I read with interest the recent article by Kong and Lam on slime dermatitis.1 Physicians should be aware and inform patients that use of boric acid–containing products in children’s crafts and homemade pesticides has been previously cautioned by Health Canada.
In 2016, Health Canada listed a specific advisory cautioning Canadians against the use of boric acid in homemade crafts and pesticides, especially for children and pregnant women, after a draft risk assessment which found that overexposure to boric acid has the potential to cause developmental and reproductive health effects.2 Further information from Health Canada regarding borax (boric acid, its salts and precursors) is available.3
Health Canada lists a variety of other products to avoid in children’s arts and crafts supplies, including paint that is not clearly labelled as safe for kids, powdered clays and paint, ceramic glazes, copper enamel, solder for stained glass, shellac paint strippers and craft dyes, as well as boric acid. A full list and further information on using arts and crafts materials safely is available from Health Canada.4
Footnotes
Competing interests: None declared.