Public warned against using infant rockers for sleep after 14 deaths

Federal security officials warn against the use of children’s rocker sleepers, citing at least 14 deaths related to products manufactured by Fisher-Price and another by Kids2.

At least 13 deaths reported between 2009 and 2021 involved Infant Rockers in Fisher-Price Children and Newborn Rockers in Toddlers, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Fisher-Price said Tuesday. Fisher-Price has sold more than 17 million rockers worldwide since the 1990s.

A separate statement from CPSC and Kids2 cited at least one reported 2019 death of a child in a Bright Starts Rocker. Kids2 has sold more than 1.8 million rockers worldwide since 2012.

Urgent notice

Parents and caregivers should never use tilted products, such as seesaws, gliders, pacifiers and swings, to put babies to sleep and should never leave babies inside the products unattended or with bedding material at risk. ‘ofec, said the agency and the companies.

Consumer advocates echoed this advice.

“Businesses should not market or represent children’s products such as seesaws, gliders and sloping products as a way to get babies to sleep or as sleeping products, as they are not safe for babies’ sleep,” said Dev Gowda, Deputy Director of Kids In Danger. in a statement.

The CPSC recently finalized a rule that will go into effect later this month, or June 22, that requires children’s sleep products to have a sleep surface angle of 10 degrees or less.

A House committee found last year that Fisher-Price ignored warnings about its Rock ‘n Play sloping rides, which were on the market for about 10 years before being remembered in 2019 and that they were related to more than 30 child deaths.

CPSC Commissioner Richard Trumka called on Congress to change the rules to allow the agency to issue its warnings more quickly.

“Just three years ago, this agency oversaw the withdrawal of Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play after a staggering number of child deaths. Tragically, we now suffer 13 more child deaths at Fisher Price Rockers,” Trumka said in a statement. .

When the safety committee becomes aware of a pattern of product-related deaths and injuries, it must first seek permission from the manufacturer before notifying the public.

“Here, the gag rule delayed our message to the public by two months,” Trumka said, adding that “even with Fisher-Price cooperation, we fought a difficult battle to publish this information to warn the parents and caregivers “.

Safety tips

President Biden signed last month Safe Baby Sleep Actwhich prohibits the manufacture or sale of padded cushions for cribs and sloping sleeping products related to hundreds of deaths.

The CPSC offers the following safety tips for parents and caregivers:

• The best place for a baby to sleep is on a firm, flat surface in a crib, crib, or playground.
• Use only an adjustable sheet and never add blankets, pillows, crib pads, or other items to a baby’s sleeping environment.
• Babies should always be put to sleep on their backs. Babies who fall asleep in an inclined or upright position should be moved to a safe sleeping environment with a firm, flat surface, such as a crib, crib, or playground.