Child Safety Blog

This week the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a voluntary recall of 24,000 motion beds for babies, writes Jennifer Kerr of the Associated Press. Manufactured by Amby Baby of USA and sold online through its website since 2003, Amby Baby Motion Beds consist of a steel frame and a fabric hammock that has mesh sides and hangs from a spring. The bed gently swings as the baby moves, a feature designed to resemble babies’ motion in the maternal womb.

Although many babies have found comfort in these hammock beds, there is a hidden risk of suffocation: as the bed moves back and forth, babies could roll and become trapped or wedged against the fabric or the mattress pad. In fact, as Jennifer Kerr reports, two infant deaths in the United States have been associated with Amby Baby Motion Beds, which prompted the CPSC’s recall of the product.

In her story, Jennifer Kerr quotes Nancy Cowles, executive director of Kids In Danger, “There is currently no safety standards that would cover hammocks.” Kerr says that safety advocates maintain that it’s safest for babies to be “in cribs or bassinets with a firm bottom support and no soft bedding, gaps or other points where they could become trapped.”

The CPSC urges parents to immediately stop using the hammock beds for the safety of their babies.

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Posted In: Infant Mortality , Infants , Product Liability

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According to a Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) report, in 2007, there were 22 toy-related deaths in the United States, and in 2008 there were 19. That translates to at least one death every month in from dangerous toys – toys that should provide enjoyment but instead have hidden death traps.

The causes of deaths include, among others, airway obstruction, strangulation, and blunt force. Dangerous toys also account for other serious injuries like laceration and burns, as well as more than 170,000 emergency room visits annually for injuries to children 15 years or younger, according to Don Keenan, Atlanta attorney and child advocate.

Don Keenan has put together a list of Top 10 Dangerous Toys for 2009, available on his website, Keenan’s Kids Foundation. He also has a link to CPSC’s list of recalled toys.

Notably, in Don Keenan’s introduction to the Top 10 Dangerous Toys list, he cautions consumers that many of these dangerous toys, although banned or recalled by the CPSC, still made their way onto the shelves in stores like Target or Walmart. The recalled toys are also easily available on the Internet at sites like eBay or in used toy stores. Other toys that were not recalled also may not be completely safe – in February 2009, the government enacted stringent standards, but Keenan’s Kids Foundation estimates that as many as 5% of toys currently on the market probably do not meet the new safety standards (such as requiring all children products to be tested by a third-party lab to ensure they meet safety standards, and banning the use of phthalates, a plastic softener, or products that contain trace amounts of lead).

Therefore, in this holiday gift-buying season, parents are urged to use extra caution in selecting safe toys, by carefully reading the safety warning label to see if the toy is age-appropriate for your children, and comparing against the CPSC’s recall list.

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Posted In: Infant Mortality , Infants , Product Liability , Toys

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Home fetal heart monitors allow pregnant women to listen to their baby’s heart beat and have the assurance without a visit to the doctor’s office that the baby is healthy and well – but is this assurance always reliable?

A true story that happened in Britain recently suggests that the heart monitors shouldn’t replace a trip to the obstetrician if there is any concern for the baby’s health, writes Tara Parker-Pope of the New York Times.

According to a commentary published at BMJ.com by doctors of the Princess Royal Hospital in Britain, a woman who was nearly full-term at 38 weeks noticed one day that the baby wasn’t moving. Instead of seeking medical advice, she turned to a home fetal heart monitor and heard what she thought was the baby’s heartbeat. After three days when she finally went to a doctor, an ultrasound scan showed the baby had already died.

Although the doctors cannot know for sure in this case that the baby would have been saved had the mother sought medical advice earlier, they said the monitors should never be used for reassurance. Dr. Chakladar, one of the authors of the BMJ commentary, said that it takes experience to determine the baby’s health. Sometimes what sounds like a baby’s heartbeat may be the mother’s own heart. And even when parents can pick up the baby’s heartbeat, it is still difficult to determine if the baby is healthy or distressed. “If a mother is concerned and feels she needs reassurance, she should immediately consult her doctor,” writes Parker-Pope.

So what is the bottom line? Dr. Chakladar advised, “On their own, these monitors are harmless; it is their improper use by parents to reassure themselves which can be dangerous…they are dangerous if they are used by untrained people as an alternative to seeking medical advice.”

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Posted In: Infants

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Bisphenol-A, a chemical used to harden plastics, is found in many plastic containers even though it’s known to be linked to diseases. Bisphenol-A, or BPA, have been found in animal studies to accelerate puberty and increases risks of cancer. Babies can be exposed to traces of the chemical when it gradually leaks into the fluids from the plastic containers. BPA exposure can also result in health problems in adults, such as elevated risk of heart diseases and diabetes.

