April 18, 2000

SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois Department of Public Health is partnering with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) this spring to help raise awareness for a "Recall Round-up" of hazardous children's products that may still be in people's homes.

"Through government ordered recalls, dangerous products often can be effectively removed from the shelves of retail stores," said Dr. John R. Lumpkin, state public health director. "But many older hazardous products remain in homes and can end up for sale in flea markets and second-hand stores and at garage and yard sales. These dangerous items should be repaired, returned or destroyed."

The Department, as a result of last year's passage of the Children's Product Safety Act, maintains a Web site www.idph.state.il.us/childsafety/childsafetyhome.htm that features a comprehensive recall list of consumer products that may pose a safety risk to children.

These recalls, ordered by federal government agencies like the CPSC or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration since 1989, are categorized by topics -- bunk beds, child safety seats, clothing, furniture, gym/swing sets, infant carriers and strollers, pacifiers, playpen/play yard, toys and other children's products.

As Illinoisans undertake their spring cleaning, Dr. Lumpkin encourages them to look for products that might be hazardous to children. Products recently recalled that may still be in homes include –

• Infant car seat/carriers where the handles can unexpectedly release, causing the seat to flip forward and the infant to fall. Carriers recalled are Evenflo Model 207 and 492 made before July 27, 1997; Cosco "Arriva" and "Turnabout" models made before Sept. 9, 1997; and Kolfcraft "Infant Rider," "Secura" and other models made from Jan. 1, 1993 through June 30, 1999. CPSC knows of 160 injuries, including skull fractures and concussions, involving the recalled carriers.

• Pokemon balls distributed with Burger King kids meals in November and December 1999 may pose a suffocation hazard to children under 3 years of age. Two young children have reportedly suffocated when the ball was pulled apart and half of the ball got stuck on their face, covering the nose and mouth. The Pokemon balls should be taken away from young children and discarded or returned to a Burger King restaurant for a free order of french fries.

• Swimming pool dive sticks can cause rectal or vaginal impalement when a child jumps into shallow water and falls or lands on the dive stick. CPSC knows of nine such injuries to children 5 to 11 years of age. People should stop using the hard plastic dive sticks and throw them away.

• Television carts made by Sauder Woodworking Co. and by Bush Industries Inc. can tip over. There have been three reports of injuries when televisions stored on the carts have tipped over, one involving a skull fracture suffered by a 3-year-old child. The ready-to-assemble carts have a bottom cabinet with hinged double doors. Televisions and VCRs should be removed from the carts and people should contact the manufacturer for a free repair kit to prevent tipping.

• Tubular metal cribs made by Cosco Inc. from July 1994 through September 1997 can entrap or strangle a baby. These cribs can be mis-assembled with the mattress platform used as a side rail, creating a gap between the side rail slats. This gap has led to reports of 27 babies being entrapped and one death. In addition, when a child stands in the crib, the mattress can compress and be pushed between the bars on the crib's platform. The child can then slip between the bars and the platform and become entrapped. Cosco has received 12 complaints of entrapment due to a compressed mattress, one of which – more – add 2 involved a death. People should contact Cosco at 1-800-221-6736 to make sure the crib is properly assembled and to get a new, safer mattress.

• Old cribs and other products made predate CPSC's safety standards can choke, strangle or suffocate children. Old cribs with more than 2 3/8 inches between crib slats, corner posts or cut-outs on the headboard or footboard present suffocation and strangulation hazards. Bunk beds with spaces larger than 3 ½ inches can be large enough for a child to fall through or small enough to entrap a child's head and cause strangulation. Old chest freezers can suffocate children who may become trapped inside. Hair dryers without built-in shock protection devices in the plug can cause electrocution. Drawstrings around the neck of jackets and sweatshirts can strangle a child.

For more information about these recalls and others, people can check the Department's Web site or call CPSC's toll-free hotline at 1-800-638-2772.

Illinois Department of Public Health 535 West Jefferson Street Springfield, Illinois 62761 Phone 217-782-4977 Fax 217-782-3987 TTY 800-547-0466 Questions or Comments