Common Household Chemical Can Increase Child’s Risk for Eczema, Harvard School of Public Health Study

A new study exposes the danger of the chemical butylbenzyl phthalate (BBzP), a chemical found in the households of nearly 100 percent of the mothers studied. BBzP is often used in vinyl flooring and artificial leather, and it’s slowly released into home air. It can also increase a child's risk for developing eczema. Eczema is characterized by dry, itchy red skin on the face, scalp, or extremities and is common in early childhood. "While hereditary factors, allergens, and exposure to tobacco smoke are known to contribute to the condition, our study is the first to show that prenatal exposure to BBzP is a risk factor," Allan C. Just, PhD, first author on the Mailman School study and currently a postdoctoral researcher at the Harvard School of Public Health, was quoted as saying