10 babies have died using the Rock ‘n Play sleeper—Here’s what you need to know
The Consumer Product Safety Commission is asking customers to stop using a Fisher-Price baby sleeper if their children are able to roll over because several infants have died.
The commission and Fisher-Price issued a warning on April 5 about the Rock ‘n Play sleeper, citing reports of 10 infant deaths since 2015.
As the alert specified, infants typically begin rolling over at around 3 months. The CPSC states that in the case of these 10 deaths, all of the infants rolled from their back to their stomach or side, while unrestrained. Each of the 10 babies was 3 months or older. The warning did not elaborate on what caused the infants’ deaths.
The latest death was reported last month, said Patty Davis, a spokeswoman with CPSC. It’s unclear when the other deaths took place. The CPSC is now recommending that the public stop using the sleeper if their children are 3 months old or “as soon as an infant exhibits rollover capabilities.”
Chuck Scothon, general manager at Fisher-Price, issued a statement Friday about the warning and noted the sleeper meets all “applicable safety standards.”
“A child fatality is an unimaginable tragedy,” Scothon said. “Fisher-Price and every one of our employees take the responsibility of being part of your family seriously, and we are committed to earning that trust every day,” he added.
Since the warning was first issued, the consumer magazine Consumer Reports has called on Fisher-Price to recall its Rock ‘n Play sleeper immediately.
The publication published a report three days after the original CPSC warning, saying it had conducted an ongoing investigation found that at least 32 babies have died.
It also stated that their work “has turned up deaths of babies even younger than the 3-month threshold cited in the April 5 warning, and go beyond the risk of rollover.”
“Based on the deaths and injuries associated with the Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play, the product clearly puts infants’ safety at risk and should be recalled immediately,” said William Wallace, senior policy analyst for Consumer Reports, in a statement Monday. “All other inclined sleepers should be investigated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.”
The report also points out that use of the sleepers goes against the guidelines for safe sleeping recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
As you can see outlined in the tweet below, the AAP recommends putting infants to sleep on their backs on a firm, flat surface in a bare crib, bassinet or play yard.
Urgent @uscpsc warning for parents: Stop using the @FisherPrice Rock ‘N Play by the time your baby is 3 months old or starts showing signs of rolling over. @AmerAcadPeds never recommends the Rock ‘N Play for routine infant sleep. (1/2) https://t.co/VyQsDeejLx pic.twitter.com/ip8JmydB6l
— HealthyChildren (@healthychildren) April 5, 2019
Fisher-Price had previously warned consumers to stop using the product when infants can roll over and possibly fall.
“[T]he reported deaths show that some consumers are still using the product when infants are capable of rolling and without using the three-point harness restraint,” the warning said.
Since the release of the Consumer Reports investigation, the AAP has also called on the Consumer Product Safety Commission to recall the Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play Sleeper, as seen in the tweet below.
We call on the @USCPSC to issue an immediate recall for the @FisherPrice Rock ‘n Play Sleeper, which has been tied to 32 infant deaths. Parents should stop using the product immediately and stores should remove it from their shelves. Our statement: https://t.co/5oWOa0ftHR
— American Academy of Pediatrics (@AmerAcadPeds) April 9, 2019
“This product is deadly and should be recalled immediately,” said Kyle Yasuda, MD, FAAP, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics. “When parents purchase a product for their baby or child, many assume that if it’s being sold in a store, it must be safe to use. Tragically, that is not the case. There is convincing evidence that the Rock ‘n Play inclined sleeper puts infants’ lives at risk, and CPSC must step up and take immediate action to remove it from stores and prevent further tragedies.”
In addition to advising against sleep products like the Rock ‘n Play, the AAP also cautions parents against using any other products for sleep that require restraining a baby. This includes car seats, strollers or other devices for sleep, all of which pose a risk that a baby could roll or turn into an unsafe position and then remain unable to roll back, leading to suffocation or strangulation.
More sleeping tips and information for parents is available at www.healthychildren.org/safesleep.
Written by Nicole Chavez for CNN. Additional reporting by Simplemost staff.
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