Safer Bath Products

Wrong, says the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a public health advocacy organization that recently released a report on kids' shampoos and body washes. Several were found to contain 1,4-dioxane, a chemical the Environmental Protection Agency calls a "probable human carcinogen."

Since the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn't regulate the chemical in bath products, it's up to you to avoid them. "Infants and children, whose brains are still developing, are more vulnerable to chemicals than adults are  -- so why take the risk?" says Philip Landrigan, M.D., professor of pediatrics and founder of the Center for Children's Health and the Environment at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. Also, more than one bath product is often used on a child, which increases exposure.

Unfortunately, simply choosing products labeled "natural" can backfire, since some natural goods may still be toxic, says Dr. Landrigan. To check for 1,4-dioxane and other hazards in products your family uses, and to find safe alternatives, visit EWG's cosmeticdatabase.com