The CPSC recalled Beeni Baby hats due to a baby can spit up during use posing as an asphyxiation hazard.  The hats are made of cotton and spandex. They have two straps sewn to the sides and a removable plastic pacifier holder. The hat is available in several sizes and styles including blue, green, pink, flower print, blue stripe and blue print. There is a Model number (125867) sewn on a tag into the back inner rim of the cap.   Consumers should immediately stop using the hats and contact Kahn Enterprises to receive a full refund. Kahn Enterprises will provide consumers with a postage paid label to return the product.

For additional information, email Kahn Enterprises at info@beeni-kids.com, visit the firm’s website at www.beeni.net or call the firm collect at (612) 310-4053.

Kahn Enterprises will provide consumers with a postage paid label to return the product.  Do you know of any other recalls to report? 

A plastic Bowling Game (Toy Story 3) has been recalled because the red paint used on the bowling pins has been measured to have lead in excess of the maximum allowable level of 90 ppm, a violation of the federal lead paint standard. 

This recall affects Toy Story 3 Bowling Game Rugs with a batch marking of JA 148.

The package contains six white plastic bowling pins with two red stripes painted on the necks, one black plastic ball, and a 68 inch x 26 inch nylon game rug with a print of the character Buzz Lightyear on the front. The batch marking JA 148 appears on the bottom front of the packaging just above the bar code, and is also located on the tag attached to the rug.

The toy manufactured in China was sold at Walmart Stores in the U.S. between September 1, 2010 and September 25, 2010 for about $18.

Please Do NOT let your kids or pets suck on these plastic pins!

Consumers should stop using the bowling pins immediately and contact the manufacturer for a free replacement set.  For additional information, contact G.A. Gertmenian and Sons LLC toll-free at (888) 224-4181

Red Paint Stripes on bowling pins

The CPSC has issued a voluntary recall of the Sassy refreshing red rings used as an infant teethers. Reported incident of parts of the soft balls at the end of the rattle coming apart and pose as a choking and ingestion hazard. No infants have been reported injured, but the company is instituting the voluntary recall just in case. The company is based in, Michigan. The teethers are made in China.

 The teether is meant for babies three months or older and has a red, water-filled ring on one end and a black and white polka dot ball on the other end. The two ends of the rattles/teethers are connected by a black and white, flexible plastic rod with three floating rings. The plastic ball can detach from the Refreshing Rings. This happens when a child chews on it, and since it’s intended as a teether, it obviously poses a threat. The teethers/rattles were sold for about $5 at mass merchandise and baby specialty shops across the U.S. from July 2009 through January 2011. Sassy Inc. said consumers who have this product should immediately discontinue its use and contact Sassy, Inc. to return it and receive a free replacement toy.

The CPSC warns that it is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

For additional information, contact Sassy Inc. at (800) 323-6336 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s website at www.sassybaby.com    

Sassy Refreshing Teether / Rattle Recalled

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with Fisher-Price recalled several toys named below. Consumers should stop using the recalled products with inflatable balls due to choking hazard.  About 2.8 million were sold in the US. 

CPSC and Fisher-Price are aware of 46 reports of incidents where the valve came off in the US and eight incidents were reported in Canada. These include 14 reports of the valve found in a child’s mouth and three reports of a child beginning to choke. No injuries have been reported.

Name of Recalled Products: Baby Playzone™ Crawl & Cruise Playground™, Baby Playzone™ Crawl & Slide Arcade™, Baby Gymtastics™ Play Wall, Ocean Wonders™ Kick & Crawl™ Aquarium (C3068 and H8094), 1-2-3 Tetherball™, Bat & Score Goal™

 CPSC & Fisher-Price Recalls Healthy Care, Easy Clean and Close to Me High Chairs Due to Laceration Hazard

About 950,000 Healthy Care, Easy Clean and Close to Me High Chairs sold in the U.S. and 125,000 in Canada have been recalled because children can fall on or against the pegs on the rear legs of the high chair resulting in injuries or lacerations. The pegs are used for high chair tray storage.

