Talcum Powder can Harm Your Baby

Babies are often dusted with talcum powder so that they keep dry. One of the commonest reasons of using talcum powder is to arrest the formation of sweat. Apart from sweat, babies often wet themselves and have to stay in a moist condition until someone changes them. However dusting powder all over the baby is an action which has come under fire. The medical professionals now, discourage  using talcum powder on the babies for a number of reasons.

Powders usually contain fine particles of silicate. A combination of both zinc stearates and magnesium silicates form the basis of a talcum powder. The silicate particles are tiny and can be readily carried by air or mingle with dust. It can easily enter the lungs causing respiratory  problems for the baby.

Babies, being, inquisitive creatures, have a tendency to put everything in their mouth. Inhaling or ingesting of talcum powder can also be life threatening for an infant even when he is under parental supervision.

Powders are normally used to combat moisture and prevent skin rashes. However, most modern day dermatologists feel that ointments are a much better option when it comes to treating diaper rashes.

Since most contaminants are linked with the dreaded disease cancer in one way or the other, studies have also been undertaken to establish a link between talc and cancer. However, a lot of statistics pertaining to the cause of ovarian cancer show that the women so affected had used powder on their groin. The theory has still not proved to be conclusive as yet but talcum powder does certainly seem to have a contributory hand in ovarian cancer.

Although there are no hard core facts relating the usage of talc to cancer in babies, the advantages of  dusting powder all over your baby is negligible. In fact, it does more harm than good. Therefore it would be better to forgo using the talc a a means of controlling moisture.