EDITORIAL: Safe at home
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Updated: November 25, 2009 3:18 PM
Let’s just say, for argument’s sake, that the way we lived back then was right.
The way we were raised—like wolves by today’s standards—maybe that was just fine.
Today, it’s such a different world.
Safety first has become a staple in society, from helmets and shin pads to BPA-free drink containers.
On Monday, more than two million cribs were recalled worldwide because they were linked to the deaths of four infants in the U.S., who suffocated when they somehow got their face stuffed between the mattress and the drop rail.
North of the border, Health Canada is “aware of three entrapments” according to news reports, though there have been no reported fatalities.
The results of this, in addition to the massive recall, is that drop rails—once a saviour to many bleary-eyed parents trying to hoist their screaming chub chop out of the crib at 3 a.m.—will soon be no more.
Infant deaths are no laughing matter, of course. And parents would be unwise to dismiss the concerns highlighted by this recall.
But it would also be wise not to overreact.
Recalls—especially for baby products, happen frequently. With strollers, cars seats and cribs, etc., what’s safe today is dangerous the next.
In the last month alone, Health Canada has issued a recall for a playset with monkey bars that rot quickly; a stroller that, if not opened or closed according to instructions can “pose a risk of fingertip amputation and laceration to the child”; two teething products contaminated with bacteria; and three toy sets that have more than the allowable limit of barium in the paint.
In all, it’s good to know that there’s an agency charged with the job of ensuring products are safe, and removing them from the shelves as soon as possible if they’re not.
In the case of the cribs, the safety agencies have been concerned about drop rails for a long time. It’s up to parents to judge whether they should rush out today to get a new crib.
Many will. Though life will present many more real dangers to a child as it grows, this, at least, is something over which parents can exert some control.