CPSC and Fisher-Price are aware of 14 reports of incidents, including seven reports of children requiring stitches and one tooth injury. One of these incidents was reported in Canada.

Consumers should stop using these products immediately and contact Fisher-Price for instructions and a free repair kit.  For additional information, contact Fisher-Price at (800) 432-5437

Fisher Price High Chair

Ocean Wonders Kick & Crawl

Baat & Score Goal

Baby Playzone Crawl and Cruise Playground

1-2-3 Tetherball

Baby-Gymtastics-Play-Wall

Baby-Playzone-Crawl-Slide-Arcade

Step2 Transportation Station Toys were recalled due to choking hazards. 

The Land of Nod Vegetable Toys were recalled Due to Laceration Hazard

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firms named above announced a voluntary recall of their two products.

The Land of Nod “Play With Your Veggies” toys were recalled because the metal wire in the toy asparagus can become exposed, posing a laceration hazard to children.  The firm had received a report of an exposed wire in the asparagus. No injuries have been reported.  The recall involved The Land of Nod toy vegetables sets made of felt wool. The toy set has six vegetables: radish, onion, asparagus, tomato, lettuce and carrot. The asparagus is the only toy vegetable involved in this recall.  The toys were sold at the Land of Nod stores in Illinois and Washington, the Land of Nod catalog and www.landofnod.com from October 2007 through February 2010 for about $25. 

For additional information, contact The Land of Nod at (800) 933-9904 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 

Step2 Recalls Children’s Transportation Station Toys Due to Choking Hazard

The Step2 Company’s Sand & Water Transportation Station Toys (about 56,000 units in US and 7,700 in Canada) were recalled because the light blue plastic wheels on the train cars can detach, posing a choking hazard to young children.

The Sand & Water Transportation Station is a standalone play station for children ages two and up. The toy station consists of: a round blue plastic table, including train tracks, train cars in blue, red and yellow, toy sailboats and a hand rake/shovel. A red Step2 logo decal is on the side of the table. Train cars with grey wheels are not included in this recall.

The toy was sold at Target and other major retailers, specialty stores and by online retailers from December 2008 through June 2010 for between $49 and $59.  For additional information, contact Step2 at (800) 347-8372 

The CPSC announced the voluntary recall of 30,000 Nap Nanny® portable baby recliners. CPSC is investigating a report of a 4-month-old girl from Royal Oak, Mich. who died in a Nap Nanny® that was being used in a crib. According to preliminary reports, the infant was in her harness and found hanging over the side of the product, caught between the Nap Nanny® and the crib bumper.

CPSC and Baby Matters are aware of one other incident in which an infant became entrapped when the Nap Nanny® was used in a crib, contrary to the product instructions. In that incident, the infant fell over the side of the Nap Nanny®, despite being harnessed in, and was caught between the baby recliner and the side of the crib. The infant sustained a cut to the forehead.

CPSC and the firm have received 22 reports of infants, primarily younger than 5-months-old, hanging or falling out over the side of the Nap Nanny® despite most of the infants being placed in the harness. One infant received a bruise as a result of hanging over the side of the product.

Infants can partially fall or hang over the side of the Nap Nanny® even while the harness is in use. This situation can be worse if the Velcro™ straps, located inside the Nap Nanny® cover are not properly attached to the “D”-rings located on the foam, or if consumers are using the first generation model Nap Nanny® that was sold without “D”-rings.

In addition, if the Nap Nanny® is placed inside a crib, play yard or other confined area, which is not a recommended use, the infant can fall or hang over of the side of the Nap Nanny® and become entrapped between the crib side and the Nap Nanny® and suffocate.

Likewise, if the Nap Nanny® is placed on a table, countertop, or other elevated surface and a child falls over the side, it poses a risk of serious head injury. Consumers should always use the Nap Nanny® on the floor away from any other products.

The recalled Nap Nannys® were sold at toy and children’s retail stores nationwide and online, including at www.napnanny.com, from January 2009 through July 2010 for about $130.

The recalled product was manufactured in the United States and China.

