Health Alerts - August 2001

Century Products Co., of Macedonia, Ohio, is recalling 650,000 4-in-1 strollers because they can unexpectedly collapse or detach, potentially causing an infant or young child to fall and suffer serious injuries.

Century has received 681 reports of incidents, including 250 injuries, when the stroller unexpectedly collapsed or the car seat/carrier adapter detached. Injuries included concussions, skull fractures, a fractured elbow, two chipped teeth, bruises and cuts.

The five recalled strollers include: Take 2, 2000; Travel Solutions, 1999-2000; Pioneer, 1998-2000; Travelite, 1997-1998; and Pro Sport, 1996-1999. Mass merchandise, juvenile products and discount department stores nationwide sold these strollers from December 1996 through March 2001 for $100 to $200.

Call Century at (800) 766-9998 to order a free repair kit. For more information, visit the company’s Web site at www.centuryproducts.com, or write to: Consumer Affairs, Century Products, Box 100, Elverson, PA 19520.

Parents can continue to use these carriers as car seats.

KB Toys, of Pittsfield, Mass., is recalling 115,000 Electronic Light N’ Learn activity gyms because five detachable hanging rattle toys with small round pegs at the top of the toys can break off, posing a choking hazard to young children.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and KB Toys have received six reports of the pegs breaking off, including two reports of two infants who began to choke on a broken piece of the rattle attachment.

The Electronic Light N’ Learn activity gym is a multi-colored toy that converts into three different toys, including a crib toy, a floor gym and a musical keyboard. The gyms’ main console has five buttons, along with five detachable rattles in the shape of a bear, snail, star, half-moon and horse that hang from the bottom of the console.

KB Toy store, KB Toy Works, KB Toy Outlet, Big Lots, Odd Lots, Pic N Save and MacFrugals nationwide sold the toys from September 2000 through January 2001 for $20 to $30. The toys also were sold online at www.kbkids.com.

Take these toys back to where they were purchased for a refund. If the toy was purchased online, return it to a KB Toy store or contact KB Toys at (800) 279-5066, or visit its Web site at www.kbkids.com.

The Gymboree Corp., of Burlingame, Calif., is recalling 5,500 Baby Boy Bodysuits because the wheel-shaped zipper pull can twist off and become a choking hazard to young children.

No injuries have been reported.

The recalled baby bodysuits are short-sleeved, one-piece outfits for toddlers sized 0-3T. The bodysuits come in green and red. On the left arm of the outfit is a patch that reads “1st Place Soap Box Derby.” A white care label inside of the outfit reads, “2000 Gymboree.”

The bodysuits were sold on the Gymboree Web site and at stores nationwide from March through May 2001 for $17.

Return them to any Gymboree store for a refund. For more information, call Gymboree at (800) 222-7758, or access to the company’s Web site at www.gymboree.com.

Battat Inc., of Plattsburgh, N.Y., is recalling 1,500 Parents magazine-brand Soft Landing Beanbag cushions because the infant pillows and cushions have been banned under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act since 1992 due to a suffocation hazard to infants. In addition, two 8- to 9-inch cords, which attach toys to the cushions, pose strangulation hazards.

Battat has received one report of the cord on one of these cushions becoming wrapped around the neck of an infant, causing red marks.

The airplane-shaped cushions are covered in various solid-colored cloth panels, and are filled with plastic foam pellets. The cushion tag reads, “Parent’s PLAY + LEARN ... Fun and safe for all ages.” Additional instructions on the packaging state that the cushions are “ ... not considered a safe sleeping area for babies.”

Target stores nationwide sold the cushions from September 2000 through May 2001 for $24.

Return the cushions to a Target store for a refund. Consumers also can send their cushions to Battat Inc., Attention: Valinda Cayetano, Quality Assurance, 44 Martina Circle, Plattsburgh, NY 12901 for a refund plus mailing costs. For more information, call Battat Inc. at (800) 247-6144; visit Battat’s Web site at www.battat-toys.com; or visit the Target Web site at www.target.com.

BRIO Corp., of Germantown, Wis., is recalling 6,450 baking set toys because a knob can break off, posing a choking hazard to young children.

No injuries have been reported.

The yellow, blue and red hand mixers are sold along with toy utensils, rolling pin, mixing bowl and baking molds. The recalled baking sets have model number 31798 or 31795.

Specialty stores, Internet retailers and mail order catalogs sold the toys nationwide from March 1999 through April 2001 for $15 to $25.

Call BRIO at (888) 274-6869 and ask for Customer Relations, or send the mixer to BRIO Corp., Safety Recall, N120 W18485 Freistadt Road, Germantown, WI 53022, for a refund or replacement item. For more information, access BRIO’s Web site at www.briotoy.com.

