Harmful Effects Of Scented Candles On Babies Xyz

Scented candles have become a trending and soothing product in our homes. While giving the sweet smells, they also look good in decor and are cheaper than room fresheners. But, what some of us not realise is that these candles can be potentially dangerous for our little bundle of joy. Though it hasn’t been scientifically proven but from personal experiences of mothers and general research, it has been seen that children might get ill because of scented candles.

Paraffin and oil are the major components in making scented candles along with many other chemicals that are harmful in large quantities. Also, when the wick burns, it produces a black substance called soot which goes into the lungs and blocks them. The children being in the developing stage are more susceptible to soot and breathe in more quantities. This leads to them developing irritation, breathing problems and even lung ailment.

Though this is true for most of the scented candles, some of the candles do not have any type of harmful chemicals and thus are comparatively safe in homes with babies and children. Yet, using artificial scents itself often irritates a baby’s nose and lungs and thus they remain troubled and irritated. On the other hand, the harmful chemicals present in the candle itself which is used to keep the scent and the candle intact too are burnt when the candle is burnt. These chemicals, when inhaled in even small quantities, can be quite problematic for a baby.

Thus, care should be taken to not burn any type of scented candle in your baby’s nursery. Also, it has been seen that burning these candles for longer durations of time is what causes larger amounts of chemicals to get burnt up in the atmosphere and as more part of the wick is burnt continuously, it starts releasing more soot while the oils themselves also get burnt and are inhaled by the child.

Adults have fully grown lungs and nose hair to prevent any type of soot or harmful chemicals from getting through and even becoming dangerous but babies, on the other hand, are still yet to develop fully functional lungs or even grow proper nose hair. So the air passes through the lungs and into the bloodstream somewhat less filtered which can be harmful to the child.

The best way to use scented candles is for small durations so that the chemicals are dissolved in the atmosphere instead of being inhaled by your baby and also there are alternate ways of keeping your house smelling nice and fresh.