For more information, contact Baby Matters toll-free at (888) 240-4282 or visit the firm’s website at www.napnanny.com/recall

Nap Nanny

The U.S. CPSC announced a voluntary recall of Kariño Baby Pacifiers. Consumers should stop using the pacifiers immediately because the nipple can separate from the base easily.  In addition, the pacifier handle is too long, the mouth guard is too small and there are no ventilation holes on the mouth guard. The pacifier could pose a choking and aspiration hazard to young children.  The pacifiers were made in Mexico.  About 44,900 pacifiers were distributed by Antonio Flores, of San Ysidro, Calif and sold at independent grocery stores in California and Texas from October 2009 through March 2010.

“Kariño” is printed on the handle side of the mouth guard, and “Mygra” is printed on one side of the handle. The nipple is filled with corn syrup.

More children’s jewelry containing the dangerous metal cadmium made the recall list this week.  “Happy” charm bracelets and football rings that were handed out at doctor and dentist offices around the country for the past five years were recalled by SmileMakers Inc., of Spartanburg, S.C. 

The jewelry contains high levels of cadmium, which is toxic if ingested by children and can cause adverse health effects.  About 66,200 charm bracelets and 2,200 rings made in China were recalled. 

The “Happy” charm bracelet is comprised of colorful beads on a small elastic band to which a metal charm in the shape of a butterfly, moon or sun is attached. The football ring is a small adjustable metal band to which a football charm (made of metal) is attached.

For more information call SmileMakers at 877-390-5470  or visit http://www.smilemakers.com.

For information about any recall can be found on the Consumer Product Safety Commission website at http://www.cpsc.gov.        

Charm Bracelets Recalled

Football Rings Recalled

CPSC today announced Bayside Furnishings has voluntary recalled Twin Trundle beds sold exclusively at Costco.  This is the second recall from Bayside Furnishings on the Pirates of the Caribbean youth beds line.  These beds look like a Pirate ship and have toy chests in the bow of a boat, as well as the stern.  

The storage bin poses a hazard entrapment of a child’s head.   A 4-year old boy sustained bruises on his back and ears after his head became entrapped.   The headboard of the youth bed bearing the “Pirates of the Caribbean” trademark embossed on a metal plate has three storage compartments, a storage bin and a mast. 

The beds manufactured in China were sold at Costco nationwide from January 2006 through January 2010.    Consumers should immediately stop using the headboard storage bin and contact the firm to receive a free repair kit that will permanently close the headboard storage bin.

In 2008 Bayside Furnishings recalled a youth bed toy chest sold at Costco after the death of a 22-month-old child. LaJolla Boat Bed and Pirates of the Caribbean Twin Trundle Beds were included in this recall. 

As your little one becomes curious about his surroundings and begins to explore with eagerness, please inspect your child’s surroundings for unsafe toys and the toy boxes that house them.  Toy boxes can be hazardous when a child’s head becomes stuck between the toy box and the lid cutting off air supply.

Navigate your child away from this fun but potentially hazardous product, and look for smoother sailing throughout their childhood. 

For more information on the latest recall review the CPSC web site  .

Bayside Pirates of Caribbean Trundle Bed

 McDonald’s has recalled at least 14 million “Shrek”-themed drinking glasses  after consumers were warned to stop using them because they contain the toxic metal cadmium.

Cadmium was found in the painted design of the movie characters on the glassware, which McDonald’s outlets sold for about $2 each, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Canada’s health ministry Health Canada.

The death of a 10-day-old boy in Texas has prompted the recall of some handmade baby slings.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission urged parents on Wednesday to immediately stop using the infant slings from Sprout Stuff in Austin, Texas — saying the slings pose a suffocation risk.

About 40 of the Sprout Stuff infant ring slings were sold directly to consumers between October 2006 and May 2007. They are made of cloth that threads through a ring. “Sprout Stuff” is printed on the back side of the tail’s hem.

In March, more than 1 million baby slings made by Infantino were recalled after claims linking them to three infant deaths.

CPSC Chairman has previously warned of a suffocation risk for babies in slings, which wrap around parents’ chests so they can carry their babies or just “wear” them to stay close.