On May 13, 2009, Chicago’s City Council joined a handful of other jurisdictions in a unanimous decision to ban the sale of baby bottles and sippy cups that are made with BPA and intended for children under the age of 3, reports Karen Ann Cullotta of the New York Times.

One of the reasons why not more jurisdictions are banning BPA use in plastic containers is the lack of direct evidence that human exposure to this chemical is harmful to our health. So far, all the evidence for the adverse effects of exposure to BPA comes from animal research studies. FDA said last year that BPA levels found in products appeared to be safe – a conclusion condemned by a panel of scientific advisers to the agency, saying the FDA “ignored crucial studies and used flawed methods.”

To protect their children from exposure to BPA and its potential dangers, parents can turn to the BPA-free products that are already available at retailers.

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Posted In: Infants , Product Liability

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On May 1, 2009, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced another recall of cribs made by Jardine Enterprises, the third safety recall since June 2008, reports Patricia Callahan of the Chicago Tribune. All three recalls involved cribs made in China and Vietnam.

The Jardine cribs in the recalls, mostly sold at Toys R Us and Babies R Us, are responsible for more than 30 reports of broken slats, one of the deadliest hazards of baby cribs. When a slat breaks, babies’ bodies slip through the gaps but their heads get stuck, resulting in strangulation and even death.

Parents can access a full list of recalled models at www.cpsc.gov. For those who bought one of the recalled cribs, a credit is available toward the purchase of a replacement.

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Posted In: Infant Mortality , Infants , Product Liability

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The Chicago Tribune uncovered federal safety test results of infant car seats that were never publicized or even made known to some of the infant-seat manufacturers, reported Chicago Tribune’s Patricia Callahan. In the frontal crash tests, a video showed the car seats flying off their bases, throwing baby dummies face-first into the back of the driver’s seat. The test reports also documented that almost half of the 66 seats that were tested in front crashes “either separated from their bases or exceeded injury limits.”

As a result of the Chicago Tribune’s investigations, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has ordered a thorough review of safety regulations for car seats and taken steps to make the safety test results more available to consumers. Before, parents could compare safety ratings for cars, but would have no way of comparing which car seats do better at protecting their babies. They would not have known that more expensive car seats are not necessarily safer, or that some smaller cars performed better than the larger ones in these collision tests.

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Posted In: Cars , Infant Mortality , Infants , Product Liability

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In vitro fertilization has generally been considered safe since the first IVF baby was born more than 30 years ago. But recent studies unveil a number of risks that couples considering the procedure should be aware of, reports Gina Kolata of the New York Times.

These IVF-related risks may include increased risk of low birth weight and premature birth, as well as severe birth defects like “a hole between the two chambers of the heart, a cleft lip or palate, an improperly developed esophagus, and a malformed rectum.” Studies indicate that IVF possibly give rise to abnormal genetic expression patterns that are responsible for these genetic disorders.

In addition to the more common birth defects, children born by IVF are also suspected to be at greater risk for other genetic disorders that are much rarer: Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (children with this syndrome are much more predisposed to childhood cancers of kidney, liver or muscle) and Angelman syndrome (severe mental retardation, motor defects and inability to speak).

Although certain risks of in vitro fertilization are beginning to surface, no finding is conclusive yet – these are preliminary studies that show “comparative risks,” but no “absolute risks” are known yet. Researchers are still in the process of discovering exactly what the risks are and what can be done to minimize them. More research reports will be available as scientists track the development and growth of babies born by IVF, and couples interested in fertility treatment should educate themselves about the risks in order to make informed decisions.

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Posted In: Birth Defects , Infants

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Researchers at Virginia Tech and Children’s National Medical Center found in a recent study that many young children in the District of Columbia may have been exposed to dangerous levels of lead during the water crisis from 2001 to 2004, reports the Washington Post’s Carol Leonnig.

The study, published last week in Environmental Science and Technology, contradicts the federal and DC health officials' repeated assurance that there was “no identifiable public health impact from elevated lead levels in drinking water.” The US Environmental Protection Agency and the DC Water and Sewer Authority cited a 2004 report issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which found no increased blood lead level in households where high levels of lead were found in tap water.

The problem in the District of Columbia is that many homes still have lead pipes that run from the water main under the street to the home.

