New Study Addresses Nursery Products and Infant Injuries

Rising Rates of Young Children Injured By Carriers, Strollers, and Cribs

How safe is that baby carrier you just purchased for your infant? How about your child’s stroller? When you put your infant to bed at night in her crib, is she safe from a serious injury caused by a product defect? These are fear-inducing questions for parents, yet a recent study reported in NPR, suggests that “baby injuries associated with nursery products like carriers, strollers, and cribs are on the rise.”

How common are child injuries that result from dangerous infant products? According to the study, between 2003 and 2011 there has been a 23.7% increase in the number of child injuries linked to nursery products. Where did the majority of the injuries occur? The researchers determined that “the vast majority of these injuries were to the head, neck or face.” Most of the injuries—around 80%—resulted from a fall. In a majority of child falls, the accident occurred at home. How do so many dangerous products result in fall-related injuries? Baby carriers may not have sufficient traction on a countertop, for instance, and a baby’s movements can cause it to fall off. Or, for instance, a baby might fall down a flight of stairs in a walker.

According to Jerri Rose, a Case Western Reserve University Medical School assistant professor of pediatric medicine, “When kids fall, they tend to fall headfirst.” Therefore, it is not surprising that so many accidents lead to traumatic brain injuries. As Rose clarified, “babies have such large heads and so little control of their bodies, so in young children we often see injuries to their head and neck area.”

Why are we seeing a rise in infant injuries linked to nursery products? The authors of the study, along with Rose, do not have a clear-cut answer. However, it is possible that more physicians are identifying brain injuries that would have been overlooked previously. Or, it is possible that the more nursery products being marketed and sold, there are more babies getting hurt from these products.

Getting the Facts About Child Injuries 

The recent study was published in the peer-reviewed journal Pediatrics, and it reported the following statistics about child injuries and infant products:

  • 5% of the injuries involved baby carriers;
  • 6% of the injuries involved infant cribs or mattresses;
  • 5% of the injuries involved strollers; and
  • 2% of the injuries were linked to walkers, jumpers, or exercisers.

It is important to take note of the recent study’s findings. Check for product recalls and make sure to closely supervise your children.  In the event that your child sustained an injury because of a dangerous product, contact a  child injury lawyer to determine your rights.

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