Health Alerts - April 2002

Unilever Home and Personal Care USA, of Greenwich, Conn., is recalling 4 million plush Snuggle bears because the bears’ eyes and noses can come off, posing a choking hazard to young children.

Unilever has 32 such reports; in three cases, children placed the detached eyes in their mouths. No injuries were reported.

The plush, cream-colored bears with Snuggle tags come in a 5- and 8-inch bean bear and a 10-inch stuffed bear.

• The 5-inch bears have four styles: Pajama Bear wears blue, one-piece pajamas with a yellow moon-and-star design; Nightcap Bear wears a blue nightcap with a yellow moon-and-star design; Purple Blanket Bear holds a purple blanket; and Pink Blanket Bear holds a pink blanket.

• The 8-inch bean bear is made of terry or plush fabric.

• The 10-inch plain stuffed bear, with tan paws and ears, is in a sitting position.

Grocery and discount department stores nationwide sold the Snuggle fabric softener that included the 5- and 8-inch bears between May 1999 and July 2001. The Pajama and Nightcap 5-inch bears also were given away to consumers who sent in two proofs of purchase for Snuggle fabric softener between November and December 2001. The 10-inch bears were distributed from May 1997 through May 1998 to consumers who sent in a proof of purchase for Snuggle fabric softener and up to $4.

Take these bears away from young children and contact Unilever at (800) 896-9479 or www.Snuggletime.com to receive a coupon for free Snuggle fabric softener.

No other Snuggle Bears are involved in this recall.

The firm recalled the Nightcap Bears in May 2001 because the yellow pompom on the nightcap can detach, posing a choking hazard to young children.

Alpha International Inc., also known as Gearbox Pedal Car Company, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is recalling 75,000 pedal cars because the paint coating on some of the cars contains high lead levels, presenting a poisoning hazard.

No injuries have been reported.

The names of the 17 recalled models are as follows:

• Fire trucks — Fire Truck, John Deere and Texaco;

• Police cars: NYPD, Chicago Police, Highway Patrol and Emergency 911;

• Sedans: Champion (in pink or blue), Texaco, John Deere, Citgo, Raley’s Coca-Cola, Raley’s Keebler and Red Lion;

• Yellow taxi; and

• Dump truck.

The pedal cars are metal and come in a variety of colors. Most of them have a Gearbox logo on the seat back, the hubcaps, and/or the pedals.

The two Raley’s cars were sold exclusively at Raley’s supermarkets from July through December 2000. Department, toy and specialty/collectible stores sold all of the other pedal cars from November 1999 through January 2002 for $100 to $500.

Take these cars away from young children and contact Alpha International at (800) 368-6367 to receive a replacement car, or return the products to the place where purchased to receive a refund.

Random House Inc., of New York, N.Y., is recalling 39,000 copies of “Monsters In The Closet” board books because the snap that secures the book could detach, posing a choking hazard to young children.

No injuries have been reported.

The board books, which can hang on a doorknob, are in English and Spanish.

Book, specialty stores and online retailers sold these books nationwide from October 2001 through January 2002 for about $8.

Cut off the snap from these books and mail the snap to: Tri-State, c/o Marie Corsello, 325 Rabro Drive, Hauppauge, NY 11788 to receive a free replacement book valued at about $9. For more information, contact Random House at (800) 493-0009 or www.randomhouse.com.

Disney Children’s Book Group, LLC, also known as Disney Press, of New York, is recalling 5,180 “Zowie’s 1-2-3” children’s books because the abacus-like toy attached to the back cover contains plastic beads that can separate from the cover, posing a choking hazard to young children.

Disney Press has one report of a 15-month-old who broke a bead from the book cover and placed it in his mouth. He was not injured.

The white board book depicts the Zowie character on its cover and carries ISBN code number 078683307-6 on the back cover.

Bookstores nationwide sold the books from January through February 2002 for about $7.

Take these recalled books away from young children and return them to Disney Press for a refund. Mail the books to Disney Press, Attn: Zowie 123, 114 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10011 and use six first-class stamps per book. Include a return address and phone number. For more information, contact Disney Children’s Book Group LLC toll-free at (866) 203-8070.

