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.
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.
