Fisher-Price on Thursday recalled two elements of its Snuga Swings, that are designed to appease infants by swaying backwards and forwards, and warned mother and father that the merchandise shouldn’t be used for sleep as a consequence of a threat that infants may suffocate.
Between 2012 and 2022, Snuga Swings have been linked to the deaths of 5 infants whereas they slept within the seats. In most of these instances, bedding supplies have been added to the swings, which may improve the danger of suffocation.
In an announcement, Fisher-Price instructed customers to right away take away the swing’s headrest and an insert from the seat pad that helps an toddler’s physique, since these elements can improve the danger of suffocation. Consumers are eligible for a $25 refund in the event that they take away the elements, lower them in half, label them and submit a photograph of them to the corporate.
But in a strongly worded assertion, Richard Trumka Jr., a commissioner of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, mentioned the corporate’s efforts don’t go far sufficient. He known as on Fisher-Price to recall the complete product and reimburse prospects for the total price: round $160.
“I imagine that the flawed recall that Fisher-Price is asserting at this time is doomed to fail and can maintain many infants in hurt’s approach,” Trumka mentioned, including that the corporate’s response was “a horrible instance of placing revenue over individuals.”
“My recommendation: get your $25 refund after which throw this product away,” Trumka mentioned.
When requested for remark, a consultant for Mattel, which owns Fisher-Price, referred NBC News to the corporate’s announcement.
Safety specialists agree that inclined sleeper merchandise like child swings and rockers are hazardous as a result of infants’ heads can stoop ahead, making it laborious for them to breathe. Instead, specialists suggest inserting infants on their backs on a agency, flat floor throughout sleep or naptime.
Congress banned inclined sleepers for infants in 2022, however the legislation solely applies to merchandise with an incline better than 10 levels and for infants as much as 1 yr previous.
Fisher-Price mentioned in its announcement that infants can proceed to make use of Snuga Swing whereas awake so long as the 2 recalled elements are eliminated first. The swing ought to by no means be used for sleep, the corporate mentioned, and customers ought to by no means add blankets to it or depart infants unbuckled or supervised.
The partial recall applies to 2.1 million Snuga Swings offered within the U.S. from October 2010 to January 2024, via distributors together with Amazon, Toys R Us, Walmart and Target. The firm additionally partially recalled round 99,000 swings offered in Canada and round 500 offered in Mexico.
In the final 5 years, Fisher-Price has recalled a number of toddler merchandise as a consequence of security issues.
In 2019, it recalled thousands and thousands of Rock ‘n Play Sleepers after stories of 30 toddler deaths, principally attributed to infants rolling onto their stomachs or sides whereas utilizing the transportable bassinet. Eight extra toddler deaths adopted, prompting Fisher-Price to challenge a reminder to customers final yr in regards to the recall.
A 2021 congressional report decided that Fisher-Price had ignored proof that the Rock ‘n Play is perhaps unsafe and continued to market the product regardless of figuring out it may put infants liable to severe hurt. In complete, the corporate has obtained stories of no less than 100 toddler deaths linked to the Rock ‘n Play.
Another 4 toddler deaths have been related to Fisher-Price’s Rock ‘n Glide Soother — a child seat that vibrates and strikes backwards and forwards — prompting a recall in 2021. The infants have been reportedly positioned on their backs with out being buckled in, then later discovered on their stomachs. The firm recalled its Soothe ‘n Play Gliders on the identical time, although no deaths have been linked to the product.
Then, in 2022, Fisher-Price warned customers that 13 toddler deaths had been linked to its Infant-to-Toddler Rockers and Newborn-to-Toddler Rockers. However, the corporate didn’t recall these specific merchandise, which convert from an toddler seat to a rocker for toddlers. Instead, it reminded prospects that the merchandise ought to by no means be used for sleep. In a letter to Congress that yr, Fisher-Price mentioned its rockers may very well be used safely if mother and father monitored and correctly restrained their infants.