How To Keep Your Baby Safe from Recalled Products

Do you know if the products you use for your baby are safe?

Well, it’s sort of a trick question. Like most concerned parents, you’ve probably had your baby’s safety on your mind since day one. But what if you found out that the very items you purchased to keep baby safe and comfortable could end up seriously injuring your child, or worse?

Unfortunately, and contrary to many consumers’ beliefs, there is no requirement that children’s products be tested for safety before they are sold. With recalls in 2007 reaching a record high - over 25 million units - and high-profile recalls of everything from drug-tainted Aqua Dots to lead-laced Barbie dolls to collapsing cribs, parents are understandably anxious about protecting children under their care.

Fortunately, there are simple steps you can take to keep dangerous products out of homes and the hands of children.

The single most important thing you can do is to stay informed about the issue.

• Sign up for recall alerts from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission at www.cpsc.gov and www.KidsInDanger.org and check often to stay up-to-date.
• Inventory your children’s products and compare them to the CPSC list of recalls to make sure you don't have unsafe products at home.
• Report any unsafe products to the manufacturer and the CPSC.

Beware of these hazards:

1. Choking. Watch out for small or breakable parts. Do not buy small toys or toys with small parts for children under the age of 3 as these toys are choking hazards. If a toy fits into a toilet paper tube, it is too small. Balloons and small balls are especially dangerous for young children.
2. Lead. Lead has been found in a shocking array of products, everything from vinyl bibs to expensive children’s jewelry. Lead is especially important to protect against because you can’t actually see the danger. Use the tips below to make it a little easier:
   • Be wary of metal jewelry for children, it may contain unsafe levels of lead.
   • Unpainted wooden cloth toys are less likely than plastic and vinyl toys to be tainted with lead.
3. Magnets. Millions of toys with tiny magnets were recalled last year after at least one death and over three dozen children were seriously injured. Make sure not to buy toys with magnets that may fall out or are small enough to be swallowed.
4. Unsafe Sleeping Environments. Make sure your infant and toddler have a safe place to sleep. Check all cribs for recalls, loose or missing hardware or slats. Don’t use a crib with slats far enough apart to let a soda can pass through or with corner posts or cut-outs that might catch a child’s clothing. Check to be sure the mattress fits snugly and there are no loose parts. Your old crib from the attic will not be safe for your child. Remove all soft bedding, don’t use adult sheets on a crib mattress and don’t put babies in a bed with older children. 

   The same is true of high chairs and strollers – check that they aren’t recalled and have three point harnesses to keep your baby from falling out.