Product Safety Alert: Children’s Giraffe Blanket Recalled Due to Choking Hazard

Approximately 44,000 giraffe blankets have been recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), due to the balls on the top of the horns detaching, and posing a choking hazard to small children.  The giraffe blankets are sold exclusively at Target Stores.  The full details on the recall can be found by clicking here.  

The recall states that, thankfully, no injuries have been reported, as of this publication.  The product is imported by Rashti and Rashti out of New York, and details on the recall can be found on their website, as well.  As the CPSC recall notice states “Consumers should immediately take the recalled blankets away from children and contact Rashti & Rashti for a full refund.”

Even though no injuries have been reported, let’s keep it that way! Follow the recommendations even if your child may cry for a bit when you take away their ‘security blanket.’ A sad but safe child sure beats the alternative.

Evenflo Recalls Top-of-Stair Plus Wood Gates Due to Fall Hazard

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has just announced that they are working in conjunction with Evenflo in regard to a voluntary recall of approximately 183,000 wood gates, used primarily to assist in preventing small children from having access to stairs, where they could fall and sustain serious injuries.  Here is some of the important information in regard to the recall:

Name of product: Evenflo Top-of-Stair™ Plus Wood Gates

Units: About 150,000 in the United States and 33,000 in Canada

Manufacturer: Evenflo Co. Inc. of Miamisburg, Ohio

Hazard: The slats on the gate can break or detach, posing a fall hazard to children.

Incidents/Injuries: Evenflo has received 142 reports of slats breaking and/or detaching from the gate. Three children gained access to stairs. One of those children fell through the gate and down five steps; another fell down one step. Injuries included four children who sustained bumps and bruises to the head and seven children who sustained minor injuries including scratches, scrapes and bruises.

Description: The recall involves Evenflo models 10502 and 10512 Top-of-Stair Plus Wood Gates made from October 2007 through July 2009. The model number can be found on the bottom rail. No other Evenflo model numbers or gates are affected by this recall.

Sold at: Toys “R” Us, Burlington Baby Depot, Kmart and other juvenile product and mass merchandise retailers nationwide in the U.S. and Canada, and on the Web at Amazon.com and other online retailers from October 2007 through March 2010 for about $40.

If you have this product at your home, here is the remedy and consumer contact information:

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the recalled gate and contact Evenflo to obtain a free newer model 10503 or 10513 Top-of-Stair™ Plus Wood replacement gate.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, call Evenflo toll-free at (800) 233-5921 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s Web site at safety.evenflo.com

Graco Recalls Harmony™ High Chairs Due to Fall Hazard

On March 18, 2010, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced a voluntary recall covering over a million high chairs for babies.

To date, there have been over 450 reports of screws loosening/falling out and/or plastic brackets cracking.  These events may cause the high chair to tip over as a result of becoming unstable.  

Although the high chair is no longer in production, the recall covers Graco Harmony High Chairs that have been sold throughout the country in many well-known department stores.  For the important recall details, go to the following link – product recall details.

There have already been several injuries reported as a result of the fall hazard.  Please also note, as stated on the CSPC’s website, that the recall applies to all Graco Harmony High Chairs.

Infant Deaths Prompt CPSC Warning About Sling Carriers for Babies

The Consumer Product Safety Commision (CPSC) has posted a warning about infant sling carriers, due to at least 14 deaths associated with the product.  The warning, posted in a release by the CPSC on March 12th, contains illustrations of the different positions, many of which are dangerous, of how babies are known to be carried in sling carriers.  The release also which infants are most at risk, as well as how to protect a child should the caregiver choose to use a sling carrier:

Many of the babies who died in slings were either a low birth weight twin, were born prematurely, or had breathing issues such as a cold. Therefore, CPSC urges parents of preemies, twins, babies in fragile health and those with low weight to use extra care and consult their pediatricians about using slings.

CPSC recommends that parents and caregivers make sure the infant’s face is not covered and is visible at all times to the sling’s wearer. If nursing the baby in a sling, change the baby’s position after feeding so the baby’s head is facing up and is clear of the sling and the mother’s body. Parents and caregivers should be vigilant about frequently checking their baby in a sling.

The CPSC has now added slings to products that require a mandatory standard.  Because time is of the essence, the CPSC is working with ASTM International to attempt to put voluntary standards in place for infant sling carriers, as soon as possible.  The release also has a link for reporting infant sling carrier problems: www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx.

AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS Policy Statement: Prevention of Choking Among Children

Hot Dogs…we love to eat them.  Many would argue eating hot dogs is an American Tradition.  Now, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is issuing a warning that hot dogs are a food choking hazard in small children.  Yesterday, February 22nd, the AAP published a Policy Statement regarding such choking hazards, through the AAP’s Committee on Injury, Violence, and Poison Prevention.  The AAP has already made some broad-sweeping recommendations in regard to preventive measures and warnings.  Some of their recommendations are quoted below from their Policy Statement:

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) should increase efforts to ensure that toys that are sold in retail store bins, vending machines, or on the Internet have appropriate choking-hazard warnings; work with manufacturers to improve the effectiveness of recalls of products that pose a choking risk to children; and increase efforts to prevent the resale of these recalled products via online auction sites. Current gaps in choking-prevention standards for children’s toys should be reevaluated and addressed, as appropriate, via revisions to the standards established under the Child Safety Protection Act, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, or regulation by the CPSC.

The existing National Electronic Injury Surveillance System–All Injury Program of the CPSC should be modified to conduct surveillance  of choking on food among children. Food manufacturers should design new foods and redesign existing foods to avoid shapes, sizes, textures, and other characteristics that increase choking risk to children, to the extent possible. Pediatricians, dentists, and other infant and child health care providers should provide choking-prevention counseling to parents as an integral part of anticipatory guidance activities.

