Syracuse (WSYR-TV) -- There are some new concerns about a chemical found in certain products that you almost certainly have in your home. It turns out they could be affecting your children.
Bishpenola, or BPA, is an industrial chemical in wide use. It’s used to make hard plastics, dental sealants and even the linings of cans to hold food and soft drinks. Most of us have it in our bodies, too.
The Food and Drug Administration says BPA is usually safe, though it bans the chemical in baby bottles and cups.
Now, a study in “Environmental Health Perspectives” raises a red flag. It studied almost 350 pregnant women and newborn boys and found that BPA changed their thyroid hormone levels. These hormones are essential in pre and post-natal growth.
When the baby boys’ level of BPA was higher, their thyroid level went up.
The authors worry that even small changes in thyroid function could alter the behavior and development of young children and call for more study.
