Be Child Safe

Author: Marianne Halterman

  • Wal-Mart Recalls Dolls Due to Burn Hazard

    Recall Date: March 25, 2014

    Recall Number: 14-140

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Consumers should stop using this product unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

    Recall Summary

    Name of Product: My Sweet Love / My Sweet Baby Cuddle Care Baby Doll

    Hazard: The circuit board in the chest of the doll can overheat, causing the surface of the doll to get hot, posing a burn hazard to the consumer.

    Remedy: Refund

    Consumer Contact: Wal-Mart Stores at (800) 925-6278 from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. CT on Saturday, and from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. CT on Sunday, or online at www.walmart.com and click on Product Recalls for more information.

    Photos available at http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Recalls/2014/Wal-Mart-Recalls-Dolls/

    Recall Details

    Units: About 174,000

    Description: The My Sweet Love / My Sweet Baby electronic baby doll comes in pink floral clothing and matching knit hat. The 16 inch doll is packaged with a toy medical check-up kit including a stethoscope, feeding spoon, thermometer and syringe. The doll’s electronics cause her to babble when she gets “sick,” her cheeks turn red and she starts coughing. Using the medical kit pieces cause the symptoms to stop. “My Sweet Baby” is printed on the front of the clear plastic and cardboard packaging. The doll is identified by UPC 6-04576-16800-5 and a date code which begins with WM. The date code is printed on the stuffed article label sewn into the bottom of the doll.

    Incidents/Injuries: Wal-Mart has received 12 reports of incidents, including two reports of burns or blisters to the thumb.

    Remedy: Consumers should immediately take the dolls from children, remove the batteries and return the doll to any Walmart store for a full refund.

    Sold exclusively at: Walmart stores nationwide from August 2012 through March 2014 for $20.

    Importer: Wal-Mart Stores Inc., of Bentonville, Ark.

    Manufacturer: Tak Ngai Electronic Toys Co., LTD

    Manufactured in: China

  • Ganz Recalls Grumpy Cat Stuffed Animal Toys Due to Choking Hazard

    Recall Date: March 19, 2014

    Recall Number: 14-135

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Consumers should stop using this product unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

    Recall Summary

    Name of Product:  Three styles of Plush Grumpy Cat stuffed animal toys.

    Hazard: The stuffed animals’ eyes can detach, posing a choking hazard to young children.

    Remedy:  Replace

    Consumer Contact:  Ganz at (800) 724-5902 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday or online at www.Ganz.com and click on Recall Info for more information.

    Photos available at http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Recalls/2014/Ganz-Recalls-Grumpy-Cat-Stuffed-Animal-Toys/

    Recall Details

    Units: About 8,200

    Description: This recall involves three styles of plush Grumpy Cat stuffed animal toys by Ganz. They include an 8-inch Grumpy Cat in laying position, a 5-inch long sitting Grumpy Cat and a 4-inch Grumpy Cat key clip. The toys are multi-colored in white with dark brown, light brown and gray fur material. Grumpy Cat toys have blue crystal eyes with the eye lids half closed, a down-turned mouth and white whiskers. This toy is labeled for ages 3 and older. The Grumpy Cat key chain has a black plastic key clip at the top of the cat’s head. The recalled toys have batch numbers 86754 or 224861, and model numbers printed on the sewn-in label located near the tail of the cat.

    The recalled toys model and batch numbers are:

    [ultimatetables 5 /]

    Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received six reports of the eyes detaching from the Grumpy Cat toys.  No injuries have been reported.

    Remedy: Consumers should immediately take the recalled toys away from children and contact Ganz for a free replacement Grumpy Cat product of equivalent value or a full refund.

    Sold at: Gift, drug and toy stores including hospitals, museums and gift shops nationwide from December 2013 through January 2014 for about $8 to $10.

    Manufacturer:  Ganz USA LLC, Marietta, Ga.

    Manufactured in: China

  • Vera Bradley Recalls Bear Ring Rattles and Bunny Toys Due to Choking Hazard

    Recall Date: March 19, 2014

    Recall Number: 14-132

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Consumers should stop using this product unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

    Recall Summary

    Name of Product: Vera Bradley Bear Ring Rattles and Bunny Stuffed Toys

    Hazard: The pom-pom tail can detach from the body of the bear rattle and the bunny, posing a choking hazard to young children.

    Remedy: Refund

    Consumer Contact: Vera Bradley toll-free at (888) 855-8372 from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET Monday through Friday and 8:30 am to 5 pm ET Saturday and Sunday or online at www.verabradley.com and click on Product Recall for more information.

