Health & Medical Adolescent Health

Sandbox Play Sand

Sandboxes have been a source of fun and activity for children for many generations.
A sandbox is a shallow structure that is designed to be filled with sand.
The sandbox play sand provides a soft play area for children to play in either at playgrounds, or in their back yards.
Many home owners set aside areas of their back yards to place a sandbox in.
The children who play in sandboxes and sandbox sand are toddlers, and children up to the age of around 8-9.
The sandboxes are constructed for smaller children, and they are useful for creativity, imagination, and for toy play.
The issue with sandboxes are usually with the sandbox play sand that is used.
Many people love sandboxes, because they are inexpensive sources of play.
To this end, they find it very easy to go to a garden store, and buy bags of sand to fill up the sand box.
However, adults need to be extremely careful when they are buying sandbox play sand for their children, and the sandbox.
The bottom line is that the sandbox sand needs to be sanitized, and the quality of the sand needs to be inspected.
Many people are ignorant about sand quality.
They might wrongly assume that sandbox play sand comes from the shorelines of our oceans, and therefore is safe.
First, even sand from the ocean shoreline needs to be cleaned of mites, and any other organisms that might be hanging around, or buried under the sand.
If the sand isn't cleaned, then allergic reactions can occur.
But even more dangerous than this, is the fact that most of the sand that is found at hardware or gardening stores isn't sourced from the sea.
It is actually crushed rock.
It contains minerals such as quartz and crystalline silica.
These sand mixtures can even contain asbestos.
It should be noted that all of these minerals are natural, yet they can be dangerous to human health if inhaled.
So parents should keep in mind that just because sand is naturally sourced, doesn't make it safe.
Sandbox play sand containing crystalline silica and quartz can cause a respiratory condition called Silicosis.
Silicosis in short cuts off the oxygen supply to the lungs.
It can also cause cancer.
Many people know the dangers of asbestos, and that it also is dangerous to the lungs.
Again, these products are part of sand that is made from crushed rocks, and that is used for construction sites.
Parents can do their part to make sure that their children aren't being exposed to these products in the sandbox sand that they purchase for the children.
They can go online, and buy what is known as "safe sand".
Safe sand is made out of sanitized materials that has been deemed by OSHA and many other studies as safe for children to play in.
The only issue with safe sand is that it's not readily available in retail stores, and the shipping can be expensive.
To that end, another safe alternative is called Pea Sand.
This is another sanitized product that is available at gardening stores.
It isn't as fine as safe sand, but unless the children are building sand structures, it shouldn't be an issue.


Leave a reply