Unprofessional Parenting

This one caught my attention since car seat recalls are always important. The model is the Britax Frontier Harness-2-Booster car seat and there is apparently potential for a problem with the safety harnesses on the unit. Basically there is a potential for the straps to come loose and not properly secure the child.

The impacted model numbers are E9L54E7, E9L54H6, E9L54H7, E9L54M6 and E9L5490.

The good news is that this is a relatively easy fix. Be sure to check the bracket behind the seat that holds the straps in place. If the straps are secure then you are still in good shape and can still use the seat. Britax will also send you some rubber fittings that slide over the bracket to keep the straps from coming loose anytime in the future.

For more information you can call Britax at (800) 683-2045 or visit the website at www.frontierrecall.com.

I was surprised to see this recall and I think it is an important one so I thought I would post it here. On Tuesday (11/11/08) Johnson & Johnson issued a recall for specific bottles of Mylicon Infant Gas Drops. The bottles are all of the dye-free, non-staining variety of the product that were sold after October 5th, 2008 (Lot #s SMF007 or SMF008).

The bottles are thought to possibly have metal fragments in them, which sounds pretty scary but the press release says there is no need to panic. No injuries have been reported and any side effects would be minor and easily fixed without the need to see a doctor (no further description of this is available so I’m not exactly sure what the impact would be).

I used a lot of these drops when my son was a baby although I don’t recall if I ever used the dye-free variety.  Since these are widely used (the drug store by my house used to run out once a month) this is worthwhile to pass along to those who have babies.

A link to more information can be found here.

This is a bit of a scary one. Optave is recalling some of their Action brand baby carriers because the chest strap can detach from the shoulder straps and cause the baby to fall out. Yikes! So far there are no reports of injuries but if you have one of these be sure to get it taken care of just in case.

They were sold during May and June of 2008 from various retailers.  The cost varied from about 80 to 90 dollars.

The company apparently sells several kinds of the Action carrier and the recall only applies to about 250 total carriers so you will likely need to check with the company to see if yours is included.   Their website can be found here.

Be sure you check it out if you own one of these carriers.  Nobody wants to drop a baby (especially in public, how embarrassing ).

Circo recently announced a recall of girls’ bobby socks that were sold at Target in sizes ranging from 6 months to 5T.  The socks have a small rose attached to the outside that can become detached and present a choking hazard for babies and young kids.  They were sold in packs with three pairs of socks in various pastel pinks and purples. The socks were sold from January 2007 to July 2008.

If you have the socks you can return them to Target for a refund.  For more information you can see Target’s website or call the store.  This is a pretty common brand for anyone who shops at Target so be sure to take a look through your drawers if you’ve purchased girl socks in the last year or so.

A product recall has recently been announced for the Phil & Teds e3 single buggy, e3 twin buggy, and sport v1 single buddy.  Both single model and double model strollers are included.  Apparently the stroller’s hinge locking mechanism poses a threat to anyone folding or unfolding the stroller.  Several people have received hand and finger injuries from the strollers.

If you have one of these strollers the manufacturer suggests you stop using it and contact them for a replacement hinge cover.  Regal Lager (manuf.) can be contacted at (877) 242-5676 or through their website.

For a direct link to the stroller specifications and to see pictures you can visit the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Luckily this recall does not involve any potential harm for your kids but it is worth getting fixed if you happen to own one of these strollers.

Another recall hit the news recently. Fisher Price pots and pans sets were recalled because a plastic screw can come loose and release a plastic cover that holds in small plastic balls. When the balls are released they become a choking hazard. The model number is G6685. If the lid has all six screws in tact then no action is necessary. If any of the screws are missing you should contact Fisher Price for replacement.

I’m really shocked at the amount of recalls lately.  I have been back and forth about whether or not to post them but I figure that there is no harm in having them posted in multiple locations - and if it helps to spread the word I don’t think anyone else will mind if they happen to see it on a few different sites.  I still wonder what ever happened to product testing? Even a single person with a critical eye could look at a product and consider “what would happen if these screws came loose?”

It’s frustrating that companies seem to have adopted a reactive role rather than a proactive one when it comes to child safety.