into those with high prenatal and postnatal exposure to air pollution, consistently high exposure, elevated preschool exposure, and consistently low exposure.
The study accounted for variability in socioeconomic status, neighborhood disadvantage, and parental characteristics. The first two groups had a greater risk of developing attention problems and abusing substances in adolescence, while the third group had “poorer educational attainment and a higher likelihood of conduct disorders and substance abuse problems.”
Gut Imbalances in Autism Linked to Brain and Behavior Changes
A new USC study suggests that gut imbalances in children with autism may create an imbalance of metabolites in the digestive system — ultimately disrupting neurotransmitter production and influencing behavioral symptoms. The research, published today in Nature Communications, adds to a growing body of science implicating the “gut-brain” axis in autism.
The discovery raises the possibility of new treatment avenues. It’s an example of how research at USC, and other universities, drives innovation and leads to discoveries that improve lives. The gut-brain connection is not as far-fetched as it might seem. From an evolutionary perspective, the gut was likely the first “brain,” explained Aziz-Zadeh, who also is a professor at USC Dornsife’s Department of Psychology and the USC Mrs. T.H. Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy.
In fact, most of the neurons from the gut send signals to the brain; there are actually more neurons in the gut than in the spinal cord. About 90% of the neural signals between the gut and brain travel from the gut to the brain, while only 10% go in the opposite direction. This constant communication explains why we talk about “gut instinct” or “feeling it in your gut.” Many emotions are processed through gut-related mechanisms, a concept known as interoception — the perception of internal bodily sensations.
Risks to Children Playing Roblox ‘Deeply Disturbing’, Say Researchers
“Deeply disturbing” research exposes how easy it is for children to encounter inappropriate content and interact unsupervised with adults on the gaming platform Roblox. It comes as parents shared their serious concerns about children experiencing addiction, seeing traumatising content and being approached by strangers on the hugely popular website and app.
Roblox acknowledges that children using the platform may be exposed to harmful content and “bad actors”. It says it is working hard to fix this, but that industry-wide collaboration and government intervention are needed.
Describing itself as “the ultimate virtual universe”, Roblox features millions of games and interactive environments, known collectively as “experiences”. Some of the content is developed by Roblox, but much of it is user-generated. In 2024, the platform had more than 85 million daily active users, an estimated 40% of whom are under 13.
