 |
|||
 |
|||
Healthy
|
|||
U.S. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFTEY COMMISSION
Free Information on
Playpens and Playgrounds
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) kicked off two information campaigns to reduce the risks of injury and death to infants and young children associated with mesh-sided playpens and home playgrounds. As part of these campaigns, the CPSC has new publications, in both English and Spanish, that are on the CPSC web site AND are available free from CPSC.
Playpens
Over the years, portable mesh-sided playpens, cribs and play yards have evolved into virtually identical products ("playpens"). Parents and caregivers use playpens today as places for infants and toddlers to both play and sleep. On July 12, 2001, the CPSC announced findings from its study that documented cases of more than 200 babies since 1990 who died while in playpens. In almost 100 of those deaths, soft bedding or extra mattresses were in the playpen, and the babies died of suffocation or SIDS. While CPSC has previously warned about the dangers of soft bedding in standard-sized cribs for babies under 12 months, this is the first time for the warning about the same dangers in playpens.
Home Playgrounds
According to CPSC findings issued August 2, 2001, more deaths occurred on home playgrounds than on public playgrounds in a recent 10-year period. From 1990-August 2000, about 70 percent of all playground-related deaths to children under the age of 15 occurred on home playgrounds. In 1999, more than 20 percent of the more than 200,000 playground equipment-related injuries treated in hospital emergency rooms occurred on home playgrounds. Almost 40 percent of children injured at home were under five years old.
RESOURCES
To read the CPSC report and see the new playpen publications--a poster for childcare providers and a brochure for parents, visit the website, www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml01/01196.html
The playground safety checklist can be found at www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml01/01213.html
To order CPSC publications (free, free, free!). Send an e-mail to publications@cpsc.gov or write Publications Request, CPSC, Washington, DC 20207.
|
Healthy Childcare® Home Page | Library | Search | Questions & Answers | Links
I Am Amazing | Hip On Health | Health & Safety Resource Guide | Order Form
Product Spotlight | Free Issue | Publisher's Letter | Contact Us | Author Guidelines HEALTHY CHILD PUBLICATIONS Last Revised: |
||