The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is urging parents and other caregivers to provide infants in their care with a safe sleep environment.

A CPSC analysis of crib-related deaths found that crib deaths have been caused by:

• suffocation when infants ended up face down on pillows or face down in a crib with pillows, quilts or other bedding
• entrapment between components of old cribs that were in bad condition, with broken or missing parts or loose hardware
• entrapment in spaces generated between the sides of a crib and an ill fitted mattress
• accessories situated in/around the crib (such as window cords or curtain tie backs)
• falls out of cribs
• alterations made to cribs
• entrapment when the child became wedged between the crib and other furniture or a wall

CPSC also issued a recent press release warning parents and other caregivers of baby deaths associated with air mattresses.

The CPSC is urging parents:

• To reduce the risk of SIDS and suffocation, place baby to sleep on his or her back in a crib that meets current safety standards
• To prevent suffocation never use a pillow as a mattress for baby to sleep on or to prop baby’s head or neck
• Infants can strangle to death if their bodies pass through gaps generated between loose components, broken slats and other parts of the crib and their head and neck become entrapped in the space.
  *Do not use old, broken or modified cribs
  *Regularly tighten hardware to keep sides firm
  
• Infants can suffocate in spaces generated between the sides of the crib and an ill fitted mattress; never allow a gap larger than two fingers at any point between the sides of the crib and the mattress.
  
• Never place a crib near a window with blind or curtain cords; infants can strangle on curtain or blind cords.
  
• Properly set up play yards according to manufacturers’ directions. Only use the mattress provided with the play yard. Do not add extra mattresses, pillows or cushions to the play yard, which can cause a suffocation hazard for infants.
  
• Routinely check nursery products against CPSC recall lists and remove recalled products from your home.
  
• Sign-up for automatic e-mail recall notifications at www.cpsc.gov.

The CPSC has been working since 1973 to improve crib safety with the publication of mandatory standards for full-size cribs and non-full size cribs. CPSC staff has also been involved in the development of voluntary standards for cribs addressing issues such as corner posts and structural and mechanical failures. The work of the CPSC has contributed to an 86% decrease in crib related deaths.

Recent crib recalls:

• Munire Furniture Crib Recall
• Bassettbaby Crib Recall
• Bassettbaby Cribs Sold Exclusively at Babies R Us
• Simplicity Crib Recall
• Nursery-in-a-Box Crib Recall (also Simplicity)
• NettoCollection Crib Recall
• Sleepi Crib Foam Mattress Recall
• Pottery Barn Kids Crib Bumpers Recall
• Sleigh Round Cribs Imported by Song Lin Industrial
• Simplicity Cribs with Graco Label
• Lov's "Europa" Natural Color Cribs Sold at Toys R Us

Please send this information to parents of infants and others who take care of babies.

Labels: Crib Entrapment, Crib Suffocation, infant suffocation, lawyer

The following is from a CPSC news release. 16 babies have died when placed to sleep on air mattresses. Please email this to everyone you know who takes care of an infant.

Deadly Danger: CPSC Urges Parents To Not Place Infants on Air Mattresses

WASHINGTON, D.C. - This is the season when homes fill up with gifts and guests. When traveling, parents may choose alternative sleeping environments for babies. The U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning families nationwide that air mattresses are too soft for use with sleeping infants. Never place infants to sleep on air mattresses or other soft surfaces (such as water beds and adult beds), which are not specifically designed or safe for infant use.

Since 2002, CPSC has received reports of 16 tragic deaths, mostly infants younger than 8 months of age who were placed to sleep on air mattresses: 11 suffocated in a face down position on an air mattress and 5 died due to suffocation after falling into gaps between the mattress and bed frame and mattress and adjacent furniture or wall.

Generic twin-, full-, or queen-sized inflatable mattresses are usually intended for adults and older children. Even properly inflated air mattresses are usually too soft for infants to maintain a clear airway. Air leaks and under-inflation also contribute to incidents.

Wherever your baby sleeps should be as safe as possible. CPSC recommends these safe sleeping tips:

• Always place your baby to sleep on his or her back to reduce the risk of SIDS.
• Never place baby to sleep on an adult bed. Infants can suffocate on bedding or can become entrapped between the mattress and bed frame or mattress and wall.
• When using a crib, make sure it meets current safety standards, has a firm, tight-fitting mattress and tight-fitting bottom sheet.
• When using a portable crib or play yard, be sure to use only the mattress or pad provided by the manufacturer.

Posted December 2007.

Labels: infant death, infant suffocation, lawyer, wrongful death

A chemical coating on Aqua Dots converts to a powerful “date rape” drug when ingested. Two children in the United States slipped into a coma after swallowing some of the Aqua Dots. As a result Spin Master, manufacturer of Aqua Dots, has recalled 4.2 million Aqua Dot products, which were manufactured in (you guessed it) China.

Millions of toys sold in the U.S. and manufactured in China have been recalled due to high lead content (usually in the paint). Now Chinese manufacturers are coating products meant for children with a “date rape” drug. What will be next?

Legally, Spin Master is liable for any injuries to children that are caused by Aqua Dots. We are using “caused” in the legal sense, which means it has to be more probable than not that Aqua Dots caused a specific injury. We are accepting Aqua Dots lawsuit cases. If your child has been seriously injured by Aqua Dots, please contact us toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the online consultation form for review by one of our nationally-recognized product liability lawyers.

Labels: Furniture Safety, infant death, infant suffocation, lawyer

Wendy Bellissimo Collection convertible cribs have been recalled due to possible entrapment and strangulation of infants. The cribs were made in China and sold by Bassettbaby, a Bassett, Virginia company.

The bolts connecting the top corners of the recalled cribs can come loose, creating a gap and posing a serious entrapment and strangulation hazard. Bassettbaby has 85 reports of bolts loosening, including one report of a 13 month-old child’s hand becoming entrapped between the railings.

The crib recall involves about 8,900 Wendy Bellissimo Collection convertible cribs, model numbers 5945-0521 and 5545-0521, sold in honey and cherry finishes. The full size cribs have a sleigh design and one of the following purchase order numbers at the bottom rail of the headboard: 272903, 272904, 273904, 276728, 276729, 291081, 323975, 324472, 320318, 323976, 332883 365620, 368466 in honey, and 338535, 338537 and 332884 in cherry. All other Wendy Bellissimo Collection cribs are not involved in this recall.

The recalled cribs were sold at Babies R Us stores nationwide from July 2005 through October 2007 for about $500. Consumers should stop using these cribs immediately and contact Bassettbaby for a free repair kit. If your infant has been injured by a recalled crib, contact an attorney immediately. We are accepting cases of serious injury associated with cribs, including Wendy Bellissimo Collection convertible cribs and Simplicity cribs.

Labels: Crib Suffocation, infant death, infant suffocation