As you may have heard on the news last week, CPSC is urging all parents and caregivers to immediately stop using drop-side cribs manufactured by Stork Craft Manufacturing Inc., of British Columbia, Canada. We are aware of four tragic deaths of babies and 110 incidents of drop-side detachment, including 15 entrapments.

We want all families that have one of the recalled cribs to respond to the recall immediately and order the free, easy-to-install repair kit. While waiting for the repair kit, parents and consumers should find an alternative, safe sleeping environment for their baby.

To see pictures of the Stork Craft drop-side cribs and for more information please visit our web site at www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10046.html. You can also view a video at www.cpsc.gov/vnr/asfroot/storkcraft.asx

Due to the life-threatening hazard these cribs pose to infants, CPSC urges all consumers to share this safety warning with friends, family, day care centers, and consignment stores to ensure that no child is placed to sleep in a Stork Craft drop-side crib that has not been repaired.

On July 22, 2007, a new law took effect that prohibits the use of window blinds or other window coverings with pull cords or inner cords that can form a loop and pose a strangulation risk for
young children.

This new law applies to licensed family child care homes, child care centers and school-age centers. For more information, click here.

Oakland, CA – The Center for Environmental Health (CEH) announced it is filing lawsuits today against makers and retailers of soft vinyl lunch boxes that can expose children to harmful levels of lead. The Center has also notified several other companies of violations under California’s toxics law Proposition 65 (Prop 65) for lunch boxes with high lead levels. The lawsuits and violation notices against companies including Toys “R” Us, Warner Brothers, DC Comics, Time Warner, Walgreens, and others involve many lunch boxes featuring beloved children’s characters including Superman, Tweety Bird, Powerpuff Girls, and Hamtaro. The level of lead in one lunch box, an Angela Anaconda box made by Targus International, tested at 56,400 parts per million (ppm) of lead, more than 90 times the 600 ppm legal limit for lead in paint in children’s products.

“Lead exposure should not be on the lunch menu when kids’ go back to school this fall,” said Michael Green, CEH Executive Director. “There is no reason to expose children to any lead from lunch boxes. We are calling on these companies to recall these products and take action to eliminate lead from their products in the future.”

Initial independent laboratory testing commissioned by CEH has already found seventeen lunch boxes with high lead levels, and the group’s investigation is ongoing. In addition to the testing on the Angela Anaconda lunch box, tests on other lunch boxes showed levels of lead between two and twenty-five times the legal limit for lead paint in children’s products. In most cases, the highest lead levels were found in the lining of lunch boxes, where lead could come into direct contact with food. Lead is known to be harmful to children even in minute amounts, as it can impair brain development and cause other behavioral and developmental problems. Children may be exposed to lead from lunch boxes when they eat food that has been stored in them. Handling the lunchboxes just before eating could also be an exposure risk.

It is not possible to tell by appearance whether a vinyl lunch box may contain lead, so CEH is advising parents to avoid vinyl lunch boxes altogether. “Parents may need to seek out alternatives, since many mass produced lunch boxes are vinyl or vinyl-lined,” said Green. “A reusable cloth bag would be a good alternative.” Parents can find information on how to test for lead in their children’s lunch boxes at home at www.cehca.org/lunchboxes.htm.

The CEH lawsuits were filed today against lunch box producers Igloo and InGear, and against retailers Toys “R” Us, Walgreens, Big Lots, and Ross Stores. Earlier this year, CEH sent notices of Prop 65 violations to Targus International, DC Comics, Time Warner, Warner Brothers, Binney & Smith (a division of Hallmark and the makers of Crayola-brand lunch boxes), Fast Forward LLC, and Holiday Fair Incorporated. Under Prop 65, companies have sixty days to respond to violation notices, after which lawsuits can be filed. CEH expects to file more notifications of lunch boxes that violate Prop 65 in the near future.

Photos of the lunch boxes can be found at www.cehca.org/lunchboxes.htm.

It has been unusually cold this December in Yakima County and during cold weather, it is extremely important to protect your child from the dangers of cold weather. Please visit these websites to learn more about how to protect your child:

• Dangerous Winter Weather: Keep Your Child Out of Harm's Way

The common cold causes many lost work days and school days and can make a few weeks of our season miserable. Since the common cold is a viral disease, health care providers cannot treat the infection, only the symptoms. Your doctor should discourage you from taking antibiotics to combat the infection because overuse of antibiotics can increase the drug-resistance of dangerous organisms. You can treat the symptoms of the common cold with over-the-counter medications and plenty of fluids and rest. Avoid spreading the germs by practicing proper handwashing and by remaining at home during the times that you feel the worst. Please check our Patient Education page for materials on how to protect yourself during the cold and flu season.

The state Department of Health is warning residents that excessive amounts of lead have been found in candy and handmade pottery from Mexico. People should avoid eating imported candy that contains tamarind or chili and should avoid storing or cooking food in traditional, handmade pottery from Mexico...

Press Release (6/29/05) - English

Press Release (6/29/05) - Spanish

Toxic Treats Poster - English & Spanish