NEW YORK — New York state released baby safety tips Tuesday as part of an effort to raise awareness regarding saving lives and help parents and caregivers keep their little ones safe right now. to buy products, announced the Division of Consumer Protection, (DCP, for its acronym in English).
This during the celebration of Baby Safety Month.
“Parents and caregivers try to give their babies the best possible care and keep them safe,” said New York Secretary of State Robert Rodriguez, who oversees the Division of Consumer Protection. “Unfortunately, the products parents buy may not be as safe as they should be. That’s why staying up to date on the latest product recalls is vital to protecting babies from unsafe products.”
THE IMPORTANCE OF PAYING ATTENTION TO PRODUCT RECALL ALERTS:
According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), which issues product recalls across all categories of consumer goods, sometimes even the best baby products will be recalled due to to one or more security problems.
Baby product safety recalls are typically related to choking hazards, laceration hazards, tip-over hazards, and other safety concerns. In the last five years, there have been more than 220 recalls of baby and children’s products. Since 2019, these products have been linked to at least 42 child deaths and more than 119 injury incidents, many of which resulted in serious injuries.
Most of the infant deaths related to these recalls occurred with infants sleeping on tilted products, which increases the risk of suffocation. Unintentional suffocation is the leading cause of injury death among infants in the United States, with 82% attributed to accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed. Recent recalls, warnings, and CPSC actions for inclined sleeping products include:
- In June 2022, Fisher-Price alerted consumers to at least 13 reported infant deaths from its Fisher-Price Infant-to-Toddler Rockers and Newborn-to-Toddler Rockers.
- In January 2022, CPSC sued Leachco for suffocation hazard due to faulty baby loungers which caused the death of two babies.
- In 2021, Boppy, the company that sells baby loungers and nursing pillows, withdrew three of its products following 8 infant deaths.
- En 2021, Fisher-Price also withdrew its 4-in-1 Rock ‘n Glide and 2-in-1 Soothe ‘n Play Gliders pacifiers following the deaths of four babies.
In response to this worrying trend, on June 23, 2022, the CPSC issued a new federal standard safety of baby sleep products. This new mandatory rule eliminates potentially hazardous sleep products on the market that currently do not meet CPSC standards for infant sleep, including inclined sleep products, travel and compact bassinets, and baby sleep products. in the bed.
HOW TO CHOOSE SAFE PRODUCTS FOR YOUR BABY:
- Stay up to date on the most recently recalled product: Check recalls with CPSC (www.cpsc.gov(y FDA)www.fda.gov) or follow DCP on social media. If you have a recalled product, the first thing you should do is stop using it.
- Check for recalls before buying or using new or used baby itemsNote: Stores aren’t always up to date with the latest recall information, so don’t assume a product is safe just because it’s on sale at a local retailer. Remember to also check for recalls if you buy used items online, through social media (Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, etc.), or at a “mom swap” or garage sale.
- Do not sell or donate recalled items: Do not sell or give away recalled items; instead, follow the recovery guide. In the case of inclined baby sleepers, be sure to destroy the sleeper so no one else can use it.
- Regularly schedule a product safety check in your home and check for recalls: Get in the habit of continuously tracking recalls, as hundreds of items that have been recalled for safety reasons are regularly added.
The New York State Division of Consumer Protection provides resources and educational materials to consumers on product safety, as well as voluntary mediation services between consumers and businesses. The Consumer Assistance Helpline 1-800-697-1220 is available Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, excluding state holidays, and consumer complaints can be filed at any moment here.