    Photos available at http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Recalls/2014/Vera-Bradley-Recalls-Bear-Ring-Rattles-and-Bunny-Toys/

    Recall Details

    Units: About 98,000

    Description: This recall involves all Vera Bradley Bear Ring Rattles and Bunny stuffed animal toys.  The products are made of cotton and fleece.  The bear ring rattle has a white teddy bear head, arms attached to an O-shaped body with a green, blue, brown and pink crisscross pattern design rattle. The bear ring rattle measures about 4.25 inches in diameter. The bunny is 10 inches tall from the top of its head to the bottom of its foot and was sold in three printed patterns. The “Bunny in Lilli Bell” has green vines with pink and orange flowers on the body, limbs and the back of the ears. The “Bunny in Lola” has a crisscross geometric pattern on the arms, legs and ears of the white headed bunny with a floral print body. The “Bunny in Tutti Frutti” has a green with a pink and yellow floral printed pattern fabric covering whole body. All of the recalled rattles and bunnies have a white pom-pom tail on the back of the item. The name Vera Bradley is marked on a tag attached to each item along with the following serial numbers:

    [ultimatetables 4 /]

    Incidents/Injuries: Vera Bradley has received two reports that the pom-pom tail detached from the product.  No injuries have been reported.

    Remedy: Consumers should immediately take them away from young children and stop using these recalled products and return them to Vera Bradley for a full refund.

    Sold at: Vera Bradley retail stores, department stores and specialty gift shops and online at www.verabradley.com and other online stores from September 2012 to January 2014 for between $12 and $19.

    Manufacturer: Vera Bradley Designs Inc., of Fort Wayne, Ind.

    Manufactured in: China

  • Design Ideas Recalls Magnets Due to Risk of Ingestion

    Recall Date: March 5, 2014

    Recall Number: 14-126

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Consumers should stop using this product unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

    Recall Summary

    Name of Product: Design Ideas and Neatlife Rubber Ducky Magnets, and Design Ideas Blowfish and Splat Magnets

    Hazard: The small magnets can easily detach from the product. If swallowed, magnets can link together inside a child’s intestines and clamp onto body tissues, causing intestinal obstructions, perforations, sepsis and death. Internal injury from magnets can pose serious lifelong health effects.

    Remedy: Refund

    Consumer Contact: Design Ideas at (800) 426-6394 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday or online at and www.designideas.net  and click on  “Safety Notices and Patents” for more information.

    Photos available at http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Recalls/2014/Design-Ideas-Recalls-Magnets/

    Recall Details

    Units: About 21,700 Rubber Ducky Magnets, 3,200 Blowfish Magnets and 2,000 Splat Magnets

    Description: This recall involves miniature office and refrigerator magnets sold in the shape of a duck, blowfish and a splat. A small magnet is affixed to the underside of the brightly colored plastic objects which were sold in sets of four or six. Model number 3205121 (duck), 993205114 (duck), 3205122 (blowfish) or 3205078 (splat) is printed on the bottom of the packaging.  “Magnets” and the Design Idea’s logo are printed on the front of the package.

    Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

    Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled magnets, place them out of reach of children and contact Design Ideas for a refund.

    Sold by: Rubber ducky magnets were sold at Nordstrom’s Rack stores, novelty and gift stores, book stores and art stores nationwide from March 2007 through September 2013 for about $10. Blowfish magnets were sold at novelty and gift stores, book stores and art stores nationwide from March 2007 through March 2011 for about $10. Splat magnets were sold at CB2 stores, novelty and gift stores, office supply stores and art stores nationwide from November 2012 to February 2014 for about $10.

    Distributor: Design Ideas Ltd., of Springfield, Ill.

    Manufactured in: China

  • Measles a.k.a. Rubeola – What are they?! Why should parents be concerned?

    In 1963, a vaccine against Measles (Rubeola), Mumps and Rubella (German Measles), the MMR vaccine, was developed and finally made available through physicians to the general public.  This was a great day in medical science for all, especially children, parents and prospective parents. For hundreds of years, Rubeola, the “regular” measles had been a devastating, infectious scourge to populations, especially children. The MMR vaccine is responsible for practically eradicating the disease in the U.S.

    Unfortunately, the Measles virus (Rubeola) still is a serious contagious virus that can occur and be fatal–but now, perhaps only 2 in 1,000 individuals who contract measles may die (according to the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Prior to 1963, the disease could kill up to 500 children in a year. The measles virus also can cause early labor, miscarriage in women who are pregnant, and low birth weight in infants whose mothers contracted measles.