Lead-poisoned children are at risk of many permanent neurological damages, including irreversible IQ loss, developmental delays, aggression, and difficulty focusing in school. D.C. residents whose children were two-years-old or younger during the water crisis are encouraged to monitor their kids. To reduce the impact of lead poisoning, doctors recommend “healthful, calcium-rich diet and an enriching educational environment that includes reading to them regularly.”

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Posted In: Infants

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A nationwide study found that the rate of infants died of unintentional suffocation and strangulation in their first year of life has quadrupled between 1984 and 2004, reports Rob Stein of the Washington Post. Federal health officials are concerned that this surge of fatalities may be due to the increased number of mothers sharing beds with their babies.

Although bed-sharing fosters mother-child bonding and facilitates breastfeeding, it poses serious risks to babies. Deaths can occur when the adult rolls over a baby, or when blankets or pillows get in the baby’s airway.

A national survey found that bed-sharing was more common among younger and poorer women; another study shows that death rate from accidental strangulation and suffocation was three times as many among African Americans as Caucasians. This difference can be due to "economics" or "cultural beliefs," Stein quotes Clinton-Reid, chairperson of a committee that reviews infant deaths for the District's medical examiner. Some mothers just cannot afford a crib, and others believe that babies are safer sleeping with them.

For those who would like to have a crib for their babies but cannot afford one, there are nonprofit organizations that give away free cribs. As for mothers who want to continue bed-sharing with their babies, they should consult with their doctors for safer ways to sleep with their babies. Some general rules of thumb include the following (a more extensive list can be found on kidshealth.org):
• Put babies to sleep on their backs. (This has helped cut the number of deaths from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.)
• Leave the baby’s head uncovered.
• Keep the bed away from draperies or blinds to prevent the baby from getting strangled by the cords.
• Ensure the mattress fits snug in the bed frame to prevent the baby from getting trapped in between.

It used to be taught that babies should be put to sleep on their stomachs, the thought being that they would be less likely to choke on regurgitated stomach contents. But the latest advice from the American Academy of Pediatrics is to lay the baby on its back. The educational program is called "back to sleep." Experts now recognize that many deaths from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome happened when babies turned their faces into their bedding and suffocated.

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Posted In: Infants

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Next time you think it’s safe to leave your baby unattended in a crib, think again.

Design flaws and confusing instruction manual – among other factors – contribute to the rising number of crib accidents in the past two years, resulting in the federal government’s recall of 3.6 million cribs. That’s more than the number of recalled cribs in the last 30 years combined.

Some of the problems recurrently reported by parents include:

(1) Mattress platforms that drop and form a gap that can entrap and strangle babies;
(2) Bars too far apart, allowing babies’ small and flexible bodies to slide through;
(3) Confusing installation manuals that allow parents to misassemble;
(4) Flawed designs that allow cribs to operate even when misassembled, albeit dangerously.

Injuries from crib mishaps can become terrible tragedies, with children dying or even suffering brain injury.

Before the government puts in place new and stricter safety regulations, what can parents do to minimize the chance of their babies getting injured in the cribs? They should always make sure the cribs are assembled properly and securely, and never assume that nothing will happen to the babies simply because they’re in the cribs -- check up on them frequently!

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Posted In: Infants , Product Liability

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Until recently, public health officials only recommended flu vaccinations for children two years old or older.

But now, as flu season approaches, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have recommended that babies as young as six months get the vaccine.

From the article:

The flu vaccine is recommended for people 50 years and over, people with certain chronic medical conditions, people in nursing homes, pregnant women, and children 6 months to 18 years old unless they have a serious egg allergy. The vaccine is also recommended for health workers, and anyone in close contact with infants or others at-risk.

For further information, go to www.cdc.gov and check out the links about the flu.

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Posted In: Infants , Vaccines

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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commision has issued a warning against the popular "close-sleeper/bedside-sleeper" bassinets made by Simplicity Inc., after two babies were trapped and strangled to death by the bassinet's metal bars.

According to the article, these are the most popular bassinets in the country. The Commission says that the spacing of the metal bars is what makes the bassinets dangerous:

It said the two bassinets contain metal bars spaced farther apart than 2 3/8 inches, the maximum distance allowed under federal crib safety standards. Federal regulations make such standards voluntary for bassinets.

The article notes that those who bought the bassinets from Target can return them for a refund, and that anyone with questions about them can call the Commission's hotline at 800-638-2772. It would be advisable to avoid not only these bassinets but also others with similarly spaced metal bars.

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Posted In: Infants , Product Liability

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We have discussed concerns over the efficacy and safety of cough and cold medicines for very young children many times in the past.

