Although drop side cribs are officially banned as of the beginning of 2011, stores, daycare centers, hotels, and any facility selling, using, or providing cribs needs to replace all drop side designs with stationary ones. For stores and other facilities, this ban has created a significant change, but where do parents fit into this?
Confusion, much like we saw last week, characterizes the typical parent’s stance regarding cribs. For some, this recall, in addition to others geared toward baby sleeping products, makes parents wonder about the safety of their child’s bed, and drop side models, even heirlooms, are being put aside for a fixed design. Other parents, unconvinced about these hazards keep the drop side cribs, just as long as they’re sturdy.
Drop sides alone, however, are not only to blame for injuries. A recent study published in CNN Health found that 26 children are injured by cribs each day, and 9,500 over the course of a year. Injuries come indirectly or directly from a crib. A child, in many cases, stands up in the crib, leans over the side, and ends up falling out and onto the floor.
Another significant portion of crib-related injuries comes from hardware. As nearly all of the drop side crib recalls show, poor construction or assembly can result in the hardware holding in the movable portion cracking, and the drop side falls on the child, causing suffocation, entrapment, or strangulation.
Regardless of whether or not you continue to use a drop side crib, the following aspects need to be considered:
• Is the crib stable and sturdy?
• Does the crib have any openings that a child can slip or crawl through?
• Is the hardware – such as rails or locks – in good condition?
• Items placed inside the crib, such as bumpers, pillows, and toys.
• Items placed near the crib, such as corded monitors.
