In any sort of a car accident, you'd want to know that a baby or toddler travelling in a special seat would be protected as thoroughly as possible, and several regulations exist to ensure this is the case.

What you might not be aware of is the damage the seats could be doing to your baby's health on a day-to-day basis.

A new study by the Environmental Science & Technology Journal has found that as many as 80 percent of baby products tested contained chemicals that are either toxic, or untested with unknown effects. The chemicals are mainly found in the fire-retardant substances used in polyurethane foam.

This could be worrying news for parents around the country who believe their child is safe in a specially made car seat - or indeed on mattresses, cushions and other padded baby products.

The Alliance for Toxic-Free Fire Safety (ATFFS) lays blame with a failed federal law called the Toxic Substances Control Act. Companies have been using other chemicals in lieu of banned substances, but many of these are toxic too. It's all too easy for microscopic amounts of chemicals to find their way into your body.

Retailers such as Wal-Mart have already pulled potentially toxic products from sale and others are expected to follow.

In the meantime, we suggest ensuring that any accessory baby seat you buy is carefully selected to make sure it contains no untested substances or potentially toxic compounds.

And of course, it's important to stress: Don't do without a baby seat altogether if you're worried, as you'll still be thankful for its safe construction if you ever have an accident.

[PR Newswire]