Can flame retardants in baby mattresses contribute to ADHD in children?

What's actually in it

Baby mattresses, crib pads, and nursing pillows often contain halogenated flame retardants (HFRs). These chemicals are added to meet fire safety rules, but they slowly escape from foam and fabric into household dust. Babies breathe in that dust, crawl through it, and put their hands in their mouths. Pregnant women absorb these chemicals too, passing them to the baby through the placenta.

Common types include polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and newer replacements like organophosphate flame retardants. Both types are found in blood and urine samples of nearly every person tested.

What the research says

A 2026 study in Environ Res followed children from a Canadian birth cohort. Researchers measured flame retardant levels in pregnant mothers and then tracked the children's development over years. Kids whose mothers had higher HFR levels during pregnancy showed more ADHD-related traits, including trouble focusing and increased hyperactivity.

The study also found that these chemicals disrupted thyroid function biomarkers in the children. Your thyroid controls brain development, and even small shifts during pregnancy and early life can change how a child's brain gets wired. The researchers believe the thyroid disruption is one way flame retardants lead to attention and behavior problems.

The link held up even after accounting for other factors like family income, maternal education, and smoking. Kids with the highest prenatal exposure had the strongest association with neurodevelopmental issues.