    The measles virus thrives in the mucosal lining of the nose, mouth, throat and lungs, and can be spread by transmitting droplets of body fluids in the air through coughing, expectorating (saliva), sneezing, and tears.  Measles can be present in an infected individual–without symptoms showing for several (3 to 5) days. And a person can be considered contagious even 5 days following the disappearance of symptoms.

    It is important for parents to note that no medicine currently exists that can kill the measles virus once a person has developed measles. But measles can be prevented by being inoculated with the MMR vaccine.  Common symptoms of measles that parents and family members need to know are:

    • Fever – Can be mild to high and often occurs prior to appearance of skin rash and may subside following the presence of rash;
    • Blotchy reddish-brown skin rash that usually becomes visible within 4 to 5 days following infection; can show up on the face, hairline, neck, chest, torso, arms, legs and feet; may be accompanied by swollen glands (lymph nodes);
    • Dry-sounding cough;
    • Muscle aches, pains and fatigue;
    • Runny nose and nasal congestion;
    • Mouth sores – Can appear as white patches with bluish centers on the lining of the mouth and throat;
    • Inflammation of the conjunctiva of the eye, conjunctivitis (“Pink Eye”), red, swollen and itchy, watery eyes that may emit mucus; and
    • Sensitivity to light (photophobia) – Rest in a darkened room may help alleviate the pain due to light sensitivity.

    As of February 14, 2014, 20 new cases of the highly contagious measles virus occurring in the United States have been reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  While measles seems to have been all but eliminated in the U.S., there continue to be outbreaks in other countries, and travelers can and have brought the disease into the U.S. Measles can occur in populations where children and others have not been vaccinated or exposed to this highly contagious virus.  People are still at risk for getting measles unless they were born before 1957 when the disease was widespread in the U.S., or they have previously had measles, or they have received at least 2 doses of the MMR vaccine.

    If you think your child may have been exposed to or already have the measles virus, please contact your children’s primary care provider or pediatrician as soon as possible to learn what you need to do in order to care for your child and at the same time prevent the spread of measles in your family and community.

  • Making Play Safe for Kids

    On February 26, 2014, at 6:00 p.m. the president and CEO of Safe Kids Worldwide, Kate Carr, joins a discussion on Making Play Safe for Kids, hosted by the Arthur Blank Foundation and moderated by Sanjay Gupta, MD.

    To listen to this event sign up at:   http://blankfoundation.org/play-safe

  • Another Chapter in the Buckyballs Debate…

    “The safety commission and consumer advocates maintain that the ban is warranted because rare-earth magnets are irresistible to children, even if the packaging says the toys are intended for adults. ” – The New York Times’ article by Andrew Martin of August 16, 2012.

    Buckyballs VS. The Consumer Product Safety Commission

    A video from the U. S. Chamber of Commerce

  • Graco Child Seats Recalled: Buckle May Not Unlatch

    Report Receipt Date: February 10, 2014

    NHTSA Campaign Number: 14C001000

    Recall Summary

    On February 7, 2014, Graco Children’s Products, Inc. (Graco) informed NHTSA that it would be recalling model year 2009 through 2013 toddler and booster child restraints, models Cozy Cline, Comfort Sport, Classic Ride 50, My Ride 65, My Ride w/Safety Surround, My Ride 70, Size 4 Me 70, Smart Seat, Nautilus, Nautilus Elite, and Argos 70. On March 7, 2014, Graco informed NHTSA it would be including an additional 403,222 seats in this recall, including certain model year 2006 through 2014 Argos 70 Elite, Ready Ride, Step 2, My Ride 65 with Safety Surround, My Size 70, Head Wise 70 with Safety Surround, Nautilus 3-in-1, Nautilus Plus, and Smart Seat with Safety Surround.

    Hazard:  The defect involves difficulty in unlatching the harness buckle. In some cases, the buckle becomes stuck in a latched condition so that it cannot be opened by depressing the buckle’s release button. It may be difficult to remove the child from the restraint, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a vehicle crash, fire, or other emergency, in which a prompt exit from the vehicle is required.

    Remedy: Graco is offering to replace the buckle with a new design, free of charge. Registered owners will be notified beginning around early April 2014, and offered the free replacement buckle. All other owners may contact Graco at 1-800-345-4109 (toll-free) or 1-330-869-7225, or online at www.consumerservices@gracobaby.com.

