The idea that a product marketed for babies could be faulty enough to kill is a parent’s worst nightmare. Unfortunately, for some parents using infant sleepers, this nightmare has become a reality. Once thought to be a safe, comfortable, and cozy place for your baby to snuggle into, some inclined sleepers have now been recalled due to the risk of suffocation. The danger is so real that the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has recently warned that parents should stop using all inclined sleepers, even models that have not been recalled.
Inclined infant sleepers are devices that allow your baby to sleep at an angle while rocking. They’re marketed as having the ability to allow your baby to sleep comfortably all night long, when in fact they could be putting your baby at risk. One popular style of inclined sleeper is the Fisher-Price Rock n’ Play sleeper; Kids II and Dorel Juvenile Group also make inclined sleepers. The American Academy of Pediatrics safe-sleep guidelines state that babies should sleep on their backs in a firm, empty crib or bassinet to avoid accidental suffocation. But inclined sleepers do not follow these guidelines, which is why a recent study found that the design of these inclined sleepers is inherently dangerous.
The sleepers make it much easier for infants to roll onto their stomachs, putting them in a risky face-down position that can cause suffocation. In other situations, the sleepers may cause a baby’s head to tilt down, seriously compressing their airway. The soft padding and restraints also increase a baby’s risk of suffocation or strangulation. Astoundingly, Fisher-Price invented these products without pediatrician guidance or any medical safety testing, according to a Washington Post investigation.
On April 8th, 2019, Consumer Reports revealed that 32 infant deaths had been tied Fisher-Price’s Rock n’ Play inclined sleeper and recommended a recall. Four days later, Fisher-Price recalled 4.7 million of the potentially dangerous sleepers. Soon after, two other companies, Kids II and Dorel Juvenile Group USA also recalled their inclined sleepers and offered compensation to those affected. As much as we hoped that this would be the end of the problem, it wasn’t. A consumer study found that 1 in 10 daycares was still using the inclined sleeper in August, despite the recalls. By October the number of infant deaths linked to inclined sleepers had climbed to 73.
Finally, in October, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warned that parents should stop using all brands of inclined sleepers and began calling for a federal rule that would limit the angle of infant sleepers to a maximum of 10 degrees (most inclined sleepers are at a 30-degree angle). This law would effectively ban inclined infant sleepers all together. In response to mounting evidence, the US House of Representatives passed a bill in December—the Safe Sleep for Babies Act of 2019—that would ban the sale or manufacture of inclined sleepers in the US. The bill is now awaiting action in the Senate.
Unfortunately, despite the recalls and legislative action, the dangerous sleepers are still being used and sold second-hand by parents unaware of the problem. If you are still using an inclined sleeper for a little one, please dispose of it and advise friends and family who own one to discard theirs immediately, as well. Do not give the sleeper away or re-sell it; the best thing to do with an inclined sleeper is to throw it away.
Sadly, many families who have suffered the tragic loss of a child due to one of these sleepers may still be unaware that the sleeper was at fault. These deaths are commonly misdiagnosed as SIDS. If your baby died inexplicably while in an inclined sleeper you should contact the compassionate defective product lawyers at The Collins Law Firm at (630) 527-1595 as soon as possible. Not only can we help you figure out whether the sleeper was at fault, but we can also fight to ensure that you get the justice your family deserves.
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