Defective IKEA Products Could Pose Choking Injury Risk to Kids
IKEA is no stranger to product recalls. There have been numerous reports of IKEA furniture and household items posing risks and dangers to consumers, and leading to harmful and even fatal consumer injuries. In recent years, numerous children have sustained fatal injuries due to defects in IKEA dressers, beds, and furniture. Now, IKEA is in the news again because of a dangerous consumer product that poses a risk of choking injuries to children.
The recalled product is a ‘MATVRÅ’ bib, according to a recent CNN News report. IKEA has sold approximately 7,000 of the infant bibs now subject to recall. As the report explains, IKEA reported “concerns that parts of the snap closure on the ‘MATVRÅ’ bib can fall off.” If the button falls off the bib without a parent or caretaker noticing, a child could choke on it if they put it in their mouth. Thus far, there have been at least two situations reported where the snap closure has fallen off the MATVRÅ bibs.
It is important for consumers, parents, and caregivers to be aware of the risks posed by defective products from IKEA. For an updated list of recalled IKEA items, click here.
How can you know if you are in possession of an IKEA recalled bib?
The recalled IKEA bibs have the name identifier MATVRÅ, and they were sold in packs of two. The packs with defective bibs each have one blue and one pink bib. Some reports indicate that the bibs are red and blue, as opposed to pink and blue. There is also a white tag on the back that identifies the bibs as IKEA products. A recent CBS Philadelphia report provides further identifying information about the bibs. According to that report, “the blue bib has a green seam along the outside with white polka dots,” while “the red bib has a yellow seam along the outside with red polka dots.”
Consumers that purchased these bibs in IKEA stores and online between August 2019 and September 2019 are advised to return them for a refund. If you have one of these products, it is important to stop using it immediately. You can return the product to an IKEA store, or you can contact IKEA’s customer service by calling 888-966-4532. You can also learn more about the recall on IKEA’s website.
Safety Tips for Preventing Choking Accidents in Children
Parents and caregivers can identify consumer products that may pose choking risks to children by accessing resources such as the product recall list from the Consumer Product Safety Commision (CPSC). In addition, some companies like IKEA also publish updated lists of their recalled products as well. See a list of recalled IKEA products here.
What else can parents and caregivers do to prevent choking accidents in kids?The following are facts and safety tips from the New York State Department of Health:
- The most common cause of nonfatal choking in young children is food;
- A child’s windpipe is only a few millimeters wide–about the size of a kernel of popcorn, so small parts can be swallowed or become lodged in a child’s throat easily
- Be aware of the following products around children: Latex balloons, coins, marbles, toys with small parts, small balls, pen or marker caps, button type batteries, medicine syringes, screws, stuffing from a bean bag chair, rings, earrings, crayons, erasers, staples, safety pins, small stones, tiny figures, and holiday decorations including tinsel, or ornaments and lights.
- Always supervise a young child who is eating;
- Make sure your young child sits up straight while eating;
- Kids should never walk, ride in a car, or play while eating;
- Food should be cut into particularly small pieces for young children;
- Parents and caregivers should remove the seeds and pits from any food that kids will be eating;
- Do not let a child run around with hard candies or other slippery small candies in their mouth;
- Choose foods based on shape, and consider which sizes and shapes of food can pose a choking risk to children; and
- Identify any products in your house that could pose a choking risk and remove them from a child’s reach.
If your child was injured by a defective product, you should discuss your case with a product liability lawyer. If you child choked when they were at daycare or school, contact a child injury lawyer to discuss your options.
