This month, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has recalled a number of infant products. On Wednesday, Kolcroft Enterprises Inc. recalled 1 million Play Yards because of concern that the furniture's side rail might fail to latch correctly or unlatch suddenly, posing a potential fall hazard.
So far, there have been at least 374 reports of the play yard side rails collapsing. 21 kids sustained injuries, including scrapes, one concussion, bruises, and bumps.
Considering that play yards, play pens, cribs, mattresses, bathinettes, baby baths, and bath seats were the products most associated with nursery products-related deaths for children under age 5 between 2003 and 2005, it is important that this recall was issued. For a complete list of the play yards included in this recall, click on the link below.
Earlier this month, Simplicity recalled 400,000 Simplicity Drop Side Cribs. If the plastic hardware deforms or breaks, the drop side could detach, creating a space between the side and the mattress that a child can fall into. This can lead to an entrapment accident that could cause the child to suffocate.
There has been one child fatality reported in connection with this product defect—an 8-month-old baby from Texas. There also have been at least 25 reports of the drop sides detaching. 2 children fell into the gaps in their cribs and became entrapped. Fortunately, there have been no other reports of injuries.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission says that in 2007, US emergency rooms treated 62,500 child injury cases involving children younger than age 5 that were hurt because of nursery products.
Falls were the number one cause of nursery products-related injuries that year, with the head area sustaining the most injuries. About 79 kids under age 5 die each year due to accidents involving nursery products.
Earlier this month, Gromex recalled 700 Jaloma Pacifiers. The reason for the recall is that the pacifier does not meant federal safety standards and may pose a choking hazard or aspiration risk to young kids.
Choking is one of the leading causes of accidental deaths involving kids younger than age 5. Pacifier manufacturers or the makers of other small items that young kids might end up using or putting in their mouths must make sure that their products are not too small that a toddler or infant could end up choking on an item.
Another common cause of accidental deaths involving kids under age 5 is drowning accidents. On July 2, the CPSC recalled 4 million Inflatable Baby Floats by Aqua-Leisure Industries because if the seat's leg straps tear, the child might fall into the water and drown. 31 incidents were reported involving the straps tearing. There have been no reports of injuries.
CPSC issues recall of Kolcraft play yards and Gromex Paloma pacifiers, Examiner.com, July 8, 2009
Kolcraft Recalls 1 Million Play Yards Due to Fall Hazard, CPSC.gov, July 8, 2009
Simplicity Drop Side Cribs Recalled by Retailers Due to Risk of Death from Suffocation, CPSC, July 2, 2009
Simplicity Drop-Side Cribs recalled by retailers due to risk of suffocation, Stamford Plus, July 9, 2009
Aqua-Leisure Industries recalls inflatable baby floats due to drowning hazard, Hawaii247.org
Related Web Resources:
Consumer Product Safety Commission
Nursery Product-Related Injuries and Deaths Among Children Under Age 5, CPSC, 2009 (PDF)
Our nursery products liability lawyers have helped many families obtain personal injury recovery from negligent product manufacturers.
