The ASA have today released their rulings regarding Tearless Teething’s website.
Tearless Teething sell hazelwood necklaces and bracelets that, according to them, remove the acidity (“toxins”) from the baby or toddlers body, that are apparently produced during teething. This has the business savvy side effect of meaning you have to replace the product every three or so months because the product is “full” of the toxins caused by teething.
Background
I initially wrote about these products back in May 2013, so I’ll summarise my main issues. It wasn’t just the unscientific nonsense about this product that bothered me. While, as a reasonable and rational person, I find these claims indefensible, I can accept that their claims were unlikely to lead to actual direct harm to children, in the case of these specific products. Clay Jones, over at Science Based Medicine, has written a good general overview of teething and some teething products that is well worth a read. His piece demonstrates that some teething products can cause direct harm.
Trading Standards
My main, initial concern was the product itself. The website suggested that children could wear this from birth. That they could wear it at night. This really worried me. At the time my niece was wearing one of these. (I can’t fully explain how frustrating I find it that my sister, a usually sensible and rational human, buys into this nonsense. I guess it only goes to show how a seemingly magic cure is music to the ears of a frustrated parent.)...
Read the rest here: SKEPT!CAL blog An Update: The ASA (Advertising Standards Authority), Trading Standards and Tearless Teething (www.tearlessteething.com) � SKEPT!CAL blog