OshKosh B’Gosh Inc. of Oshkosh, Wis., is recalling 21,800 OshKosh B’Gosh newborn girls’ garments because the fabric, heat-sealed flowers on the front of the garments can detach after washing, posing a choking hazard to young children.

The firm has one report of a 6-month-old who began to choke on one of the flowers, but it was removed from the child’s throat without injury.

The recall involves two separate garments sold as sets: a lavender velour jumpsuit with a floral-print rib knit top (style numbers 516-8240 and 516-8340), and a lavender French terry-and-velour top with a printed rib knit bottom (style numbers 516-8241 and 516-8341).

Both Baby OshKosh B’Gosh garments were sold in sizes 0-3, 3-6 and 6-9 months.

OshKosh B’Gosh and department stores nationwide sold these items from August through December 2001 for about $38.

Consumers should return these garments to OshKosh B’Gosh for a refund. For instructions, contact the firm at (800) 282-4674 or www.oshkoshbgosh.com.

Graco Children’s Products Inc., of Elverson, Pa., is providing a new instruction sheet for consumers to use when installing the detached suction cups on 8,900 Snack and Activity Trays. The suction cups can detach, posing a choking hazard to young children.

No injuries have been reported.

The Snack and Activity Tray attaches to high chairs, strollers, swings and other flat surfaces and features various toys that are removable and interchangeable with other Mix ’N Move toys.

Discount, department and juvenile product stores, including Sears, nationwide sold these trays from August 2001 through February 2002 for about $15.

Stop using these products and contact Graco at (800) 345- 4109 to receive a new instruction sheet or download the sheet at www.gracobaby.com.

Dansk International Designs Ltd., of White Plains, N.Y., is recalling 190,000 ice cream scoops because a cap at the end of the scoop’s handle can fly off with substantial force, especially if the scoop is immersed in hot water.

Dansk has 10 reports of these caps flying off, some traveling several feet, but no injuries were reported.

The silver-colored scoops, made of aluminum with 4.5-inch handles, were sold in four styles: a plain 3.5- inch spade, a plain 2.5-inch scoop, a Penguin-shaped 2.5-inch scoop and a snowman-shaped 2.5-inch scoop.

Ice cream scoops sold by Dansk with a black cap at the end of the handle are not part of this recall.

Dansk Factory Outlet Stores and Lenox Warehouse Clearance Centers nationwide sold these scoops between January 1988 and November 2001 for about $9.

Return them to any Dansk or Lenox Factory Outlet store for a $20 coupon. For more information, call Dansk toll-free at (866) 855-9303 or (800) 293-2675.

BikeE Corp., of Corvallis, Ore., is recalling 13,500 BikeE recumbent bicycles because the seats can crack and break off the frame, resulting in injury to the rider.

BikeE Corp. has two such reports of the seats breaking during use; one injury included a broken leg.

The firm is recalling all 1999 through 2001 model BikeE bicycles with 27-inch-tall seat backs, silver-colored seat frames with black mesh seat backs.

BikeE dealers nationwide sold the bicycles from February 1999 through February 2002 for $550 to $2,150.

Contact BikeE at (800) 231-3136 or www.bikee.com for a free repair kit. BikeE dealers also have repair kits available.

Recumbent BikeE bicycles with seat backs lower than 27 inches are not recalled. Seats with silver-colored rings around the black plastic clamps that attach the seat to the frame of the bicycle have been repaired or are not part of the recall.

BikeE recalled 700 recumbent tandem bicycles in November because the steerer tube on the front forks could separate.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) established a Web page at www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/topics/konjac.html for a complete listing of the warnings on various mini-cup gel candies that contain konjac. This type of candy poses serious choking risks and has caused deaths around the world.

For general questions about FDA-regulated products, call toll-free (888) INFO-FDA (888-463-6332).

When Daylight Saving Time begins Sunday, April 7, consumers should test their smoke alarms, says the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

Although the CPSC reports about 90% of U.S. households have smoke alarms installed, a survey by that agency found smoke alarms in 20% of those homes (16 million) were not working. The main reason? The battery was dead or missing.