Fall Hazard: CPSC Recalls 8,400 Suntech Baby Walkers

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission and Suntech Enterprises are recalling approximately 8,400 baby walkers over a possible fall hazard. The walkers are able to fit through a standard doorway and they don’t have enough stair-fall protection. This means that a toddler can wander into another room on his/her own and may be at risk of falling down the stairs in the walker. It was just last month that the CPSC issued a mandatory rule, effective December 21, 2010, requiring that a walker either be sized too wide to fit through a regular doorway or made with a device that can prevent it from traveling beyond the edge of a step.
Fall Accidents
Kids who are learning to walk often can’t stop moving even though they haven’t quite mastered the art of getting to where they want to go without falling—one of the most common causes of injuries to toddlers. Although walkers are supposed to protect children learning to walk from certain dangers, they can actually cause serious injuries, including traumatic brain injuries and broken bones from fall accidents down steps or in the event that the walker tips over because its wheels got caught in a rug or stumbled over an object on the ground. A toddler can also get seriously hurt during a fall if his/her walker rolls down a curb or into a swimming pool.
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Fortunately, federal standards for walkers have evolved even since they were introduced 13 years ago. While the CPSC reports that some 25,700 walker-related injuries to kids under the age of 15 months that required emergency room care occurred in 1992, in 2003, only 3,200 such injuries were reported. However, in April 2007, the American Academy of Pediatrics not only recommended to parents that they stop placing their kids in traditional walkers, but they also suggested that the federal government ban them.
So far, there are no reports of injuries or deaths related to this latest recall. The recalled baby walkers have either the item number WK112 or WK110 on the packaging. Consumers are advised to stop using the walker right away and return the item to the store for a complete refund.
Our child products liability lawyers know how upsetting it can be to discover that the very device that you purchased to keep your child safe is actually the cause of their injury or death.
Recall: 8,400 baby walkers, Chicago Tribune, June 22, 2010
Baby walkers, Consumer Reports, April 2007
Related Web Resources:
CPSC Issues Final Mandatory Rule on Infant Baby Walkers, CPSC, May 27, 2010
Read the CPSC Commissioner’s Statement (PDF)
Baby Walkers: A Dangerous Choice, Healthy Children

Contact our child injury law firm to discuss your case.

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