Health Alerts - December 2003

Three incidents have been reported, though none resulted in injury.

The recalled plush toys have four different buttons: a red heart, yellow star, orange circle and green square. The recalled units have Model #42080 engraved on the battery box cover and batch numbers FV23, FV24, FV25, FV27, FV28, FV29 or FV30 printed on the right side of the cover.

Target stores nationwide sold the plush toys from August to October 2003 for $20.

Consumers should stop children from playing with this toy and call Neurosmith at (800) 220-3669, ext. 1066, for a free replacement “Pet Me Platypus.”

John Wiley & Sons Inc., of Hoboken, N.J., is recalling 5,400 copies of Candle & Soap Making for Dummies because the book’s instructions for making lye combine sodium hydroxide and water in an order that could cause the mixture to bubble over, posing a burn hazard.

No injuries have been reported.

The paperback book was sold by bookstores and discount department stores nationwide from August to September 2003 for $20.

Consumers should return these books to the store where purchased for a refund. For more information, contact John Wiley & Sons toll-free at (877) 762-2974 or visit www.wiley.com.

Britax Child Safety Inc., of Charlotte, N.C., is recalling 2,689 Super Elite child restraints because test crashes have shown that in some cases the child’s head moves forward further than government safety regulations allow.

The recalled Super Elite youth restraints are Model E9031.

Britax will mail a free repair kit along with installation instructions to owners who have returned their registration cards. Owners who have not yet registered their product should call Britax toll-free at 888-4BRITAX (1-888-427-4829) or visit www.BritaxUSA.com to receive the free kit.

Parents should obtain and install the repair kit as soon as possible so the child seat provides adequate protection. If parents have no substitute child safety seat, they should continue to use the seat while waiting to receive the repair kit because this unrepaired Britax seat will provide better protection than an adult seat belt or no restraint.

Two firms are recalling cigarette lighters because they lack the required child-resistant mechanisms, posing fire and burn hazards:

• The Sarut Group as City Limit, of New York, is recalling 3,100 novelty cigarette lighters.

No injuries have been reported.

The fish-shaped cigarette lighters have a metallic-colored plastic body and come in 18 different colors. The lighters contain a black lighter insert, which can be pulled out of the fish’s body. The inserts have a white fish skeleton painted on the side.

Web sites and retail firms sold the lighters from 2002 to 2003.

Return the lighters to the retail firm where purchased or Sarut Group for a refund and a discount coupon. For more information, call Beverly Olivier at the Sarut Group at (800) 345-6404.

• Style Asia Inc., of Moonachie, N.J., is recalling 3,000 wristwatch lighters and 5,000 cigarette-shaped lighters.

No injuries have been reported.

The wristwatch lighter is an actual digital wristwatch with a cigarette lighter incorporated into it. The cigarette-shaped lighter is designed to resemble a filter tipped cigarette.

The lighters were sold nationwide primarily through Internet sales.

Return the lighters to Style Asia for a refund and discount coupon. For more information, call Style Asia toll-free at (800) 522-7465.

Magic Cabin Inc., of Dayton, Ohio, is recalling 600 Sonato Smiling Mini-Car Toys because the wheels can come off, posing a choking hazard to young children.

No incidents have been reported.

The recalled toy cars are wood with four wheels painted orange, blue, yellow and green. The front of the car has a smiling face, and the top has a red button that squeaks when pushed.

The toy cars were sold individually (item #828143) and as a part of the Wooden Baby Toys Set of 5 (item #828144).

Magic Cabin catalogs and Web site sold the toy cars from December 2002 to August 2003 for $10. Consumers should take the toy away from small children immediately and return the toy to Magic Cabin - Attention: Returns, 3700 Wyse Road, Dayton, OH 45414-2541 for a refund, including postage. For more information, call Magic Cabin at (888) 623-3655 or visit www.magiccabin.com.

Walgreen Co., of Deerfield, Ill., is recalling 5,000 pumpkin tealight candleholders because their beads can ignite, posing a fire hazard.

Walgreens has received three reports of the beads on these tealight candleholders catching fire. No injuries have been reported.

The “Colors of Autumn Beaded Pumpkin Tea Light Holders” have amber-colored plastic beads covering a copper-colored metal frame. A black stem acts as a handle on the top of the product. The product was sold with a tag that contained the item number 642146.

The tealight candleholders were sold at Walgreens stores nationwide from September to October 2003 for $9.99.

Consumers should stop using the tealight candleholders immediately and contact Walgreens for a refund. For more information, call Walgreens toll-free at (866) 778-6546.

Michaels Stores Inc., of Irving, Texas, is recalling 165,000 Halloween tealight candleholders because they can flare up due to a lack of ventilation, posing a risk of burns to consumers.

Michaels Stores has received three reports of minor finger burns.

These ceramic Halloween tealight candleholders come as pumpkins, gourds, witch hats and ghosts.

Michaels Stores nationwide sold these Halloween candleholders from July to October 2003 for $1.

Consumers should stop using these candleholders immediately and return them to any Michaels Store for a refund. For more information, call Michaels Stores toll-free at (877) 562-3816.