Check your Kraft Shells & Cheese Cups to see if they're part of the recall.

Kraft Foods announced a recall yesterday of three varieties of Velveeta & Cheese Single Serve Microwaveable Cups due to the possible presence of small, thin wire bristle pieces.  Given how popular macaroni and cheese is with most kids, be sure to check any cups you have and don’t let them eat any that fit the parameters of the recall.

If you have Velveeta Shells & Cheese Single Serve Cups with the following “best when used by” dates on the bottom of the cups, you can return them to the store where they were purchased for a full refund: Continue reading »

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Crib safety under scrutiny

A study in the journal Pediatrics this week finds that nearly 10,000 children under two are seriously injured every year in cribs, bassinets, and playpens. The 19-year study found that cribs accounted for 83 percent of the injuries and that falls were responsible for two-thirds of the incidents.

One in five injuries was a head injury such as a concussion that did not break the skin.  The injuries were enough to send 26 kids to the ER every day and cause 110 deaths a year.

Baby products have come under closer scrutiny in the last few years. For example, the FDA recently recommended that parents stop using sleep positioners due to suffocation risk. And in December of last year the Consumer Products Safety Commission set new safety standards for cribs (the first new crib standards to be set in two decades) — those go into effect later this year, getting rid of drop-sided cribs, for example.

According to a separate New York Times article on crib safety this week, since 2007 more than 10 million cribs have been recalled.

So why all the crib and bassinet injuries? And what, if anything, can we do to keep our kids safe? Continue reading »

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Lead tastes yummy!

I came across this story on Yahoo news today about Toxic Waste® brand Nuclear Sludge® Chew Bars candy being recalled because it’s (wait for it … ) toxic… and thought: “Nah… this is some kind of joke.”

So, I clicked over to the FDA web site, and sure enough—there it is, for immediate release: “Candy Dynamics Recalls Toxic Waste® brand Nuclear Sludge® Chew Bars. (All flavors, by the way.)

Turns out that a recent test performed by the California Department of Public Health has indicated that a lot (#8288A) of the cherry flavor of the candy contains elevated levels of lead (0.24 parts per million; the U.S. FDA tolerance is 0.1 ppm) that potentially could cause health problems, particularly for infants, small children, and pregnant women.

The candy is imported from Pakistan, and distributed nationwide in retail stores and through mail orders. (You can rest assured that no other “Toxic Waste®” brand product is affected by this recall.)

Err… there are just so many things wrong with this picture, I simply have no words. So, allow me to instead share some of the sentiments from people on the Yahoo article: Continue reading »

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How safe is that stroller?

A Consumer Reports Survey released today found that only one fifth, or twenty percent, of adults knew they’d purchased food, medication or a product (other than a car) that had been recalled in the last three years.   According to the survey, people get most of their information about recalled products through the news, but when you’re at the grocery store or pharmacy, it can be difficult to remember just why a product’s name is jumping out at you.  Is it a recall or a catchy jingle?

In 2010, as Babble has reported, almost every major manufacturer of over-the-counter children’s medicine had a major recall and there were 263 recalls of consumer products for infants and babies, including crib recalls and stroller recalls, a 68 percent increase over 2009. Tragically, flaws in production and design have led to several deaths.  In a world of information overload, what this new survey from Consumer Reports shows is it’s hard to keep on top of everything you need to know. Continue reading »

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Another Tylenol Recall

Tylenol maker Johnson and Johnson has issued yet another recall of the popular pain reliever after some consumers were sickened after taking the product and others complained about a moldy smell coming from the bottles.

The recall involves Tylenol 8-hour, 50 count caplet bottles from lot BCM 155 with UPC code 3 0045-0297-51 8. Continue reading »

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After the death of a 4-month old baby girl who died while strapped into a Nap Nanny, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has announced a recall of 30,000 of the popular baby recliners.

The infant, who was properly strapped into the foam-based bed, was discovered hanging over the side of the Nap Nanny, wedged between the recliner and the bumper of her crib.  According to the CPSC and Baby Matters, the manufacturer of the Nap Nanny, the recliners are not designed to be used in a crib and should always be placed securely on the floor away from any other products. Continue reading »

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I find myself reporting for the third time this week about lead in children’s products.  Despite having to pay hefty fines, retailers like Target continue to import lead-laden items.  WalletPop reported earlier this month that Target, Walmart, Sears and Macy’s had all been busted for selling purses, belts and shoes meant for adults with high levels of lead in them.  Items sold to adults are not currently regulated for lead the way children’s products are, however, maximum lead levels will be implemented for purses and other accessories by the end of this year.  (Do we have to go through consumer items one by one to say they can’t contain lead?  Shouldn’t all products be made to contain less than 300 ppm of lead?)

The Associated Press announced today that the children’s belts recalled for lead levels (pictured) were manufactured in China and sold at Target stores nationwide, “as well as on Target’s website, between December 2008 and December 2009.  For more information, call 800-440-0680 or visit http://www.cpsc.gov.

Infant Carriers and onesies were also recalled this week.   Continue reading »

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