Safe Use of Infant Products…
Safe Use of Infant Products
Now that your baby is home, safety will become one of your primary concerns. Every year numerous children’s products are recalled for safety reasons. One of the easiest ways to protect your child from dangerous or defective products is to make sure that you register all your product purchases with the manufacturer.
By registering your product, the manufacturer is able to alert you immediately if the product has a safety alert or recall. All manufacturers of children’s durable products are required by federal law to provide with each product sold, a postage-paid product registration card, and a means to register the product online. Manufacturers are forbidden from using this registration info for any purpose other than a safety alert.
The manufacturer must also place on each product their name, product model number/name, date of manufacture, and contact info. The products covered by this registration protection are:
Cribs, bassinets/cradles, toddler beds, high chairs, booster seats/hook-on chairs, gates/enclosures, play yards, stationary activity centers, infant bouncers, strollers, walkers, swings, bath seat/tubs, changing tables, infant carriers/slings and bed rails.
Additionally, keep in mind the following safety tips:
- Adult Supervision: Always have direct supervision when juvenile products are in use.
- Read Instructions and Warnings: Follow all manufacturers instructions and heed warning labels.
- Second-Hand Products: If it’s necessary to use older second-hand products, be sure there are no broken or missing parts, and it has not been recalled. Newer products meeting current safety standards are always your safest option.
- Inspect During Use: Juvenile products generally have a long life, but you should frequently inspect products for missing or loose hardware, holes, tears, etc.
- Discontinue Use: Monitor your child’s development and discontinue using products when the limits set by the manufacturer are reached.
Always remember, juvenile products are not substitutes for parental supervision – never leave your baby unattended.
Additional safety info may be obtained at www.cpsc.gov or www.jpma.org.