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Stork crib recall: what happened and tips to keep your child's crib safe
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Following reports of four infant deaths from suffocation, over 2 million drop-side cribs were recalled by their manufacturer, Stork Craft Manufacturing. The recall is one of the largest ever and includes models from as far back as 1993 through those made October of 2009. Upon announcing the recall, the Canadian-based company's phone lines were overwhelmed by calls from concerned parents.
About half of the cribs recalled were sold in Canada, the other half in the U.S. through outlets such as K Mart, Toys 'R Us, Sears, and Wal-Mart. Because of increasing concerns over the safety of drop-side cribs, the Consumber Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has been considering regulating or outright banning the model. In fact, Toys 'R Us has been gradually phasing out its stock of drop-side cribs and will reportedly cease selling them next month.
While organizations such as the CPSC are entrusted with protecting the public from defective products, the scope of this recall underscores how important it is to remain vigilant when it comes to the safety of ourselves and those we love. Even the CPSC admits it didn't act "as quickly as it should"
when addressing the drop-side crib's safety issues. Complaints about Stork Craft crib construction have surfaced before. Reports included problems with metal brackets, structural deformities, and difficulties with assembly, all of which could lead to the drop-side detaching, creating a space through which the infant can slip and become trapped (as illustrated in the picture at right).
Regardless of the type of crib you own, there are steps you should take to make it as safe as possible for your child:
- Make sure the mattress fits snug into the crib frame. No gaps.
- When assembling the crib, don't settle for anything less than perfection. No loose joints or wobbly parts. If you can't figure it out, take it back. There is no "well, that should be good enough" when it comes to a baby's crib.
- The space between slats should be no more than 2 and 3/8 inches and firmly in place. This is to keep the child from wedging itself between the slats.
- No cut-outs in the head or footboard.
- Corner posts should be no higher than 1/16th of an inch. If a baby does maneuver itself up and out of the crib, low posts won't snag the child's clothing.
For more safety tips, go to: www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/5030.html. Consumer Reports also provides valuable guidance, particularly when rehabbing old cribs. Another source for information on the various types of cribs is About.com . For more information about what to do if you have one of the recalled Stork cribs, the best place to go right now is the CPSC website: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10046.html . The phone number for Stork Craft Manufacturing is 877-274-0277 (although don't be surprised if the wait-time is lengthy given the volume of calls). The manufacturer is offerring a special repair kit which should prevent the side from dislodging.
If you have comments, questions or experiences with drop-side cribs, please feel free to share them or email me at christianaki1@hotmail.com.
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