CPSC said a sling’s fabric can press against a baby’s nose and mouth, suffocating a baby within a minute or two. Another danger involves slings where the baby is cradled in a curved or “C-like” position that can cause a baby to flop its head forward, chin-to-chest, restricting the infant’s ability to breathe.

For more information check out: http://bit.ly/dnzq5J

Do you have any comments to share about infant baby slings?  Do you use them? 

Sprout Stuff Infant Sling Recalled 06022010 by CPSC

D o you use Pediacare when your child is ill? If so and you have any in your medicine cabinets now, you may want to check out this recall.  

A Johnson & Johnson Company, McNiel Consumer Healthcare in consultation with the FDA is voluntarily recalling four children’s products in the Pedicare line.   These products are sold exclusively in the United States.

The four PediaCare items involved in the recall are:

1. PediaCare Multi-Symptom Cold 4oz. UPC # 3 0045-0556-05 9
2. PediaCare Long Acting Cough 4oz. UPC# 3 0045-0465-04 7
3. PediaCare Decongestant 4oz. UPC# 3 0045-0554-04 8  

4. PediaCare Allergy and Cold 4oz. UPC# 3 0045-0552-04 4

They initiated the recall as a precautionary step because the products were made at the McNeil Consumer Healthcare plant that has been temporarily shut down. A recent FDA inspection at that facility found serious problems in meeting the FDA’s current good manufacturing practice requirements. The recall was not initiated as a result of any consumer reports of adverse events and no consumer complaints have been received about the safety or purity of the products.

While the potential for serious medical events is remote, the company advises consumers who have purchased these recalled products to discontinue use.

Consumers with questions may contact Blacksmith Brands during normal business hours at (888) 474-3099. More information is available at blacksmithbrands.com.

Any adverse events that may be related to the use of these products should be reported to the FDA’s Med Watch Program by fax at 1-800-FDA-0178 or by mail at Med Watch, HF-2, FDA, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20852-9787. or on the Med watch website at http:www.fda.gov/safety/medwatch/default.htm

For more information about the recall, check on this article:  http://bit.ly/aBEQ0W

Pedicare Products Recalled

Forget Toyota and the recall of cars that accelerate automatically by themselves,

ONCE again Children’s Toys & Furnishings topped the list in product recalls.

TOYS 

DART GUN

Toy dart gun sets were the top story in children’s toy product recalls, with two reported asphyxiation deaths. Other health hazards for children’s toys include choking, crash hazard and high levels of cadmium.  The Toy dart gun sets were sold exclusively at Family Dollar stores nationwide.

http://www.wtvq.com/news/3599-toy-dart-gun-set-recall

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/pbcdtoys.html

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10079.html

PLUSH TOY

The Sandy the Squirrel Plush Toy sold at the Mall of Americas, Nickelodeon, Nu and 4U stores was recalled due to possible choking hazard.

http://eon.businesswire.com/portal/site/eon/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20100316007275&newsLang=en

PUSH TOY

Push Around and Ride Buggies sold at major retailers and specialty stores were recalled due to a pin attaching to the yellow knob on the handle of the buggy can loosen, causing the handle to detach from the buggy. This poses a serious risk of injury to young children.   NOTE:  Only buggies with pins that have yellow knobs are included in this recall.

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10229.html

REMOTE HELICOPTER

Thousands of “Fly Dragonfly” and “Queen Bee” remote control helicopters have been recalled after a number of them have reportedly burst into flames.  The Remote Control helicopters were sold at book fairs held in schools, hospitals and office buildings nationwide.

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10228.html

GIRL’S BRACELET

The BEST FRIENDS charm bracelet sets that sold exclusively at Claire’s stores nationwide are being recalled because they contain high levels of cadmium.

http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/05/10/claires-boutiques-recalls-best-friends-charm-bracelets-over-c/

FURNITURE

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is once again warning parents and caregivers about deadly safety hazards of cribs with drop-sides. In the last five years, CPSC has announced multiple recalls resulting in millions of recalled baby curbs.

