One of the first things new parents do is count ten tiny fingers and toes on their newborn and marvel at just how tiny those little digits are. And as any parent can tell you, the first time you hold a pair of clippers to those infinitesimal fingernails, you will feel nearly breathless at just how fragile those little fingers appear.
It is a fact that one major baby gear maker seems to have failed to consider.
This week, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Graco Children's Products announced a voluntary recall of 11 models of Graco and Century strollers, affecting nearly 5 million strollers in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Recalled Graco strollers include the following models, sold as single strollers or as part of a travel system:
The manufacturer has received reports of 11 incidents involving a folding hinge on the side of the stroller that can pinch an infant's fingers, leading to lacerations and fingertip amputation. Of the 11 reported finger injuries, ten involved fingertip amputation or partial amputation and one involved laceration.
View the full list of recalled model numbers here.
The CPSC says that consumers who own a recalled stroller should contact Graco for a repair kit; however, these kits will not be available until December 2014. In the meantime, "caregivers should exercise extreme care when unfolding the stroller to be certain that the hinges are firmly locked before placing a child in the stroller. Caregivers are advised to immediately remove the child from a stroller that begins to fold to keep their fingers from the side hinge area."
Unfortunately, this is not the first time Graco strollers have been recalled for risk of infant fingertip amputation.
In 2010, Graco recalled 1.5 million Passage, Alano, and Spree strollers and travel systems because of a canopy hinge that could cause infant fingertip amputation. That recall was prompted by seven child injuries, including 5 fingertip amputations and 2 lacerations.
That same year, the company also recalled 2 million older model Quattro and MetroLite strollers as entrapment and strangulation hazards. Children not properly harnessed and secured in those strollers could slip through the opening between the stroller tray and the seat, becoming entrapped by the head or neck. The strollers affected in that recall were manufactured before voluntary standards addressing the size of the opening between the seat and stroller tray were adopted in January 2008.
Most parents diligently research safety recommendations and specifications before purchasing an item for their infants and children. However, even the most vigilant parents can find that an item they bought for a child was recalled because of poor design or negligent manufacturing. Stay informed about child product recalls at CPSC.gov or Recalls.gov, or view our widget listing recent recalls.
