Since April, there have been multiple recalls on inclined sleepers, the most notable being 4.7 million of Fisher-Price’s Rock ‘N Play.
When Fisher-Price issued its April recall of the Rock ‘N Play Infant Sleeper, some of the 4.7 million parents who have sworn by the product were surprised and even defensive on social media. Dr. Whit Hall at UAMS says he’s frustrated by parents defending the product, even saying they’ll still use it. “There will be some babies that will die this year in Arkansas because they’re placed in this product or something like it,” Dr. Hall said.
The death toll is now up to 59 infants, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Fisher-Price’s product was marketed for overnight sleep, so most parents would be sleeping while it’s in use, but Dr. Hall says even with supervision, suffocation could happen in a matter of minutes. “We only have about two to three minutes before a baby is either dead or permanently brain damaged. There’s just not enough time after a baby goes to sleep to rescue a child,” Dr. Hall said.
On Friday, the Consumer Product Safety Commission is expected to vote on new regulations for inclined infant sleepers. Stringent new requirements which would essentially end the manufacture and sale of those products. The potential change is all thanks to the groundbreaking research conducted in Little Rock.
Fisher-Price says it has a long-standing policy of not commenting on legal matters.