Equity Marketing Inc., of Los Angeles, is recalling 4,300 Remote Controlled Race Cars because the cars can overheat and emit smoke, which may pose a potential burn hazard.

Equity Marketing Inc. has received three reports of the toy cars emitting smoke, but no injuries have been reported.

The remote-controlled race cars are black with the number 28 printed in red on the doors and roof and the Texaco logo printed on the hood of the car.

Participating Texaco gas stations nationwide sold the cars under the “Need for Speed” promotion from May through June 1, 2001, for $12 with any $10 purchase.

Remove the batteries and return the race car and remote control to the Texaco station where purchased for a refund. The items also may be returned for a refund by obtaining a prepaid shipping label by calling Equity Marketing Inc. at (888) 747-4355, or by writing to: Remote Controlled Car Recall, Equity Marketing Inc., at 6330 San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048. For more information, visit its Web site at www.equity-marketing.com.

Inglesina USA Inc., of Montclair, N.J., is recalling 780 child table seats because the seats were sold without a seat belt, posing a risk to children who climb out of the seat.

Inglesina USA has received one report of a 10-month-old girl who fell from a table seat and bruised her back.

The table seat has a metal frame with a fabric cover, and connects to the edge of a table, allowing a child to sit and eat at the table. The table seat is suspended in the air by clamps that connect to the underside of the table.

Department stores and toy stores sold the table seat from June 2000 through May 2001 for $50.

Call Inglesina USA toll-free at (877) 486-5112 to receive a replacement or a refund.

Chicco USA Inc., of Bound Brook, N.J., is recalling 6,000 Build-A-Ball preschool toys because some of the larger-sized ball halves can become stuck on a young child’s face, covering the nose and mouth, potentially causing suffocation.

A 2-year-old boy had a ball-half stuck on his face, covering his nose and mouth, but a nearby adult was able to pull the toy from his face. No injury to the child was reported.

The Build-A-Ball toy consists of five multicolored and various-sized plastic balls that can be taken apart to be stacked on top of each other or placed inside each other. The five balls in the toy set range in size from about 2 inches to 4 inches in diameter.

Amazon.com, Army and Air Force Exchanges and other toy stores nationwide sold these toys from January 1999 through April 2001 for $6. Return the toys to the store where purchased for a refund. For more information, call Chicco USA toll-free at (866) 242-0643 or visit the company’s Web site www.chiccousa.com.

Peg Perego USA Inc., of Ft. Wayne, Ind., is recalling 325,000 high chairs because reclining the seat creates a space between the armrest and backrest in which a child’s head or arm can become entrapped, posing a risk of suffocation or injury.

Peg Perego and the U.S. Consumer Product and Safety Commission have received 51 reports of entrapment when children placed their heads or arms in the space. Two children suffered scratches to the head, one had a bruised arm and another had a scratched arm. There have not been any reports of suffocation.

The recalled high chairs have seats that can be raised or lowered, and a lever on the back of the chair that allows the seat to be tilted back. The model names, Prima Pappa, Roller, and Martinelli Pappa and Nanna, are on the footrest or the seat back. A sticker on the brace connecting the front leg to the back leg reads, Peg-Perego and Italy.

Chain stores and independent retailers, including Babies R Us, Right Start and Burlington Coat Factory, sold these high chairs from June 1996 through October 1999 for $180.

Call Peg Perego toll-free at (877) 737-3464 or visit the company’s Web site at www.perego.com to receive free replacement armrests. Consumers should not return the high chair to the store where purchased.

Mead Johnson Nutritionals is recalling certain batches of Nutramigen 16-ounce powder infant formula and Nutramigen 32-ounce ready-to-use infant formula because the Spanish-language side of the label for both products gives incorrect preparation instructions.

There have been no reports to Mead Johnson from consumers or health care professionals about any infants who have become ill as a result of these labeling errors.

The English-language instructions are correct, and the product is safe to use as directed in English. If not properly prepared, the infant formulas have the potential to cause serious adverse health effects.

Both Nutramigen product forms were distributed nationwide, as well as in Guam, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.

Return the product to the place of purchase for a refund, or use the English-language preparation instructions.

For more information, call the Mead Johnson Nutritionals Customer Resource Center at (800) 718-7725.

More than 200 babies have died in playpens since 1988, according to a recent study by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

In almost 100 of these deaths where soft bedding, such as pillows, quilts or comforters, or improper or extra mattresses were present in the playpen, the babies died of suffocation or sudden infant death syndrome. More than 70% of these deaths were to babies less than a year old. Twenty-six of the playpen deaths occurred in child care settings.

The findings emphasize that caregivers should follow safe sleeping guidelines for their babies’ cribs and playpens. The baby should be placed on his back on a firm, flat mattress, without extra mattresses or any soft bedding.

For more information on playpen safety, call (800) 638-2772 or go to www.cpsc.gov.