News Moms Need

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a recall of Simplicity and Graco cribs. The Graco cribs have drop sides that can result in a baby being trapped or suffocated. With the Simplicity cribs, hardware can fail and cause part of the mattress to collapse. The baby is then at risk of falling, being trapped or suffocating.

For info on selecting a safe crib, read the article on the March of Dimes Web site.

Over 400,000 Dorel car seats/carriers have been recalled because the child-restraint handle can loosen and come off. As a result, the infant may fall.

A repair kit is available. The handle of the seat/carrier should not be used until it has been repaired.

The car seats/carriers have been sold by Costco, Eddie Bauer, Disney and others.

For more about the recall, see the news release from the Consumer Product Safety Commission. To learn more about safety and car seats, read the March of Dimes article.

It’s hard to believe, but Halloween is right around the corner. My husband and I are both off from work today, so we’re headed out to buy decorations and mums for the front stoop. Our little pumpkin is too young for trick-or-treating, but it’s not too soon for us to learn how to enjoy this holiday safely with her. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has some helpful Halloween safety tips on their website. Click here to check them out.

Today the U.S. government reported that the outbreak of swine flu (also known as H1N1 flu) is continuing and may get worse in the fall.  Scientists are currently working on a vaccine, which may be ready in time for the fall flu season.

For more, read the March of Dimes article on swine flu. It includes information about this illness and pregnant women, infants, children and breastfeeding women.

Furniture and TVs sometimes tip over and cause injuries. The number of these injuries is increasing. Our wonderful big-screen TVs that are so perfect for the Super Bowl are part of the problem. These are the findings of a new study published in the medical journal Clinical Pediatrics.

One out of four of these injuries occurs when children pull over or climb on furniture. For children under the age of 7, the main hazard is the television. Children may injure their heads or necks or break bones. Tthese injuries can be serious.

So what can we do?

  * Place the TV low to the ground and near the back of the stand.

  * Attach TVs and furniture to the wall with safety straps or brackets.

  * Buy furniture that has wide legs and a solid base.

  * Install drawer stops on chests that have drawers.

  * Place heavy items close to the floor on shelves.

  * Don’t put your child’s favorite toy or the remote control on top of furniture or the television. Small children love these items and will reach for them every time.

Do you know any tips that can help? Be safe, everybody.

Evenflo has recalled thousands of high chairs. Because of problems with the design, the seat may fall backwards or detach. Children can fall backwards or out of the chairs. Also, if parts come lose, they could be choking hazards.

For more, read the statements from Evenflo about the recall of its Majestic and Envision high chairs.

Evenflo has recalled Majestic high chairs made before January 2007. They may lead to falls or choking. If you own one of these chairs, stop using it immediately.

Plastic caps and metal screws on both sides of the high chair can loosen and fall out. A child may put the caps or screws in her mouth and choke.

If the caps and screws come loose, the seatback of the high chair may fall back or detach. Children may fall out or hit other objects. They could break bones or have serious cuts, scrapes and bruises.

For more information, visit the Web site of the Consumer Product Safety Commission.