Are slimes harmful to health, why are they dangerous for a child?
Sodium tetraborate is used to create slime, then parents wonder whether it is dangerous to play with such toys. Slime is not difficult to find in any children's store or to make yourself. They are designed to entertain children, but apart from being useful, they can also cause damage. The composition contains components that cause health problems. There is a category of people for whom contact with an object is totally contraindicated.
Beneficial Features
Slime, or slime (translated from English - mucus) is called a sticky, soft, jelly-like mass obtained by combining sodium tetraborate with water. The substance has different colors, has a dense structure, stretches, spreads, takes any shape and does not stick to the hands. In addition to being useful, a toy can also be harmful to health.
The benefits of slimes are manifested in the following cases:
- The toy is approved for use by children over the age of three. It promotes the development of fine motor skills and coordination of movements.
- Helps restore hand muscles after injury to bring them back to proper tone.
- You can pull the mass, sculpt figures from it, add beads, which has a beneficial effect on creative thinking.
- The toy helps to relieve stress, get rid of aggression.
- Slime is also used for cleaning. With its help, quickly and easily remove dust from any surface. The good news is that after each harvest, the slime is washed away and it becomes clean again.
In order for all the declared properties to be preserved for a long time, the slime should be stored in a case with a tight-fitting lid.
What harm can they do
The main damage is caused by the chemical components that make up the mud. In most cases there are problems with the skin and the respiratory tract. In addition to glue, sodium tetraborate, sticky mass contains dyes:
- Most recipes contain sodium tetraborate. This component represents 2% of the sludge.
- Another component is PVA glue.
- Shaving foam is another common ingredient.
- The color of the slime is acquired by adding a dye.
- The main volume of mud is water.
Additional ingredients are lotions, shampoos, body gels, glitter. In addition to sodium tetraborate, components such as lens solution, glycerin solution or baking soda can act as activators.
Glue
PVA glue has low toxicity:
- This component adversely affects the body if it gets into the eyes or inside the body. Volatile particles are not dangerous only in small quantities.
- The glue has a pungent, specific smell. Inside it causes headaches in children and dizziness. In ready-to-use slimes, the pungent smell of the glue is usually interrupted by the flavors.
Sodium tetraborate and borax
Borax is a salt of boric acid. This component is used for disinfection. It is found in detergents and cosmetics. Borax and sodium tetraborate are not classified as strong toxins. But with prolonged direct contact, in this case playing with mud, skin irritation, dermatitis, as well as inflammation of the respiratory tract and eyes may occur.
Component characteristics:
- the substance is absorbed internally when inhaling vapors, when taken orally, as well as through damaged areas of the skin;
- the risk of inhaling particles is increased in poorly ventilated and dusty areas;
- substances irritate the skin, respiratory tract, mucous membranes of the eyes, negatively affect the state of the central nervous system;
- when taken orally, the gastrointestinal tract and kidneys are primarily affected;
- with prolonged contact with the components, dermatitis and diseases of the respiratory organs develop.
natural ingredients
Slime is also made from natural ingredients:
- guar gum (locust bean gum) obtained from the beans of the Cyamopsis tetraganoloba plant;
- methylcellulose is obtained from wood, which is an activated vegetable polymer;
- cornstarch;
- Gelatin.
All of these components are the cause of bacteria and mold buildup. Over time, they are numerous and capable of causing infectious diseases.
You should be prepared for the fact that any of the listed ingredients can develop allergies in the form of itching, redness of the skin, coughing, runny nose and swelling of the nasopharyngeal mucosa.
Self-production
You can make slime yourself at home from various components.
shampoo
It will be possible to make a slime from an ordinary hair shampoo. To work, you need the following ingredients:
- shampoo without dyes and harmful components;
- glue "Titan";
- all dyes.
The slime making process involves a number of sequential steps:
- a little shampoo is poured into the container;
- glitter and dye are poured into the center;
- all components are thoroughly mixed so that there are no lumps;
- then glue is added in a ratio of 3: 2;
- mix again until the mass becomes smooth;
- for storage, choose a container with a tight lid.
Toothpaste
For work it is better to take a paste with a thick consistency. Any coloring is also required. The progress of the work is as follows:
- squeeze all the dough from the tube onto a plate;
- add a colorant;
- all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed so that there are no lumps;
- then the container with the contents is placed on the stove and kept for 16 minutes, stirring occasionally (due to heating, the mass becomes more dense);
- you need to wait until the mass has cooled down.
Security engineering
Mud play is best supervised by parents.
This will greatly help reduce the risk of problems:
- Small children can eat sticky particles. Therefore, you need to carefully monitor that the child does not bring the toy to his mouth.
- Before buying, you need to study the composition and make sure that the child is not allergic to the constituent components.
- Long term contact with mud should be avoided.
- The shelf life of a slime should not exceed one week.
- In the case of self-creation of a slime, adults should control all stages of work. Kids don't have to make slime alone.The finished slime is stored in the refrigerator, in case of mold or an unpleasant smell, it must be thrown away.
- All the ingredients needed to make a slime should be purchased in large stores where the quality of the products is guaranteed.
- Slime should be made in a well-ventilated area.
- Parents should not be allowed to make slimes daily. Frequent contact with pure ingredients is harmful to the skin.
- Work with all components for creating a slime is carried out with gloves.
- After contact with mud, be sure to wash your hands with soap and water.
Who shouldn't play with slimes
In order not to harm health, the following category of people should be abandoned from playing with slimes:
- children under three years old (babies put everything in their mouths, so there is a high risk of swallowing the sticky composition);
- people who have cuts and scrapes on their hands;
- it is advisable not to come into contact with the sticky mass for people prone to allergic manifestations;
- you should not be near the slime and take it into the hands of pregnant and lactating women;
- patients with bronchial asthma.
Mud in these cases is harmful to health. In order not to aggravate the disease, it is necessary to limit the game with this object.