In the News- Crib Recalls
It seems like every time you turn around, there is another recall on products made for babies or children. It's enough to drive you crazy with worry. November's highly publicized recall on drop-side cribs has been called the largest crib recall in US history, affecting some 2.1 million cribs in the United States and Canada. This isn't the first recall of its kind, as drop side cribs have been in the news before. In fact, since 2001, drop-side cribs have been implicated in the deaths of 32 infants and toddlers and are suspected in 14 others. The cribs have a mechanism that allows one side to slide or drop down to allow parents easier access. The danger arises due to product malfunction or improper assembly which can cause a gap in-between the side rail and the crib frame that is wide enough for small children to become trapped in, causing the possibility of suffocation or strangulation.
The most recent recalls center around the Stork Craft Manufacturing brand. Affected cribs were manufactured and distributed between January 1993 and October 2009 and were sold by several major retailers in the United States and Canada, both in-store and online. The recalled cribs sold for between $100 and $400 and many carry the Fisher-Price logo. If you're concerned that you may have purchased one of the cribs affected by this recall, Stork Craft is offering free repair kits to immobilize the crib sides, making them safer for children. For additional information, contact Stork Craft toll-free at (877) 274-0277 anytime to order the free repair kit, or log on to www.storkcraft.com For a complete list of recalls anytime, visit Visit the Infant/Child section of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. You can even sign up for email alerts on the latest recalls. This list doesn't include children's toys, so if you're worried or just curious, make sure to also visit the Toy and Product Recall Finder at Parents.com. These are great resources for parents and it's worth browsing the lists occasionally, especially if you've received or bought hand-me-down or second hand children's clothes, gear or toys.
