Paint Chemicals And Kids

I don’t know about you, but I am rather paranoid about my kids and chemicals. It’s amazing how quickly little hands can get into serious trouble. That is why you will find warnings on hairspray, pain medication, common cleaners, and so much more. Each of these warnings has a section instructing us to keep these things out of reach of young children. Well, surprise surprise…paint is on the list of “dangerous chemicals” for kids.

Actually, if used improperly, paint can be a hazard for anyone. However, due to their smaller size and less developed systems children are more susceptible to the harms caused by paint chemicals.

Paint fumes

All paints tell you to use the product in a well ventilated area since the fumes can have less than desirable effects. These effects can affect children too. Kids should not spend any extended amount of time in a room that is being painted, to minimize the exposure to fumes. The short term effects of these fumes include headache, dizziness, nausea, and the like. Studies have suggested that the long term affects for kids exposed to paint fumes could include asthma and allergies.

Contact with paint

If you are using oil-based paints, you should practice greater caution with your kids and their exposure, since mere contact with the paint can cause unpleasant side effects. The solvents included in oil based paints can be an irritant to the skin and the eyes.

Swallowing paint

It goes without saying, but paint is not one of the four main food groups. If a child somehow manages to swallow paint, contact poison control. Be sure to have all pertinent information on hand like the type of paint, the amount consumed, the age and weight of the child, etc. Paint consumption can be a serious issue, so don’t delay.