Now, in reaction to these concerns, the FDA plans to take another look at the reasons why these cough and cold medications were approved for toddlers and infants in the first place. From the article:

In response to rising concerns that the products are ineffective and could be unsafe, the agency said it will revamp the criteria that have allowed the products to remain on drugstore shelves for the first time in decades.

"Modern science has advanced since, and this is an opportunity to apply modern science to evaluate these products,” said Janet Woodcock, director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

As the first step in that process, the agency will hold a special hearing Oct. 2 to begin to consider a series of questions, including: What types of studies should be done to evaluate the products? Should the products remain available without a prescription? How should the doses be determined? Should products that combine different ingredients remain available?

One problem that has led to preventable tragedies is that parents sometimes inadvertently overdose their children. A particular problem has been with concentrated Tylenol infant drops. Due to confusing instructions from pediatricians and to labeling that wasn't always clear, some parents have not realized that the infant drops contain much more of the active ingredient, acetaminophen, then regular children's Tylenol. An overdose of Tylenol or acetaminophen can cause liver poisoning which requires liver transplant. After years of complaints, the Tylenol manufacturer took the concentrated infant drops off the market in October 2007.

The FDA's new look promises to go beyond the infant drops issue and look at the appropriate place of cough and cold medicines in treatment of infants and toddlers.

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Posted In: Infants , Medication , Product Liability

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A recent Canadian study shows that pregnant women who live near highways are more likely to give birth to premature or low-birth-weight infants--but only among wealthy mothers. Pollution from the highways is what causes these effects, researchers say. The reason why these results are not found among poorer mothers is, says lead researcher Dr. Melissa Generoux, because poorer mothers have so many more risk factors that this particular single factor has less of an obvious effect. Wealthier mothers, safe from other risks, are more likely to be noticeably affected by this one factor.

Expecting mothers are bombarded with advice and even lectures on the minutest details of what they consume during pregnancy, and are often overcome with anxiety over these matters. Yet they and their children are still powerfully affected by factors outside their personal control, such as the level of pollution near residential areas.

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Posted In: Birth Defects , Infant Mortality , Infants

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As we have previously discussed, there has been a furor over bisphenol A or BPA, a common ingredient in the plastic used to make baby bottles.

Now scientists from the FDA have issued a new report declaring that the chemical is safe, after revisiting the issue because the National Toxicology Program said that there was "some concern" about its effects on infants.

The reason why the FDA now considers it safe is because the amount of BPA needed to be dangerous is thousands of times greater than the amount actually contained in any baby bottle.

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Posted In: Infants

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Senate Consumer Affairs subcomittee members sharply critized federal agencies for a slow reaction to the problem of bisphenol A (BPA) in baby bottles and water bottles and other plastic drinking containers. As the linked blog post and article both describe, the National Institutes of Health found cause for "some concern" that BPA has a harmful effect on very young children.

The Food and Drug Administration does not recommend that consumers immediately cease using products with BPA. Some Senators, however, are pushing for legislation that would ban BPA in products intended to be used by children aged 7 or younger.

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Previously, we blogged about a link between bisphenol A and problems in human development. As the article says, the advisory panel to the National Toxicology Program (part of the NIH) had previously dismissed all concerns about this as "minimal." This new report concludes that there is reason for "some concern." Bisphenol A can cause problems for fetuses, babies, and young children, but apparently not for adult humans.

Plastic industry representatives argued that there are no "serious or high-level concerns", and the National Toxicology Program concedes that more research is needed.

Nevertheless, the bottle maker Nalgene Outdoor Products has decided to stop using plastic containing bisphenol A . This may have something to do with the new report, and may also be related to Canada's plans to declare bisphenol A toxic. In any case, hopefully more studies will be done to determine how much of a threat this is to young children.

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Posted In: Infants , Product Liability

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Given the frequent confusion over what drugs and foods are and are not dangerous to breastfeeding infants, mothers will be relieved to kow that breast-feeding while on seizure medications does not have any apparent harmful effects on children. From the article:

"Our early findings show breast-feeding during anti-epilepsy drug treatment doesn't appear to have a negative impact on a child's cognitive abilities," study author Kimford Meador, of the University of Florida at Gainesville, said in a prepared statement. "However, more research is needed to confirm our findings, and women should use caution due to the limitations of our study."

The study will follow up on these children until they reach the age of six.

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Black infants are twice as likely to die as white infants and have a much higher-than-average rate of pre-term birth.

Researchers have suggested many possible causes for this, including the following:

-lack of pre-natal care

-lack of health insurance and health care generally

-physiological impact of the chronic stress of racism

This statistic is just one of many that indicates a highly disturbing healthcare apartheid for children in America.

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Posted In: Infants

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