Pediatric Mattress Emissions Linked to Hormone Disruption, Cancer, and Neurodevelopmental Harm During Sleep

Toxic chemicals in children’s mattresses are released by body heat and weight, directly into the breathing zone during sleep.

For infants and toddlers, chemical exposure during sleep can disrupt hormones, interfere with neurological development, impair organ function, weaken bones, and alter insulin and thyroid signaling. These early exposures are linked to long-term risks including cancer, ADHD, reproductive problems, and metabolic disease.

Children spend up to 18 hours a day in direct contact with their mattresses. A new peer-reviewed study confirms that many mattresses emit dangerous chemicals, and that emissions intensify during sleep. This raises urgent concerns for pediatric health and the integrity of current safety standards.

5 Major Health Risks Discovered in Children’s Mattresses

1. Mattresses Release Toxic Chemicals During Sleep Up to 21 harmful chemicals were found in the air around sleeping children. These included phthalates, flame retardants, and hormone-disrupting compounds that are commonly used as UV filters in personal care and plastic products.
2. Body Heat and Weight Increase Emissions When body heat (37.5°C / 99.5°F) and weight (7.5 kg / 16.5 lbs) were applied, chemical emissions spiked. TBOEP (a common flame retardant) became detectable in all mattresses only under these conditions.
3. Mattresses Are Violating Chemical Safety Limits Two mattresses exceeded Canada’s legal limits for banned substances. One had more than double the allowed DnBP. Another had 9000 mg/kg (0.9%) of TCEP, which is banned in children’s foam products.
4. Certified Mattresses Still Contained Restricted Chemicals One mattress labeled “certified safe” contained 1700 mg/kg (0.17%) of DnOP, a toxic phthalate not covered by current U.S. rules. Another exceeded California’s flame retardant limits.
5. First Detection of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals Commonly Used in Cosmetics and Plastics Hormone-disrupting compounds such as benzophenones and salicylates, commonly found in sunscreens, lotions, and plastic coatings, were detected for the first time in children’s mattresses. One mattress had 9000 mg/kg (0.9%) of 2-ethylhexyl salicylate, a compound linked to thyroid disruption, estrogenic activity, and altered reproductive development.

Everyday mattresses expose children to harmful chemicals during sleep. Emissions rise with heat and pressure. These are the exact conditions children experience every night. Many brands are failing to meet even the most basic health and safety standards.

How Chemicals Are Released During Sleep

A child’s body temperature and weight are enough to activate chemical emissions. At 37.5°C (99.5°F), heat increases volatility. At 7.5 kg (16.5 lbs), pressure forces chemicals out of the foam. Together, these conditions make toxic additives move from the mattress into the air, skin, bedding, and dust.

In the study, several chemicals were undetectable at room temperature. Once heat and weight were applied, 21 harmful compounds, including endocrine disruptors, were released. This exposure occurs under normal sleeping conditions.

Why Current Regulations Fail, and Where They Must Improve

Some regulations are overly restrictive and interfere with innovation and competition. But when it comes to children’s health, transparency is non-negotiable. Parents have the right to know what their children are breathing while they sleep.

Many of the chemicals detected in this study are already regulated in other products. But those rules often don’t apply to mattresses. For example, limits exist for toys meant for mouthing, but not for sleep surfaces children spend 10 to 18 hours on.

Two mattresses in the study violated Canadian chemical safety laws outright. Others contained toxic substances that are legal in mattresses but banned elsewhere. Even certified mattresses had harmful levels of phthalates and flame retardants. These chemicals were not added to protect children. Flame retardants became common in mattresses because cigarette companies lobbied against fire-safe cigarette laws. Rather than redesign cigarettes to self-extinguish, the tobacco industry shifted blame to furniture and bedding, pushing regulations that forced manufacturers to add flame retardants to foam. The goal was to protect the cigarette industry, not public health.

How Cigarette Lobbyists Put Flame Retardants in Your Child’s Mattress In the 1970s, cigarettes were a leading cause of fatal house fires. Rather than redesign cigarettes to self-extinguish, tobacco companies lobbied to shift the blame. They pressured lawmakers to require flame-resistant furniture and bedding, pushing manufacturers to add chemical flame retardants to foam. These substances were never evaluated for safety in children. Their presence in mattresses is not based on health science. It’s the result of industry influence. Certification did not guarantee safety or compliance.

There is also no requirement to simulate sleep conditions when testing emissions. Most evaluations are done at room temperature, without pressure. Current test methods fail to capture actual exposure under sleep conditions.

The regulatory system is outdated and inconsistent. Without full disclosure and testing that reflects how products are actually used, children remain at risk, and parents remain in the dark.

Checklist: What to Look for in a Safer Mattress

• No polyurethane foam
• No vinyl or PVC
• No added flame retardants or waterproof chemical coatings
• Made with certified natural materials (e.g., organic cotton, natural latex, wool)
• Fully discloses all materials and components
• Certified for low emissions (e.g., GOTS, GOLS)
• Aired out for at least 7 days in a well-ventilated space before use

What Parents and Clinicians Can Do Right Now

1. Check the label, but don’t trust it blindly Certifications do not guarantee safety. Look for detailed disclosure of materials, especially foam and cover types. Avoid vague terms like “eco-friendly” or “green-certified.”
2. Avoid Mattresses Made with Vinyl and Polyurethane Foam These are the most common sources of phthalates and flame retardants. Natural latex or certified organic wool and cotton are generally safer options when verified.
3. Use a Mattress Barrier Use a tightly woven, breathable, and chemical-free mattress encasement to reduce direct exposure to emissions.
4. Air It Out “Airing out” helps reduce only the most volatile chemicals in the first few days or weeks, but it does not eliminate the long-term emissions of semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) like phthalates, flame retardants, or plasticizers. New mattresses should still be unwrapped and ventilated in a well-aired space for several days to weeks before use, but this is only a partial measure.
5. Advocate for Stronger Standards Clinicians and parents can contact consumer safety boards and elected representatives to demand updated testing protocols and ingredient transparency.

No product should be allowed to emit harmful chemicals under normal use, especially where children sleep. Until regulations catch up, informed action remains the best defense.

Cost Barriers and Long-Term Use

Safe sleep surfaces often come with a higher price tag, creating barriers for many families. But a child’s mattress is not just another household item. It is a daily-use product that affects long-term health. Like a car seat or a stroller, a mattress is one of the most critical investments a parent can make.

Most children use the same mattress for five to ten years. That means early decisions can translate into years of daily exposure, or protection. Ensuring that mattress materials are low-emission and fully disclosed is essential for every child, not just those whose families can afford premium options.

Transparency, third-party testing, and clear safety standards are the foundation of meaningful protection. Parents should not have to choose between affordability and safety.

References

Vaezafshar S, et al. Are sleeping children exposed to plasticizers, flame retardants, and UV filters from their mattresses? JAMA Intern Med. 2025; https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2832778

Further Reading

• Cimperman S. Detoxification for prediabetes. Naturopathic Doctor News & Review. January 11, 2016. https://ndnr.com/detoxification-medicine/detoxification-for-prediabetes/

• Cimperman S. Preconception planning: Enhancing healthier baby outcomes. Naturopathic Doctor News & Review. https://ndnr.com/endocrinology/preconception-planning-enhancing-healthier-baby-outcomes/• Kruzel T. Dealing with “Allergic Toxemia” naturally. NaturalPath. July 27, 2015. https://naturalpath.net/body/detox/dealing-with-allergic-toxemia-naturally/