At least 19 additional deaths have been linked to the Fisher-Price Rock’n Play Sleeper, a new Consumer Reports analysis of lawsuits, government records and interviews with parents has found. According to the publication, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the organization in charge of overseeing product safety, has increased the death toll for all inclined sleepers from 73 to at least 92 as of October. Both the CPSC and lawmakers in Congress have proposed a ban on all infant-inclined sleepers that position infants at an angle between 10 and 30 degrees.
However, as this debate continues, many inclined sleepers flood the markets, people’s homes, and daycare centers, putting young children in peril daily. Consumer Reports’ stellar reporting has prompted the recall of more than 5 million inclined sleepers, including brands such as Fisher-Price and Kids II. Parents of children who died in inclined sleepers told Consumer Reports they were simply not aware of the problem and only learned about the dangers of these products after it was too late.
Dangerous Products
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants sleep alone, on their backs and unrestrained, on a firm, flat surface that is free of soft bedding and padded bumpers. However, inclined sleepers contradict these guidelines. They are not flat, their sidewalls and head support are made of soft bedding, and they have restraint harnesses. Researchers have found that inclined sleepers make it easier for babies to roll over onto their stomachs or sides with their faces pressed against the sleeper’s soft fabric, which suffocates them.
Because inclined sleepers feature seats instead of flat surfaces, they place babies in a flexed hip position. This could cause infants to roll over earlier than they might have been able to manage on a flat surface. This is why, experts say, many parents whose children died in an inclined sleeper after rolling over said their babies had never rolled over previously.
Parents and Caregivers Should Be Alert
Even though many of these products have now been recalled, several inclined products advertised for sleep, including naps such as Baby Delight Nestle Nook Portable Infant Lounger, which Kim Kardashian recently featured on her social media platforms, remain on the market. These products are also sold in secondhand marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist. Companies such as Chicco and Graco had not yet recalled their inclined sleepers.
As product defect attorneys, we applaud Consumer Reports for taking the lead on this investigation and staying on top of it, triggering these recalls and informing consumers along the way. If your child has sustained injuries as a result of these infant sleepers, don’t hesitate to get in touch with an experienced product defect lawyer to obtain more information about pursuing your legal rights.
Source: https://www.consumerreports.org/child-safety/new-evidence-shows-more-infant-deaths-tied-to-inclined-sleepers-than-previously-reported/
