2009: The Year of Baby Product Recalls?
This past year had many baby product recalls. We saw both name-brand cribs and strollers, such as Maclaren, recalled and various baby foods and toys all given the same treatment. But, which we’ve mentioned here about what you should do when a product you own has been recalled, how much different was 2009 from past years? An article gives a rundown of statistics by ExpertRECALL for baby items. For a condensed version:
• 2009 saw a 20-percent increase in recalls, which was double the amount since 2006.
• 2009 also saw 2500 reports of product deficiencies, which was a 450-percent jump since 2008. Keep in mind that not all product deficiency reports result in a recall. Only after a particular product has been reported several times will it be recalled.
• The prominence of the brands being recalled and the amounts. We saw two million cribs recalled by manufacturer Stork Craft and one million from stroller maker MacLaren.
If you’re a parent worrying if your baby products are going to be recalled, December 2009, according to the article linked above, saw some developments in communication between baby product manufacturers and their consumers. This included a registration card program approved by the CPSC for communication between the manufacturer and consumer in case of defects. This means that, in theory, those who purchased the product will be notified directly, instead of hearing about the product recall through the nightly news and then waiting for a repair kit. As we saw in Britain in regards to Maclaren strollers recalled in the US, communication is important. And, if a product has been recalled in as large of a scope as the Maclaren strollers, all consumers should be notified about the defect. Consumers shouldn’t have to investigate on their own to find out if a product has been recalled or, worse, hear by word of mouth at a later date.
Donations for Children and Babies
Around the holidays, many organizations and shelters take donations for homeless or poor families. In many cases, a combination of clothes, food, and toys are given to the family for them to celebrate the holidays. But, while families overall are receiving items through such organizations, a dearth of items for babies is often present. From website Bloom-Normal News, a reporter wrote a brief story about such donations for homeless families and suggested about donating items specifically for babies.
If you’re considering such donations during the holiday or any time during the year, which items are appropriate? Typically, mothers or caretakers of infants and children under two need the basics. Baby toys might seem like a luxury and, generally, are given around Christmas, but certain developmental toys can be appropriate. Here are some suggestions:
• Baby clothing. In some cases, shelters will specify the ages and sizes of children living at the shelter but, if not, look for packs of basic baby clothing, such as onesies, t-shirts, and pants to give. Onesies come in sizes for zero to six months and six to twelve months and are sold in sets. Pink and blue baby clothes are available but, if you don’t know the sexes of any babies at the shelter, many unisex baby clothes in yellow or green are available. Additionally, colder weather means a child will need to be bundled up outdoors, and, in this case, baby coats, hats, shoes, and gloves will be helpful to any families with babies at a shelter.
• Baby food. Shelters and soup kitchens don’t always have options for babies, with the exception of apple sauce and broth. A donation of jars or cans of baby food, as well as formula, can help families with babies using the facilities.
• Baby books or toys. Children need to develop and toys have often been useful in this case. Like with clothing, sticking to the basics is best in this case. While knowing the age of babies or young children staying at the shelter is helpful in choosing books and toys, donating a variety of items geared toward children under two years of age can be beneficial for parents with children in that age group.
Feeding a Baby: Breastfeeding, BPA-Free, and Alternative Baby Bottles
What’s the best way to feed your baby? A study recently published states that bottle feeding is as good, if not better than, breastfeeding. While ssuch information contradicts what mothers have said for years, it has a grain of truth embedded in it: A mother’s health gets passed onto her baby. This means that, if a mother isn’t healthy, breastfeeding her infant isn’t a good option for her baby’s health. At the same time, though, this has been considered common knowledge since the 1980s, when AIDS being passed from mother to child became a serious issue.
If you’re not planning to breastfeed, or do a combination of breastfeeding and bottle use, another issue over the past few years has been BPA-free bottles. BPA can mimic estrogen in babies and, down the road, can cause developmental issues for the child. Although many baby bottles and sippy cups are labeled as being “BPA-free,” how do you know this is accurate? Is BPA-free the same as trans fat-free, in which a food is labeled as having zero grams of trans fat when, in fact, it has just less than one gram? A BPA ban is being pushed in parts of the country. As mentioned in the article, a BPA ban would prevent plastic cups and bottles for children under five years of age to be maufacturered with the chemical.
What should you do if you’re avoiding plastics altogether when feeding your child? One option has been to use a stainless steel baby bottle. This way, the BPA levels of plastic won’t be in question and, additionally, the stainless steel design is sturdy enough to not break when dropped or thrown by a baby or child. Additionally, such stainless steel bottles don’t require lining and have interior markings so you can measure out the correct amount of formula.
Finding Developmental Toys for Special Needs Children
Developmental toys are often designed for certain age groups. These toys, however, often correspond to a child’s size and abilities at that stage in his or her life. But what about if you have a special needs child, such as one with a developmental disorder? Often, the “appropriate” toys for that child’s stage in life are too complex and those for that child’s actual developmental stage are too small. If you’re a parent of a young child with such a developmental disorder, how do you find toys that meet your child’s needs?
One such service for finding appropriate toys for children with developmental disorders is the Toys and Technology Library at the Ohio State University Medical Center. An article in Health Digest News describes the services of the Toys and Technology Library, but here is a condensed version. Essentially, the library allows parents and their children to check out toys and computers with a therapist before purchasing the actual toy. As toys for special needs children can cost five times more than their standard, age-appropriate counterparts, being able to try out such a toy or computer program is important. Not only will the children find a toy that they enjoy but therapists are available to help with choosing one that is developmentally appropriate, as well.
A quick search for “special needs toys” brings up websites for toys geared toward autistic children, those in wheelchairs or with other physical needs, and those who are blind. If such a service as the Toys and Technology Library isn’t in your area, here is a directory of companies that make special needs toys for all types of developmental needs. Websites and descriptions of each type of service are included in the directory for you to find the appropriate toys for your child.