A one-year-old boy was strangled after a lift cord loop fell into his portable crib. Another boy, 13 months old, had his head caught between the exposed inner cord and cloth on the back of a Roman shade. And a four-year-old girl died after being tangled in the loop of a verticle blind cord that wasn’t attached to the wall or floor.
The blinds or shades in the deaths were made or imported by Lewis Hyman of Carson, Calif., and Vertical Land of Panama Beach City, Fla. But four other companies are also recalling their products as well. The massive recall involves about 5.5 million blinds or shades.
Pottery Barn Kids is recalling Roman shades after reports of six kids becoming entangled in the inner cord. Ikea has decided to recall Roman blinds after a 2-year-old boy was nearly strangled in a looped beaded chain. Target is recalling cloth and bamboo Roman shades made by Victoria Classics even though injuries haven’t been reported. Similarly, Lutron Shading Solutions is taking back its roller shades although it hasn’t received any negative reports.
For more info on the specific blinds being recalled, check out the web site for the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Just one more thing that parents have to worry about as kids hit the pool — 4 million swim floats are being recalled because the leg straps can tear and cause kids to fall unexpectedly into or under the water and put them at risk for drowning.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has received 31 reports of float seats tearing; no injuries have been recorded. The affected products are a variety of styles and colors, detailed here. Consumers should contact the manufacturer, Aqua-Leisure Industries of Avon, Mass., for a full refund. Call the company at (866) 807-3998 or visit its Web site.
Eating raw Toll House refrigerated cookie dough may have sickened up to 66 people nationwide with E. coli bacteria infections. Federal officials say consumers should throw out any cookie dough, and Nestle USA says that the products can be returned to grocery stores for a full refund.
However tempting, people should never eat raw cookie dough. And even though baking the dough could kill any bacteria, the feds are being cautious because handling the pre-cooked dough could spread the bacteria to hands and kitchen surfaces.
It’s unclear how the dough may have been contaminated, the New York Times reported. E. coli is usually linked to bad meat and can cause cramps, vomiting and bloody diarrhea.
There’s yet more proof that parents should avoid drop-side cribs at all costs. About 5,000 cribs sold under the names of Babi Italia Pinehurst, Bonavita Hudson and Bonavita Cabana have been recalled.
Authorities have received 33 reports of the drop-side detaching due to failure of the spring pin in the Babi Italia and Bonavita Hudson cribs. Two kids became entrapped and one child fell. For the Bonavita Cabana cribs, there have been 16 reports of the slats falling out of the rails or breaking. No children were injured in those incidents.
The cribs, made in Vietnam and China, were imported by LaJobi Inc. of New Jersey. The Consumer Products Safety Commission says that parents and caregivers should immediately stop using the cribs. LaJobi says that it will pay for technicians to perform in-home installations of a free retrofit hardware kit. Consumers should call LaJobi at (866) 688-9009 or visit the firm’s Web site at www.lajobi.com.
Repeated malfunctioning of drop-side cribs have caused numerous injuries and a few deaths. Major crib manufacturers have decided to stop making drop-side cribs, but tens of thousands are still on the market.
Is every crib going to be recalled eventually?
The latest nursery horror story involves seven models of Jardine wooden cribs. Thirty-one families have reported the slats of their cribs breaking — two kids even became entrapped in the gap created by the broken slat. One child suffered bumps and bruises.
Jardine previously recalled 320,000 cribs in in June 2008 and 56,450 units in January. This time, 96,000 cribs are being recalled by the Taiwan-based company. The cribs, made in China and Vietnam, were sold at KidsWorld, Geoffrey, Toys R Us and Babies R Us stores nationwide from September 2005 through April.
Jardine is offering consumers full credit toward the purchase of a new crib. Contact Jardine at (800) 646-4106 or visit the firm’s Web site.
Simplicity-brand portable play yards are being recalled because of reports that one or more rails have collapsed and could cause children to fall or be entrapped.
About 25,000 of the play yards, which include a bassinet and changing table, are affected by the recall, announced by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The Chinese-made products with these model numbers were sold nationwide and online from March 2005 through January at Babies R Us, Target, Burlington Coat Factory and Kohls. Consumers should stop using the play yards and return them to the place of purchase for a refund or replacement.
About 40,000 “zoo” pacifiers with animal cartoon figures as handles are being recalled because the nipples can easily separate from the base and pose a choking hazard to babies. The products, made in Spain and imported by Healthtex of Miami, were sold nationwide at supermarkets and pharmacies from December 2002 through March. Consumers can receive a refund or exchange from Healthtex by calling the company at (866) 348-5080.
More than 50 children been injured after the seatbacks of Evenflo high chairs have detached or reclined unexpectedly. The company has also received reports of recline fasteners and screws falling out of the chair, and one child reportedly grabbed the items to put in his mouth.
The Ohio company is now recalling all Evenflo Envision high chairs; see specific model numbers here. Consumers are asked to stop using the chairs and contact the company for a free repair kit. The products, made in China, were sold nationwide from December 2002 to April 2006. More information is available by calling Evenflo at (800) 233-5921 or visiting its Web site.
More than 180,000 baby toys are being recalled because their blue metallic fabric can detach, posing a choking hazard for young children.
Infantino LLC of San Diego has received 45 reports of the fabric detaching, but no incidents of injuries. The various infant toys, made in China, were sold at major retailers such as Wal-Mart from June 2007 through February. Model numbers of the affected products are listed here. Consumers can get a free replacement toy by calling the company at (888) 808-3111 or visiting its Web site.
Bikes made by the Electra Bicycle Company of Vista, Calif., are being recalled because the front tray can come loose and make contact with the front tire. Four incidents have been reported to the company, including one that resulted in minor cuts and bruises to the rider.
About 3,000 bikes with these model numbers are affected. Consumers should be able to get a free inspection and repair from Electra bike dealers. For more info, contact the company at (800) 261-1644 or visit its Web site.
Fishing games, baby rattles and pull-a-long cars contain small parts that can easily detach and become a choking hazard for young children. Mini-cars and bubble guns are being recalled because their paints have excessive levels of lead, the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced this week.
A total of 39,000 of the recalled toys were made in China and imported by CBB Group Inc. of California. They were sold at various dollar and toy stores from July 2007 through December 2008, and consumers can return them to the place of purchase for a refund.
Photos of the affected toys and their model numbers are here. For more info, call CBB Group Inc. at (866) 628-6238 or visit its Web site.
Nine kids have been injured when a end cap dislodged from an “exersaucer” activity table, causing the play center to fall, the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced. One child in Canada suffered a broken collarbone; the other received bumps and bruises.
About 213,000 of the Evenflo ExerSaucer Triple Fun activity centers are affected in the recall. The products, made by Evenflo Co. Inc. of Ohio were sold nationwide from October 2006 through this month. Consumers are advised to stop using the activity table in the “stage 3 position.” Contact the company to receive a free replacement end cap at (800) 233-5921 or visit its Web site.
Two children nearly choked on pieces of a toy tool set that unexpectedly detached. About 20,000 of the Playouse Disney “Handy Manny” tool sets were sold nationwide at the Disney Store from October 2007 until January. Consumers are advised to return the toys, made in China, to the Disney Store for a full refund. Additional information is available from the company at (866) 902-2798 or its Web site.