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10046.html

http://www.thenewparentsguide.com/wordpress/?p=2124

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/cpsc-issues-warning-on-drop-side-cribs,1288724.shtml

BEDDING

If you bought a pink baby blanket form Target , you may want to check this out.  Over 44,000 baby blankets sold exclusively at Target stores were recalled because portions of the decorative trim can detach and become a choking hazard.

http://www.modernmom.com/hottopic/2010/may/18/recall-44000-pink-baby-blankets/

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37213900

Recall Pink Baby Blanket

Please post in the comments if you have seen these toys for sale still and where.    Or if you have any others to add.  

Long Swirly Straw

A neighbor told me she had ordered a plastic drinking straw that was curled and twisted to spell in cursive her young daughter’s name.  She said by having her one and half year old daughter drink out of the straw every day, her child would be able to recognize her name in cursive  before she learned to write.    Really?

But then, I do remember the plastic educational placemats I used to set my three children’s meal on displaying the ABCs, Numbers and the Map of the United States depicting all the states and their capitols.   I knew where she is coming from.

A health concern crossed my mind, so I thought I would blog on it.  My health concern revolves around this reusable plastic straw twisted in loops and curves to spell her daughter’s name.   How will she keep it clean enough to prevent the droplets of leftover milk from curdling and the apple juice from turning moldy?

All of these crazy drinking straws claim to be washable.  Sure, she can run water through it, but she said she didn’t want to put it in hot water to sterilize it because she was afraid really hot water would cause it to lose its shape.   These spiral letters and curls are potential germ traps.  The twist and turns in the plastic prohibit thorough cleaning and drying, encouraging the accumulation of residue harboring the germs.  My concern is that they may not be safe and sanitary over repetitive use.

In an unending effort to get my young daughter to drink milk years ago, I resorted to using a lavender twisted plastic crazy straw or one of its distant relatives we found at the dollar store.  She loved to watch the milky white liquid whirl through the double loops and end in her mouth.  Eventually I kept a collection of these colorful plastic loopy straws on hand for when the dinner drama turned to, “Please sweetie drink your milk.”  She loved the straws, I hated cleaning them.

My research revealed that straws in restaurants are considered single use items, so they are intended for single drinking usage and generally recognized by the public as items to be discarded after one usage. Like a toothpick.   “Drinking straws should be discarded immediately after use.”  Req. Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.

I am just bringing the awareness to other fellow parents.

Got Milk?  Got a crazy straw? Got germs?  Yuk.

What would you do to get your child to drink milk?   What do you do to make dinner time fun?   Do you wash and save your plastic straws for reuse?

Swirly , Double Loop Straw

Being a mother of three children, my blogs tend to focus on the safety of children everywhere, with the prayer that my writing will contribute toward making their world safer, happier and more secure.   So when I’m not blogging about my pets and about writing; safe toys will be a common theme.

My book PLUSH raises a few questions about the Consumer Product Safety Board and product recalls, or the lack of recalls.  It’s fiction, of course.  But my protagonist, Sue Logan, has some difficult decisions to make on her journey to being successful.  She’s knows deep down there’s a problem, a potentially harmful issue, with one of her competitor’s toys.  But she really doesn’t know everything, yet.  She thinks she knows the truth, and she has to travel far and wide to uncover it.  She runs across some pretty unsavory characters along the way.    I love writing about women who persevere and prevail because that’s what many real women have had to do.  My character is no exception.

I remember searching through my kid’s toys, box after box of endless toys, searching for the ones being recalled because of lead paint being used in the products.  It seemed every toy made in China was facing scrutiny as word was released that the Chinese factories were using paint with lead to decorate the toys.  That was years ago.

But it was an internal audit at Fisher Price back then, not the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) that found the high levels of lead paint and reported to the CPSC.  That recall was alarming since Mattel (who owns Fisher Price) is known for its strict quality controls and is considered a role model in the toy industry.

How had the CPSC missed it?

Do we, as Americans, need to better guard our families from tainted products?

Do you remember the red dye scare in M&Ms? 

Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments about recalls below.

Dallas Magazine , Pam & Some of Her Toys

“I love writing about women who persevere and prevail because that’s what many real women have had to do.  My characters are no exception. “