To the Editor:
With so many people looking for ways to cut corners, we are concerned that some parents who are trying to save money might be buying cheaper, second-hand items that can actually be dangerous to their children.
In some instances, used items might not be safe for children, including car seats, play yards and cribs and toys.
Car Seats
The last thing a parent wants to do is buy a car seat to keep a child safe in a car only to find out that the car seat itself wouldn’t protect the child properly. Car seats should not be used if they have been involved in an accident and also are only good for a certain number of years, so a second-hand car seat with no known history should be avoided at all cost.
If you have questions about car seats and the Ohio law, contact one of our Child Passenger Safety technicians at the Carroll County Health Department at 330-627-4357.
Play Yards and Cribs
Children spend many unsupervised hours sleeping, which makes it critical that their beds be the safest place in the house. Unfortunately, millions of cribs and portable child beds have been recalled in recent years for having faulty parts that can cause children to strangle and die.
If a parent is going to put a child in a second-hand bed of any sort, they first need to check and see if it has been recalled for safety reasons.
Also, parents need to know what to look for when buying a bed - even if it hasn’t been recalled it could be too old so that it doesn’t meet current safety standards (slats are too far apart and a child can strangle/pieces on the bed where a child’s clothing can get caught and strangle them) or in disrepair.
Check the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s web site at www.cpsc.gov to see if a crib has been recalled and check the Safe Kids Crib Safety Checklist for crib guidelines. Never buy a bed with loose or broken pieces.
Toys
We know from the millions of units recalled in the last few years that there are still many, many toys in circulation that have high and dangerous levels of lead, not to mention magnet danger issues. There are some guidelines parents can use to stay away from unsafe used toys and some choices to make that are safer for children.
Check again with www.cpsc.gov to see if a toy has been recalled and shop for more traditional toys such as art supplies, and wooden toys that are from manufacturers known not to use lead paint. When in doubt, don’t buy the toy.
What can parents do?
Parents can sign up to receive immediate e-mails when dangerous products are recalled via www.cpsc.gov. The notices have photos and/or descriptions of the products to help parents determine if they own the product.
I want to thank you and the staff for your continued participation in the local Safe Kids chapter and your efforts to help keep our children safe from unintentional injuries.
For questions about Safe Kids U.S.A. please go to their website at www.safekids.org. For information about our local chapter and upcoming events please have parents and caregivers contact our lead agency, the Carroll County Health Department.
Valerie Wohlwend
Coordinator
Carroll County Safe Kids
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