Who would have thought that at this point in history, we would still have to deal with product recalls for baby cribs. And yet, it has happened with more than 2 million cribs, most of which are drop side models, being recalled.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission or the CPSC described the problem as “suffocation and strangulation” risks. Therefore, before you buy a drop side baby crib, here are some of the things you need to know.

• You can request for a free immobilization kit for drop side cribs from the manufacturer of the brand of your choice. It is not give automatically when you buy, so make sure the brand you are planning to get has that option.

• The CPSC is working hard to stop drop side cribs from being made and sold because of the potential risks involved, especially since there are other crib options.

• For the record, around 32 babies have died from accidents due to a drop side crib. This figure was released way based on incidents starting in 2000, so it is not an accurate number.

• The risks in a drop side baby crib are:
  • Strangulation
  • Suffocation
  • Getting trapped between two objects like the crib and the mattress
  • If the drop side is made of plastic, it will be subject to easy wear and tear which means pieces could break off and choke or harm the baby
  • The baby could fall off the crib if left unattended with one side down.

• Some drop side cribs are made of soft wood that makes it less sturdy and pieces could chip off and harm the baby.

• Some owners have assembled this kind of crib upside down for lack of specific instructions or because they assume they can figure it out on their own. Thus, it could come off unexpectedly

If you are planning to buy a crib, avoid buying used cribs and cribs that do not come with an instruction guide – in English. Also, look for the tag that shows it passed scrutiny with safety standards set by the government. You should know that these safety standards are updated regularly, so a crib that has a safety standard sticker issued in the 1970s or 1980s are no longer valid.

You should also do some research on the model and brand you want. Go online and check if it has had any recall issues or accidents with babies in the past. Your child is depending on you to take care of him or her, and part of that responsibility involves making sure the equipment used by the baby is safe.

Demas Law Group remains one of Sacramento’s most highly respected and accomplished personal injury law firms. We’ve been successfully representing clients since our firm first opened its doors back in 1993. Every Demas Law Group attorney takes pride in obtaining the full compensation and complete justice owed to every client.