    Potential Number of Units Affected: 4,176,601

    Notes:

    Information from Graco: http://www.gracobaby.com/SafetyAndRecall/Pages/SafetyAndRecallArticle.aspx?recallID=41&page=SafetyAndRecall

    Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov. Note: For a complete list of the production dates of the affected seats, please click on “Associated Documents” and then “Defect Notice(Part 573) – Amended March 7, 2014”

  • BebeLove Recalls Baby Walkers Due to Fall and Entrapment Hazards

    Recall Date: February 6, 2014

    Recall Number: 14-102

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Consumers should stop using this product unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

    Recall Summary

    Name of Product: BebeLove™ Baby Walkers

    Hazard: The walkers failed to meet federal safety standards. Specifically, style number 358 can fit through a standard doorway and is not designed to stop at the edge of a step as required by the federal safety standard. In addition, style number 368 contains leg openings that allow the child to slip down until the child’s head can become entrapped at the neck. Babies using these walkers can be seriously injured or killed.

    Remedy: Repair

    Consumer Contact: BebeLove toll-free at (888) 464-1218 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday or online at www.bebeloveusa.com and click on “Recall Contact” for more information.

    Photos available at http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Recalls/2014/BebeLove-Recalls-Baby-Walkers/

    Recall Details

    Units: About 3,600

    Description: The recalled includes all BebeLove walkers that were sold for babies age 6 months or older. The walkers contain a plastic- covered foam padded seat with a plastic base and toy tray. Model 358 walkers have a green, pink or orange musical tray with a white toy bar and solid colored seats. Model 368 walkers have green, pink or white musical tray with a yellow toy bar and printed patterned seats. Both models have white stoppers on the bottom of the base of the walker and model numbers printed on a label on the rear bottom inside of the base. “BEBELOVE” is printed on a label on the seat back and on the base of the walkers.

    The walkers were sold in the following color combinations:

    [ultimatetables 3 /]

    Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

    Remedy: Consumers should stop using the recalled baby walkers immediately and contact BebeLove for a free repair kit.

    Sold at: Small retail stores in Arizona, California and Utah and online at Amazon.com and Overstock.com from November 2011 through July 2013 for about $25.

    Importer: Bebe Love USA, of Pico Rivera, Calif.

    Manufactured in: Taiwan and China

  • Runway Global Recalls Girls’ Sugarfly Hooded Jackets Due to Strangulation Hazard

    Recall Date: February 4, 2014

    Recall Number: 14-101

    Coats Sold Exclusively at Burlington Coat Factory

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Consumers should stop using this product unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

    Recall Summary

    Name of product: Girls’ hooded jackets

    Hazard: The jackets have drawstrings in the hood around the neck area that pose a strangulation hazard to young children. In February 1996, CPSC issued guidelines about drawstrings in children’s upper outerwear. In 1997, those guidelines were incorporated into a voluntary standard. Then, in July 2011, based on the guidelines and voluntary standard, CPSC issued a federal regulation. CPSC’s actions demonstrate a commitment to help prevent children from strangling or getting entangled on neck and waist drawstrings in upper outerwear, such as jackets and sweatshirts.

    Remedy: Refund

    Consumer Contact:  Runway Global toll-free at (855) 248-1566, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, online at www.sugarfly.us and click on “Sugarfly Girls” on the top bar and then click on “Recall Info” at the bottom of the page, or e-mail to willa@runwayglobal.com for more information.

    Photos available at http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Recalls/2014/Runway-Global-Recalls-Girls-Sugarfly-Hooded-Jackets/

    Recall Details

    Units: About 820

    Description: This recall involves three styles of Sugarfly-branded hooded, woven cotton and woven polyester jackets for girls with a drawstring through the hood. Style number KMCBJ255 is olive and has a zipper closure and four front pockets with buttons, plus two zipper pockets. Style number KMCBJ410 is a belted, double-breasted, French coat style white garment with faux fur around the neck. Style KMCBJ421 is fuchsia or purple and has a button closure, plus snap button pockets on each side. They were sold in girl’s sizes 7 through 16. The style number can be found on the back of the sewn-in neck label.

    Incidents/Injuries: No injuries have been reported.

    Remedy: Consumers should immediately take the garments away from children. Consumers can remove the drawstrings to eliminate the hazard or return the garments to Burlington Coat Factory for a full refund.

    Sold exclusively at: Burlington Coat Factory stores nationwide and online at Burlingtoncoatfactory.com from September 2011 through September 2013 for about $40.

    Distributor: Runway Fashions Inc., of New York, N.Y.

    Manufactured in: China