Health Alerts - June 2000

Fisher-Price of East Aurora, N.Y., in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, is recalling two infant products: 105,000 3-in-1 Cradle Swings with detachable carriers and 235,000 Bounce ‘n Play Activity Domes.

• 3-in-1 Cradle Swings with model numbers 79321 and 79322 are recalled because the handle locks on the detachable carrier can release, causing the seat to flip forward. There have been 28 reports of handles releasing, causing injuries to 10 infants, including a skull fracture. The seats were sold nationwide from March 1997 to January 1999 for $100. Fisher-Price will provide a free repair kit that will lock the handle in place. The product can continue to be used as a swing until a repair kit has been installed.

• The Bounce ‘n Play Activity Dome is being recalled because the nylon bands that hold the product level can detach, posing a suffocation hazard. There have been 28 reports of the bands detaching but no reports of injuries. Domes with model number 79534 and six-character codes that end with 8 or 9 and begin with 001 to 286 are included in the recall. The $50 activity domes were sold nationwide from December 1998 to March 2000. Fisher-Price will provide a free repair kit that will strengthen the support for the play and nap surface.

For more information, call Fisher-Price at (800) 505-0600 or access www.fisher-price.com/us/help/cradle.asp for the 3-in-1 Cradle Swing and www.fisherprice.com/us/help/cradle.asp#BounceNPlay for the Activity Dome.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Healthtex, a division of VF Playwear Inc., of Greensboro, N.C., is recalling 260,000 baby garments because the snaps can detach, posing a choking hazard to babies.

CPSC and Healthtex have received 10 reports of snaps detaching from the garments, but no injuries have been reported.

Sold under the Healthtex and Little Impressions labels in sizes newborn to 24 months, the recalled garments came in 58 different styles.

Department stores and children’s specialty stores nationwide as well as the Healthtex Web site sold these clothes from May through December 1999 for $12 to $30.

Consumers should return the garments to the store where purchased for a refund or exchange, or return them directly to the manufacturer. For more information, call (800) 554-7637; write to VF Playwear, 310 Rockingham Drive, Reidsville, NC 27320; or access the company’s Web site at www.healthtex.com/Pages/shop_recall_page1.asp to see the styles and style numbers included in this recall.

Two companies, in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, are recalling jogging strollers.

• BOB Trailers Inc., of San Luis Obispo, Calif., is recalling 3,700 jogging strollers because the front wheel connectors can crack during use, causing the wheel to separate from the frame. If the stroller collapses, the child riding in it could be injured.

BOB Trailers has received seven reports of wheel connectors cracking, but no injuries have been reported.

The BOB Sport Utility Stroller and the BOB Sport Utility Stroller D’lux are blue and black or hunter green and black, have three wheels and a canopy. Bike, baby and outdoor product stores and Web sites sold the strollers nationwide from November 1998 through March 2000 for $280 to $370.

Consumers should return the stroller to the store where purchased or BOB Trailers for repair. For more information, call (800) 893-2447 or access the company’s Web site at www.bobtrailers.com/safetynotice.html.

• Baby Trend Inc., of Ontario, Calif., is recalling 1,500 Road Runner jogging strollers with model No. 9592T because they may be missing straps attached to the frame to secure the seat. Unless the frame straps are attached, a child could lean forward and fall out of the seat.

Baby Trend received a report of an 8-month-old baby falling out and bumping his head.

The strollers are aluminum, three-wheeled and have hand brakes. The stroller has a three-strap harness that secures the child in the seat. Two additional straps snap together and secure the back corners of the seat to the stroller frame. Consumers should examine their stroller to determine if the seat is strapped to the stroller frame.

Babies ‘R Us stores sold the $200 strollers between January and April 1999.

For more information, call (800) 328-7363; write to Baby Trend Inc., 2019 S. Business Parkway, Ontario, CA 91761; or visit www.babytrend.com.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Kmart Corp., of Troy, Mich., is recalling 280,000 children’s decorative lamps because they can short-circuit, posing a fire hazard.

No injuries have been reported; however, Kmart has received eight reports of property damage due to fire, including one that reportedly caused more than $15,000 in damage.

Six different styles of “Little Ones” wooden accent lamps are recalled: airplane, alphabet letters, numbers, baseball and bat, train and sailboat.

The lamps were sold at Kmart stores nationwide from January 1993 to March 2000 for $13 to $15.

Consumers should return the lamps to Kmart for a refund. For more information, call (800) 63-Kmart.

Toymax Inc., of Plainview, N.Y., in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, is recalling 435,000 Arcadia Electronic Skeet Shoot games because the games’ cartridges can be defective, posing a risk of burns if the projector overheats, melts or smokes.

There have been 100 reports of projectors overheating, melting and smoking, including one report of a minor burn to the hand.

The Arcadia Electronic Skeet Shoot games include Duck Shoot and Deer Hunter. The Duck Shoot game has a gray rifle and projector, and the Deer Hunter game has a camouflage rifle and projector. Meteor Attack and Fighter Attack game cartridges were sold separately and are silver and black, respectively.

All game cartridges that are not orange should be replaced.

The game cartridges were sold nationwide at toy and discount stores, including Toys ‘R Us, Sam’s Club, KB Toys and Costco, from October 1998 to March 2000 for $65.

Consumers should call Toymax at (800) 477-6215 for a free replacement game cartridge. Information also is available at www.toymax.com. These items should not be returned to the store where purchased.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Proctor-Silex Inc. of Glen Allen, Va., is recalling 95,000 toasters because the heating elements do not turn off properly, posing a fire hazard.

No injuries have been reported, though Proctor-Silex and the CPSC have received three reports of fires, resulting in damage to kitchen cabinets.

The recalled toasters have four extra-wide slots. They were sold in white, model number 24205, and black and chrome, model number 24208. The recall applies only to toasters with series codes A0379 through A3279 and A2589 through A3289.

Stores nationwide, including Ames, Bradlees, Burdines, Eckerd, Rite Aid, Servistar and Walgreens, sold the toasters from April 1997 to September 1999 for $20 to $25.

To receive a free replacement toaster, call Proctor-Silex at (800) 992-4616 or access www.proctorsilex.com/recall.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is investigating products that cause fractures to the lower extremities of infants between ages 4 and 18 months. A physician may not initially associate these fractures with a particular product. If you have treated a patient within this age group for any type of leg fracture, including but not limited to spiral, supra condylar or bimalleolar fractures, contact CPSC at (800) 638-8095 or e-mail [email protected].