Wilmington Personal Injury Lawyer - Child Safety

Magtastik and Magnetix Magnetic Toy Recall - Company To Pay Huge Fines

Jean Martin — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 14:48:32 GMT

Since 2006, there have been three recalls of magnetic toys made by Mega Brands America, Inc., formerly known as Rose Art Industries. The recalls involve their magnetic toys known as Megtastik and Magnetix. These are building toys which use magnets to allow the parts to connect to each other through large, colored metal balls. These magnetic toys have a risk that the magnets can detach. Young children can swallow the magnets causing much harm. Once swallowed, the magnets can cause blockages of the intestines and can perforate the intestines, particularly whe the powerful magnets attract to one another. If swallowed, these magnets present a risk of serious harm, including death inot treated immediately.

Just a week ago, the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced that the manufacturer of these magnetic toys, Mega Brands, will pay a fine of $1.1 million dollars to settle allegations that the company failed to provide the government timely information about the dangers to children associated with using these magnetic toys, as required by federal law.

Mega Brands is urging consumers to stop using these toy sets immediately. Consumers can look at this notice to determine if their child's toy set is one that has been recalled. The sets in question include the Magtastik, Magnetix Jr and Magnimal Building systems.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jean Martin

Warning to Parents: Do NOT Water-Down Baby Formula

Jean Martin — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 17:07:49 GMT

I saw a disturbing clip on the Today Show this morning and want to help spread the word about a potential danger. AS we all face tough economic times, many families are struggling with how to make ends meet and looking for any way to stretch their dollars in order to feed their families. Just as we might add a little water to the broth to give us more soup, parents are innocently adding addtional water to baby formula to make the formula last longer. Watering-down baby formula creates a very dangerous risk to the infant, one that I was not aware of, and suspect that most people do now know.

Adding water to infant formula presents a risk of water intoxication to the baby. News of this hazard has come to light by the sad story of a 5-month old who is recovering from water intoxication after her parents used less formula and more water. The parents were diluting the formula because they were facing financial difficulties. Trying to do the best for their child, they inadvertently caused serious health problems for the baby. The infant had seizures and then stopped breathing. He spent two days on a ventilator in the hospital. The child is now home, but will have to be monitored over the next several years to determine if he suffered any neurological and neurodevelopmental injuries.

Adding more water than is called for by the formula gives the baby too much water. The extra water literally drowns the baby as he or she drinks the formula.

As these parents learned, governmental assistance programs such as WIC do not always provide enough to cover expenses, especially in this bad economy. But diluting the formula is not the answer. Parents who are facing this problem should contact their local social services or their local hospital to see what other assistance might be available.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jean Martin

Reebok Hockey Helmets Recalled

Jean Martin — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 10:37:19 GMT

As my InjuryBoard colleagues and I start a month devoted to Toy/Child Safety, the Consumer Products Safety Commission has announced a recall of 1,000 hockey helmets manufactured by Reebok. These helmets are being recalled because the chin strap can disengage. When this happens, the helmet can fall off, posing a risk of head and neck injury.

The helmets that are being recalled have a HECC sticker with a date code JUN-2013. The hockey helmets were sold between May 2008 and July 2008 and sold for between 480 and $200.

Fortunately, no injuries have been reported. Consumers should immediate stop using these helmets and return them to the place of purchase for a free replacement helpmet.

Some of the models of the Reebok hockey helmet that are included in the recall are: Ht8K, HT6K, HT4K, HTV10, HTV08 and HT692. Please check the CPSC website for a complete listing and pictures of the models involved in this recall.

Consumers can also contact Reebock-CCM for additional information at 800-451-4600 or at www.reebockhockey.com.

It is important for child safety for parents to receive word of this recall involving Reebok hockey helmets. Please spread the word.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jean Martin

Child Car Seats - Safety Is A Key

Jean Martin — Tue, 06 May 2008 12:44:24 GMT

So, you’re in the market for a child car seat and you walk into your local retailer only to find dozens of seats on the shelf and no way to make an easy decision. First and foremost, you need to view this purchase as being for a “safety seat” not just a car seat.

But I probably didn’t need to tell you that safety was the number one key, but that also didn’t make your decision any easier. You see a tag that says ‘meets or exceeds FMVSS 213” safety standard so you rush to pick up that particular model. Then you notice that all of the other choices have the same tag. Then you ask yourself how the car seat that sells for $20 can carry the same safety tag as the child seat that sells for $200. You might think that it doesn’t matter, but it does.

In a world of “it will never happen to me,” thousands of children are killed each year due to injuries sustained in a car crash. According to NHTSA statistics, more then 9500 children, from birth through age 8, were killed and almost 1.5 million were injured in motor vehicle crashes from 1991 to 20002. Those are alarming statistics, especially given the laws requiring that children use child restraint car seats. However, the statistics show that properly used child seats can reduce the chance of death in an accident by as much as 71%.

I encourage you to go back home and do some much needed research before you make that most important decision. Read some guides on how to choose a car safety seat. Review the websites of various manufacturers. Research the federal safety guidelines. Have a good understanding of your child’s physical structure, particularly height and weight, and have a general understanding of the anatomical structure of children, particularly the head, neck and abdomen.

To get you started, here is a brief overview of the types of child restraint seats that are available in the United States:

Infant seats – these should only be used in “rear facing” mode. They are designed for use with children who weigh no more than 22 pounds and have reached the age of one. Many of these come with a removable base.

Convertible seats – these can be used in “rear facing” mode with children who weigh no more than 35 pounds and are at least one year old. These seats can be “converted” to forward facing seats for children who weigh up to 65 pounds. These seats are usually available with a tray shield or “T”shield harness.

Low shield booster seats – these seats are no longer being sold, but are still available in the resale markets. These are forward facing seats for children weighing between 30 – 60 pounds. These seats often contain conflicting warnings and instructions with regard to the correct weight range.

Combination seats – these seats are forward facing and are used, with a harness, in children weighing up to 40 pounds. Once the child reaches 40 pounds, then the harness can be removed and the seat relies on the car’s belt system for restraint. These seats should never be used with only a lap belt.

High Back Booster Seats – these are forward facing seats and are generally recommended for children weighing between 20 – 100 pounds. These seats have no built-in harness system, so the car’s belting system must be used. Basically these seats simply raise the child to a level that allows the proper use of the car’s lap/shoulder belt system.

Backless Booster Seats - these seats are very similar to the High Back Booster Seat but they have no back and, thus, no back support. They are not suitable for cars with low seat backs or with no headrests.

Integrated Safety Seats – new model cars comes with “built in” child seats that typically fold down out of the automobile seat. These seats are forward facing only.

As you can see, there are many choices and one size definitely does not fit all. So do your homework before you buy.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jean Martin