Allergies from fragrances in children's toys

Fragrances in children's toys cause contact allergies

04/12/2012

Frequently, children's toys contain allergenic fragrances, which in addition to nickel too „the contact allergens with the highest sensitization rates in the population“ , warns the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment. There may be a lifelong allergy. The „Sensitization and triggering of allergic contact dermatitis can only be prevented by avoiding or minimizing allergen exposure“, However, the limit values ​​for children's toys are too high, according to the BfR.

Many children already sensitized to perfumes and nickel
About ten percent of children are already sensitized to nickel, according to the BfR, and around two percent are aware of fragrances. The contact with the potential allergy triggers, however, can hardly be avoided, as they are often in everyday objects such as the children's toys, with which the little ones come in contact for hours. The more often and intensively a child has contact with the allergenic substances, „the higher the probability that a contact allergy develops“, a spokeswoman for the BfR told the news agency „dpa“. The contact allergy is manifested by skin reactions such as redness, blistering and oozing „to more serious inflammation“, so the message of the BfR. The sensitization after the first appearance will last a lifetime, is not curable and only the symptoms can be treated. The contact with the allergenic substances such as nickel or certain fragrances should therefore already „avoided in childhood as much as possible“ warns the BfR.

Strict legal regulations for the fragrance content in children's toys
According to the BfR, the current legal regulations for children's toys do not do justice to the protection of children, since the European Toy Safety Directive, for example, does not set a limit for the release of nickel and the permissible limits for the fragrances are clearly too high. The BfR therefore calls for the limits of the so-called REACH regulation on nickel release „Products with immediate and prolonged skin contact“ (for example, jewelry, clothing) on ​​toys expand. Furthermore, toys for children under the age of three should generally not contain fragrances, and children's toys for older children should have a Europe-wide limit of ten milligrams per kilogram, the BfR said.

Too high limits for fragrances in children's toys
There are currently 55 known allergens „Fragrances and fragrance ingredients are banned under the new EU Toys Directive, eleven other fragrances are declarable because of their allergenic potential“, reports the BfR. But the ban does not mean that the toy is actually free of the substances. Because according to the notification of the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment „Trace levels of these prohibited fragrances up to 100 milligrams per kilogram of toy material allowed.“ This limit is clearly too high. The 55 banned allergenic fragrances should basically not be detected in children's toys, demand the experts of the BfR. For the eleven declarable perfumes, the BfR proposes a limit of ten milligrams per kilogram of material, but this applies only to children's toys for adolescents over the age of three years. For toys for younger children, the BfR believes that the general ban on fragrances must apply.

Health risk due to fragrances in children's toys
The fragrances in children's toys are largely made of artificially produced chemical substances that do not serve a technical purpose, but only stimulate the sense of smell, said the spokeswoman for the BfR. Sensory and primarily sales stimuli should be addressed here. The teddy must not only be cuddly, but also smell good. However, the use of fragrances in cuddly toys and Co. sometimes carries a significant health risk for the children. Some develop contact allergies through constant contact with the fragrances, which accompanies them throughout their lives. According to the information provided by the BfR, about two percent of all children in Germany are affected, with the proportion of those children who are already being treated in a dermatological clinic being 12 percent.

Too high concentration of allergens in children's toys
Although only a few of the approximately 2,500 existing fragrances trigger a contact allergy, caution should always be taken with strikingly smelling toys. The allergic reaction of the contact allergy does not occur at the first contact with the allergens, but develops only with time. If they are sensitized, renewed contact with the substances leads to sometimes severe reactions on the skin, which may range from slight redness to blisters and wheals up to severe inflammation. To avoid sensitization or allergic contact dermatitis, according to the BfR „preventive measures necessary.“ This means that contact with the allergens should always be avoided or minimized. It would be the „dermal exposure of children to allergenic fragrances from toys“ in principle avoidable, if stricter guidelines would apply here, according to the assessment of the BfR. The concentration of allergens in children's toys would have to be lowered significantly or the use of the substances would ideally be completely dispensed with, the experts demand.

Contact allergy can have a lasting effect on the life course
Consequence of the contact allergy is the so-called contact eczema, which after 24 to 48 hours as „Skin disorder with itching, redness, swelling, scaling and blistering“ occurs, reports the BfR. According to the experts, the contact dermatitis can be for those affected „to a considerable burden and impairment of the quality of life“ to lead. There may be a risk of chronic eczema. Also, the contact allergy can affect the life of the child sustainably, for example, certain professions are no longer in question. Therefore, the manufacturers of children's toys are here in the duty and should waive in terms of the health of their customers to potentially allergenic substances. However, as the willingness of children's toy manufacturers to voluntarily forego fragrances in their products has not been evident, the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment is now campaigning for the second time for stricter legal regulation at EU level. This should also limit the content of fragrances in stuffed animals, dolls, balls, puzzles and toy cars rigorously. A detailed justification for the claims is provided by the BfR in the statement „Contact allergens in toys: Health evaluation of nickel and fragrances“ (Fp)

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Picture: Sabine Koriath