Many children lose their life every year from choking on food.  The Associated Press published an article yesterday citing the horrifying statistics:

Choking kills more than 100 U.S. children 14 years or younger each year and thousands more – 15,000 in 2001 – are treated in emergency rooms. Food, including candy and gum, is among the leading culprits, along with items like coins and balloons. Of the 141 choking deaths in kids in 2006, 61 were food-related.

The article also mentions the tragic death of 4 year old Eric Stavros Adler, who died from choking on a hot dog.

The AP article cites the following as some recommendations:

Doctors say high-risk foods, including hot dogs, raw carrots, grapes and apples – should be cut into pea-sized pieces for small children to reduce chances of choking. Some say other risky foods, including hard candies, popcorn, peanuts and marshmallows, shouldn’t be given to young children at all.

Something as simple as making lollipops flat like a silver dollar instead of round like a pingpong ball can make a big difference, said Bruce Silverglade, legal affairs director at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, which also has lobbied for more attention to choking prevention.

Please, please, please…make sure your children are ‘eating safely’.  Supervise your children when they are eating.  Our precious little ones are irreplaceable.  Don’t allow the shape and/or size of food to pose a life and death situation for you and your loved ones.

Consumer Product Safety Commission Recall: Discovery Kids™ Animated Marine and Safari Lamps

On February 9, 2010, the CPSC, with the cooperation of the manufacturer, Innovage, LLC, issued a recall of  Discovery Kids™ Animated Marine and Safari Lamps.  According to the recall notice, approximately 360,000 of these lamps were manufactured.  Needless to say, this is a serious safety hazard warning – fire and burn hazard to consumers.

Hazard: A defect in the lamp’s printed circuit board can cause an electrical short, posing a fire and burn hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: Innovage has received nine reports of incidents, including seven reports of lamps catching fire, one involving smoke inhalation injury to a child and three involving minor property damage.

Description: This recall involves the Discovery Kids™ Animated Marine Lamp with model number 1627121 or 1628626 and the Animated Safari Lamp with model number 1627124 or 1628626.All models have batch numbers beginning with “2”. The decorative lamps are silver in color and feature rotating films with marine or safari scenes. “Discovery Kids” is printed on the front top left corner. The batch number is an 11 digit number located on the bottom of each unit. The model number can be found on the bottom of the packaging.

This product was distributed nationwide – online and through direct sales for $10 – distribution occurred between July 2009 and January 2010.

Consumers are warned to stop using the product immediately.  You can refer to the recall notice for further information and how to report any incidents or for returning the product for a refund.  You can also obtain further information from the manufacturer – Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Innovage toll-free at (888) 232-1535 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, visit the firm’s Web site at www.lamprecall.org or emailinfo@lamprecall.org

Generation 2 Worldwide and “ChildESIGNS” Drop Side Crib Brands Recalled; Three Infant Deaths Reported

This just came out today – Generation 2 Worldwide and “ChildESIGNS” Drop Side Crib Brands Recalled; Three Infant Deaths Reported.

Here we go with yet another wonderful crib design.

What is it that these manufacturers don’t get?  Recall after recall.  Can’t they figure out by now what it is about the design that makes these cribs potentially lethal to babies?

Yesterday we posted a blog on our site – Eye Opener – that provided a number of useful links to keep up with all the product recalls that seem to be coming out in a never-ending stream when we talk about children’s product safety.

Here’s the link to that blog – check the links in it and save them to your favorites/bookmarks bar.

Consuming Interests: 1.5 million Graco strollers recalled due to fingertip amputations, lacerations

Let’s start off with a quote from The Baltimore Sun report on strollers that carry the risk of your child’s fingers being amputated.

Families that own Graco Passage, Alano and Spree strollers and travel systems should stop using them until they receive a free protective cover kit from the company, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Graco issued the voluntary stroller recall after receiving seven reports of children hurting their fingers in the canopy hinge, resulting in five fingertip amputations and two lacerations, the CPSC has announced.

About 1.5 million of these strollers and travel systems have been sold at stores like Burlington Coat Factory, Babies “R” Us, Toys “R” Us, Kmart, Sears, Target, Walmart between October 2004 and December.

But not all of these models have the offending hinge — be sure to check your model number on the CPSC site and compare your canopy hinge to the photos above to determine whether yours is affected.

Cribs, strollers, bracelets, jackets – you name it – there’s probably a recall.  For parents concerned -as I’m sure you all are – about what products for children are out there that pose safety risks, we suggest you check out the list on the Consumer Product Safety Commission website.

You can also follow them on Twitter.  Just type in U.S. CPSC and then do the drop-down to follow them.

Why wait until you read it – possibly too late – in a newspaper account of some other horrible tragedy involving a child.

Did you know that 210,000 children’s jackets with drawstrings manufactured by GTM Sportswear Inc., of Manhattan, Kansas were recalled?

How about children’s greeting cards with bracelets – called Papyrus Brand Greeting Cards with bracelets?  174,000 of them were recalled because they were found to be in violation of the lead paint standard.

Did you know that just under 10,000 toy guns (called Special Forces and Police SWAT Toy Gun Sets) were recalled because the orange tips located at the end of the toy guns’ barrels, which are designed to distinguish them from real guns, can easily be removed from the barrels, posing a choking hazard to children.

You get the point no doubt.

The information on dangers to your children and recalls by the CPSC is all out there.  Even if you don’t ‘do’ Facebook or tweet, check out the CPSC website.  If you’re a blogger, check out their blog page – OnSafety.  Like RSS feeds – that’s there for you as well – just click on one of these links and make your RSS feed connection.

An informed consumer is also a safety-conscious parent.