The increasing demands of parenthood often drive new parents to purchase products that provide convenience and comfort in raising their children. For mealtimes, high chairs supposedly offer a means for parents to feed their kids securely. Doing so enables parents to eat properly while looking out for their children.
However, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recently published two announcements: TOMY’s product recall and iCraves’ noncompliance with safety requirements per industry standards.
Both high chair products reportedly pose fall hazards to babies and toddlers. Of the more than 85,000 TOMY Boon Flair and Boon Flair Elite high chairs sold in the U.S. and Canada, there have been 24 reports of fall injuries already. The accidents were primarily due to the bolts coming loose and detaching seats from their bases.
While there are still no incidents related to iCraves high chairs, CPSC declared that anyone who has bought the item must stop using them immediately, disassemble their parts and throw them separately. Aside from potential fall risks, their products may cause suffocation and entrapment.
Thus, safety experts remind parents to use high chairs with extra precaution.
Observing safety tips when using high chairs
Aside from checking if their chosen high chairs have recent recalls and reading the instruction manual carefully, parents may also exercise safety measures by:
- Choosing an age-appropriate product that can suitably support their child’s weight or body dimensions
- Clearing the high chair of clutter and dangerous objects, like pointy silverware or hot liquids
- Securing their child with the necessary straps or restraints
Ultimately, supervision is paramount. As hard as it is to juggle tasks at home, it will help if parents devise strategies to keep their attention glued to their children. After all, it only takes a moment for their children to do something potentially harmful.
Developing safety habits
As tempting as it is to shower babies and toddlers with new products, parents must first learn about their intended purchases before their young ones use them. In the event of injuries due to defective or hazardous products, parents can seek the assurance of their counsel in recovering damages for their child’s losses from negligent manufacturers.
