Holistic pediatrician Dr. Ana-Maria Temple warns that thermal paper receipts contain 250 to 1,000 times more BPA than canned foods, and the chemical absorbs through skin easily in children. She links BPA exposure to early puberty, ADHD, and immune dysfunction, and recommends parents keep kids from handling receipts or use apps like Expensify instead.
Holistic pediatrician tip of the day: why children should not be touching receipts. Receipts are coated with a chemical called BPA, which is bisphenol A, and it's used to make them print without ink. Receipts contain 250 to 1,000 times more BPA than cans. It's a forever chemical that sticks in our bodies and never breaks down. BPA is known to interfere with hormone development, especially in children. It is linked to early puberty, ADHD, and immune system dysfunction. When kids handle receipts, the BPA is absorbed through the skin. Children's bodies are very susceptible to chemicals in the environment. Even a small exposure can be harmful to children. There's so many toxins and pollutants in our environment. Our children are sicker than ever before. There's just simply no reason for our children to handle receipts and expose them to BPA. When a receipt is offered, take a photo of the receipt and put it in your phone, or use Expensify, which sorts all your receipts right there and then, and you don't have to do any bookkeeping. So next time you get a receipt, just remember it's not just paper, it's paper coated with chemicals that could lead to harmful effects in your children's bodies.
