The U.S. Food and Drug Administration urges parents and caregivers not to use baby neck floats after the death of at least one baby and the hospitalization of another. In both cases, the babies were injured while not under direct control, the agency warned on Tuesday.
Inflatable plastic rings can be worn around the baby’s neck, letting the baby float freely in the water. Some are marketed for children up to two weeks old, as well as for premature babies or those with developmental delays or disabilities.
US Food and Drug Administration
While manufacturers promote floating necks as a product that offers mobility to babies and as a valuable tool for babies and children with special needs, the FDA said the effectiveness of the products has not been established.
The agency recently learned that companies marketed neck floats for use as a water therapy tool without FDA authorization or approval, he said.
“The safety and effectiveness of neck floats to increase strength, to promote motor development or as a physical therapy tool have not been established,” the agency said. “Risks of using neck floats include death by drowning and suffocation, tension and injuries to a baby’s neck. Babies with special needs such as spina bifida or SMA type 1 may be at increased risk for serious injury “.
Baby neck floats began to gain popularity a few years ago, with photos of a pint-sized swimming device appearing on social media and prompted a pediatrician to describe the products as “potential deadly traps. “to various social media accounts.
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