[Klorissana]

I would be more concerned that the beads would catch on something and they would choke. Similar to the cords on blinds and curtains. I would not risk it for mumbo jumbo (same as I wouldn't have a small child wear a chain with a cross etc).

[maks_holi]

Roughy, you'd probably know: at what temp does amber melt?

[moopogyOvenny]

I would be more concerned that the beads would catch on something and they would choke. Similar to the cords on blinds and curtains. I would not risk it for mumbo jumbo (same as I wouldn't have a small child wear a chain with a cross etc).

Yes. I agree.

[Klorissana]

I think a baby is wearing one of those beads in a TV add for children's pain medication. I hadn't realised what the baby was wearing - had never heard of amber teething necklaces before today. Obviously doesn't work if they need to have pain medication as well.

[DrCeshing]

One bead is enough.

Liking to think, isn't a bad thing but knowing what to think is usually more useful.

a)neither child noticed it was there ... how do you know but nevermind.
b)knowing the trouble they both had with teething.. points to the fact that the amber didn't have any effect on reducing the problem.

can't speak for Tam, but in answer to a, little man is never out of one of his parents sight(what sort of parents do you think we are?) and to b), we let him wear it because a) it came from a friend, b) we like amber c) it looks great on him and d) we have thoroughly checked any likelihood of hazard and feel quite confident in allowing this(what sort of parents do you think we are?).

[moopogyOvenny]

Roughy, you'd probably know: at what temp does amber melt?

Melting point is around 290˚C to 380˚C. Becomes plastic at between 120˚C and 135˚C and can be freely shaped under pressure.

[DrCeshing]

Melting point is around 290˚C to 380˚C. Becomes plastic at between 120˚C and 135˚C and can be freely shaped under pressure.

If you made a sheet of amber would it slump over time as glass does?

[moopogyOvenny]

can't speak for Tam, but in answer to a, little man is never out of one of his parents sight(what sort of parents do you think we are?) and to b), we let him wear it because a) it came from a friend, b) we like amber c) it looks great on him and d) we have thoroughly checked any likelihood of hazard and feel quite confident in allowing this(what sort of parents do you think we are?).

No one was slighting your parenting or even attempting to.

the answer to a) is: you don't know whether the child knows it is there unless the child pays attention to it while you are observing.

Did the child notice it being put on?

[moopogyOvenny]

If you made a sheet of amber would it slump over time as glass does?

Best of luck making it into sheets. Being such a poor conductor of heat, care should be taken when lowering or raising the temperature of amber as it is likely to shatter.

[DrCeshing]

No one was slighting your parenting or even attempting to.

the answer to a) is: you don't know whether the child knows it is there unless the child pays attention to it while you are observing.

Did the child notice it being put on?

I didn't think you were slighting my parenting. I was being outrageously offended, couldn't you tell(is different).

He didn't seem to notice me put it on him and has never touched it. If you put a hat on him he pulls it straight off, so I was expecting him to fidget with it, but you would think it wasn't there for all he notices it.

[DrCeshing]

Best of luck making it into sheets. Being such a poor conductor of heat, care should be taken when lowering or raising the temperature of amber as it is likely to shatter.

could you fashion a cup out of a good piece then?

[moopogyOvenny]

I didn't think you were slighting my parenting. I was being outrageously offended, couldn't you tell(is different).

He didn't seem to notice me put it on him and has never touched it. If you put a hat on him he pulls it straight off, so I was expecting him to fidget with it, but you would think it wasn't there for all he notices it.

Possibly the hat can be seen, out the corners of the eyes.

http://www.rockhounds.com/rockshop/trueamber.shtml

Shaped into a cup? Well if you had pieces large enough then you could possibly gently turn them on a lathe.

[palantownia]

"They have been worn for many centuries to reduce teething pain."

Have they? I hadn't heard of them until I read this thread. Certainly no-one among my parents' friends and family used them when I was a kid and there were babies everywhere (it wasn't called the baby boom for nothing). It sounds to me like Wicca, a religion said to be centuries old but in fact created in the 1950s. I doubt amber necklaces are even that old.

[palantownia]

"could you fashion a cup out of a good piece then"

Yes

http://www.brighton-hove-rpml.org.uk...eambercup.aspx

[masterso]

can't speak for Tam, but in answer to a, little man is never out of one of his parents sight(what sort of parents do you think we are?) and to b), we let him wear it because a) it came from a friend, b) we like amber c) it looks great on him and d) we have thoroughly checked any likelihood of hazard and feel quite confident in allowing this(what sort of parents do you think we are?).

a) no is questioning your parenting, but if you think you have the child under 100% supervision, 100% of the time, you are kidding yourself (ref diddly-squat parent of 3)

b) it seems to me to be a silly risk to take for such superficial reasons

c) my nephew wears one, and my observations are it's more about how it makes the parent feel as opposed to the risk the child

[masterso]

How many kids are wearing these beads? How many have suffered asphyxiation?
My grandson & granddaughter wear them. Neither one has ever noticed they are there. Knowing the trouble they have both had teething I would like to think they have helped in some way.
They are well made, strong string, and each bead is knotted so if the necklace was to break, only one very small bead would come loose.

In what way do you think they have helped? That is, what mechanism is aiding pain relief?

[maks_holi]

Melting point is around 290˚C to 380˚C. Becomes plastic at between 120˚C and 135˚C and can be freely shaped under pressure.

Then body temp of 37˚C seems far too low for adequate "warming" to allow anything to seep out and be absorbed into the skin.

[masterso]

Then body temp of 37˚C seems far too low for adequate "warming" to allow anything to seep out and be absorbed into the skin.

it's hokum... complete and utter pseudo-science hokum

and as was pointed out yesterday, a great many regulatory safety authorities suggest they are a risk to the children that wear them.

[moopogyOvenny]

Then body temp of 37˚C seems far too low for adequate "warming" to allow anything to seep out and be absorbed into the skin.

Yes. In fact to get anything coming off amber.. read that the child would have to be consumed by flames first.

[maks_holi]

it's hokum... complete and utter pseudo-science hokum

and as was pointed out yesterday, a great many regulatory safety authorities suggest they are a risk to the children that wear them.

We all knew that We were just backing it up with SCIENCE!