After the deaths of more than 30 infants and toddlers in the past decade and millions of recalls, the government has outlawed drop-side cribs. It's the end of the traditional crib that has cradled millions of babies for generations. The government has outlawed drop-side cribs after the deaths of more than 30 infants and toddlers in the past decade and millions of recalls.

It was a unanimous vote by the Consumer Product Safety Commission to ban the manufacture, sale and resale of the cribs, which have a side rail that moves up and down, allowing parents to more easily lift their child from the crib.

The new standard requiring cribs to have fixed sides would take effect in June. The move by CPSC would also prohibit hotels and childcare centers from using drop-sides, though those facilities would have two years to purchase new cribs. CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum hailed the new standard for cribs as one of the strongest in the world.

 "I believe these new standards will markedly reduce crib-related hazards and help to ensure that young children sleep more safely in their cribs," Tenenbaum said after the vote.

Around for decades, drop-side cribs have come under scrutiny in recent years because of malfunctioning hardware, sometimes less expensive plastics, or assembly problems that can lead to the drop-side rail partially detaching from the crib. When that happens, it can create a dangerous "V'-like gap between the mattress and side rail where a baby can get caught and suffocate or strangle. In all, drop-side cribs have been blamed in the deaths of at least 32 infants and toddlers since 2000 and are suspected in another 14 infant fatalities.

In the past five years, more than 9 million drop-side cribs have been recalled, including cribs from big-name companies such as Evenflo, Delta Enterprise Corp., and Pottery Barn Kids. Michele Witte of Merrick, N.Y., lost her 10-month-old son, Tyler, in 1997 when the drop-side rail on his crib came loose, partially detached and then trapped his neck between the rail and the headboard.

"It's been a long 13 years," said Witte. "I feel like it's a celebratory time because things are finally being done about the issue." Witte appeared at a news conference on Capitol Hill with Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., and Rep. Joe Crowley, D-N.Y., all of whom have pushed for stronger crib safety rules.

The new standard mandates tougher safety testing for cribs, tests that more closely mimic a child in a crib. As children get older, they can apply more force to the crib — shaking on it, running around in it, jumping up and down. The new tests aim to make sure the cribs can take that kind of pressure. Better labeling on crib pieces will also be required — a measure that aims to cut down on the misassembly problems that some parents have encountered, problems that can lead to the death of a child.

Parents who lost their children in drop-side cribs say today's ban couldn't come soon enough. Chad Johns, whose 9-month-old son, Liam, died in a drop-side crib in 2005, said he was a little relieved. "Yes, it's a long time coming," said Johns from Roseville, Calif. "But the fact that it is happening — that's what is important." Crib makers were already phasing out drop-side cribs over the last couple years, amid increasing problems with them. And last year, the organization that sets voluntary industry standards — ASTM International — approved a drop-side ban.

Many parents, however, still have drop-sides in their homes. They can also be found at secondhand stores. The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association, which represents over 90 percent of the crib industry, says properly assembled drop-sides that haven't been recalled can be safely used.

Source: Associated Press

Summer means one thing - vacation! Having fun while traveling is important, but planning ahead to ensure safe travels should be a top priority for all parents.

If your vacation includes a stay at a relative or friend's, make sure you talk to your host about the possibility of installing age-appropriate safety devices such as cabinet locks or outlet covers to prevent injuries to your kids. This is especially true when visiting people whose children have already grown or those without children, as safety devices may be out-of-date or nonexistent.

When traveling by car, always bring your child safety seat or booster seat for your child.

When traveling by airplane, Safe Kids strongly recommends using a child safety seat. Infants and toddlers are safest in an approved child safety seat with a harness, in case of turbulence. A child who rides in a child safety seat on the ground should ride in that child safety seat on a plane. While most child safety seats fit on standard airplane seats, make sure your child safety seat is labeled "certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft."

Children who have outgrown child safety seats should sit directly on the airplane seat and, like all passengers, keep the lap belt buckled across their thighs or hips. Booster seats cannot be used on airplanes, because they require shoulder belts and airplane seats have only lap belts.

Planning ahead also involves packing appropriate gear for your children. If they will be biking, riding a scooter, inline skating, skateboarding, etc, make sure to pack a helmet that is appropriate for the activity and fits them properly.

If you have a baby and the trip involves staying overnight, bring your own folding playpen if possible, rather than relying on borrowed cribs. In several surveys from 2001-2006, Safe Kids found many hotel-issued cribs to be defective, damaged or even recalled from the market. If you must use a hotel's crib, inspect it carefully for broken or missing parts and look up the model on www.Recalls.gov to make sure it isn't subject to any safety notices.

We are all looking for ways to cut corners, but I am concerned that some parents who are trying to save money might be buying cheaper, second-hand items that can actually be dangerous to their children, including:  

Child Safety Seats
Child Safety Seats should not be used if they have been involved in an accident and also are only good for a certain number of years, so a second-hand child safety with no known history should be avoided at all costs.   

Play Yards and Cribs
Children spend many unsupervised hours sleeping, which makes it critical that their beds be the safest place in the house.  Unfortunately, millions of cribs and portable child beds have been recalled in recent years for having faulty parts that can cause children to strangle and die.  If you are thinking of using a second hand crib, please check and see it if has been recalled for safety reasons.  

Also, you need to know what to look for when buying a bed – even if it hasn’t been recalled it could be too old so that it doesn’t meet current safety standards (slats are too far apart and child can strangle/pieces on the bed where a child’s clothing can get caught and strangle them) or in disrepair.  Check the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Web site – www.cpsc.gov to see if a crib has been recalled and check the Safe Kids Crib Safety Checklist for crib guidelines.  

Toys
Many toys in circulation have high and dangerous levels of lead, some have magnet danger issues.  Check again with www.cpsc.gov to see if a toy has been recalled and shop for more traditional toys such as art supplies, and wooden toys that are from manufacturers known not to use lead paint.  When in doubt, don’t buy the toy.  

What can YOU do?  You can sign up to receive immediate e-mails when dangerous products are recalled via www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx and can check on previous recalls at www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prerel.html.  The notices have photos and/or descriptions of the products to help parents determine if they own the product.