General Discussion: December 2011 Archives
A third child has become ill due to a rare bacterial infection called Cronobacter sakazakii, and it is not yet known whether this is due to consumption of infant formula. ChildSafetyBlog.org readers will recall the sad news of last week and our posting about the 10-day old infant who had been given the formula, Enfamil Premium Newborn Powdered formula, contracted a bacterial infection called Cronobacter sakazakii, and died.
During the Christmas holidays, many stores besides Walmart -- including Kroger's, Safeway, Walgreen, and SuperValu, all pulled the 12.5 oz. containers of Lot No. ZP1K7G Enfamil Premium Newborn Powdered formula from their shelves. Mead Johnson Nutrition, the manufacturer, didn't pull the product from its distributors or retailers, but began testing their products for the bacterium.
Now, a third child has come down with the rare bacterial infection of which the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says, "Between four and six cases of cronobacter are reported in a typical year. So far, 10 cases have been reported in 2011 which is still within a normal range." http://blogs.webmd.com/breaking-news/2011/12/third-baby-tests-positive-for-cronobacter.html
As of December 23, 2011, Mead Johnson Nutrition said all batches of Enfamil were tested for Cronobacter bacteria before they were shipped, and if an ingredient or batch are found to contain the bacterium, they are rejected. They also said "the lot used by the newborn's family did not test positive for Cronobacter when the company tested it." http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9RQDD881.htm
Mead Johnson Nutrition has been working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to test the formula. According to a statement from Mead Johnson, no traces of cronobacter have been found.
Also according to a posting on WebMD of December 28, 2011, "Although the babies in Illinois and Oklahoma had been given infant formula, it's not yet known whether the formula was the source of the infection, according to a CDC spokesperson. The baby in Oklahoma was not fed Enfamil, and the baby in Illinois reportedly was fed several different types of formula. The CDC reports that state health authorities are currently testing the formulas and the water they were mixed with to determine the source of the infection and to uncover any possible links between the three cases. So far, no direct connections have been found." http://blogs.webmd.com/breaking-news/2011/12/third-baby-tests-positive-for-cronobacter.html
ChildSafetyBlog.org is following this news and will provide updates as we learn them.
##
Recent data evaluated by Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, point to an increase in childhood poisonings; and it's a startling fact that "more young children now visit the ER for drug poisonings than for car crashes." According to the National Capital Poison Center, this is mostly due to the fact that adults are taking more medicines than ever before (especially to treat Type II diabetes) and there are more children who find, open and swallow prescription drugs in their homes.
The most dangerous medicines for children to consume are adult dosage drugs for:
- Treating diabetes
- Relieving pain (opioids)
- Treating anxiety, muscle spasms and sleep disorders
- Treating heart disease and high blood pressure
More adults are taking opioid narcotic pain relievers today than ever before, and these drugs, such as morphine, oxycodone, hydromorphone, and others, can kill kids. The more medicines present in a home, the greater the chance for children to find and take pills that are not prescribed for them. Sadly, young children often mistake pills for candy.
While it may be inconvenient for parents and caregivers to keep medicine locked up, we highly recommend this practice. Drug and packaging firms have proposed some changes in packaging so children in the future will not be able to open multiple blister packs at once time and dispensers containing liquid medicines may only dispense a single dose at a time. But even child-resistant caps and major packaging changes won't solve the entire problem.
Please review the following tips offered by The National Capital Poison Center:
- Use child-resistant packaging. Replace caps tightly after each use.
- Lock all medicines up high, out of sight and reach of children.
- Take medicines when children aren't looking, because children will imitate adults taking medicines.
- Be sure that other family members and visitors are vigilant about locking up their medicines.
- Take special care when traveling to be sure medicine is locked away from children.
If a child in your care swallows someone else's medicine or too much medicine of any kind, DO NOT WAIT until the child becomes ill, but immediately call The Poison Center 1-800-222-1222. This number is in service 24 hours a day!
ChildSafetyBlog.org wishes you a very happy, safe and healthy New Year!
##
Walmart has pulled Enfamil, the Mead Johnson baby formula, off its shelves in stores throughout the nation following the death of a10-day old infant due to a bacterial infection. The formula lot number pulled off the shelves is ZP1K7G.
According to a report by local television station KYTV, a 10-day-old infant died from a rare bacterial infection following the purchase of powdered Enfamil baby formula from a Walmart in Lebanon, Missouri.
Mead Johnson Nutrition, the company that produces the formula, is performing tests to determine whether the baby died due to ingesting the formula, the water that was mixed with the formula, or some other cause. Chris Perille, the company's spokesperson, said the company is confident about the safety and quality of their products.
For more information on Enfamil or if consumers find they have this lot number ZP1K7G, please call Mead Johnson Nutrition at 1-800-BABY-123 or 1-800-222-9123.
##
Did you know that most toy purchases take place each year from Thanksgiving to Christmas? SafeKids encourages parents to educate themselves and offers the following safety tips for purchasing toys:
- When purchasing toys for children, consider their ages and skill levels. Most toys have an age specification on the packaging, such as "For 3+" or "Not for Under 3 Years."
- Make certain toys for older kids are stored separately from those for younger children. Older children might receive toys with small, detachable parts, but are unlikely to put the parts in their mouths.
- Make sure toys with small, detachable parts are kept away from children under 3 years old. Small, detachable parts are choking hazards.
- Check the toys your children have for any damage or breakage that could cause injury.
- Always supervise young children playing with toys that are battery-powered, electric, or operated by remote control. This season, particularly, watch out for toys that fly and toys that climb walls and can fall on children.
- Always supervise young children playing with toys that have small balls, strings, small parts or contain magnets.
- Always supervise children playing with any kind of riding toy or toys that might create a fall hazard, such as trampolines, swings or pogo-sticks or toys that resemble those. If you are thinking about purchasing a toy with wheels, you may also want to get a helmet to go with it.
- Remember: According to SafeKids, active supervision means keeping children within sight and reach while paying undivided attention to them as they play.
And, as always, parents should stay informed about any unsafe toy products on the market by checking the Consumer Product Safety Commission's recall website at
http://www.recalls.gov and by checking in with us at http://www.ChildSafetyBlog.org.
Best wishes for a safe and happy ramp-up to this season of holiday gift-giving!
##
Checking the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) website for toy recalls this week, we were alerted to a major warning for parents, family members, and caregivers of young children, particularly infants, about "Bumbos."
What is a Bumbo? Bumbos are baby seats made in South Africa by Bumbo International and imported to the U.S. They are made of brightly colored, usually aqua or purple, plastic. Apparently, the inherent danger is that infants, from three to ten-months old, when placed in a Bumbo baby seat, can fall or escape from the seat by arching backward, leaning forward or sideways or rocking. In October 2007, there was a recall of the Bumbo baby seat when Bumbo and the CPSC learned of approximately 45 incidents in which babies fell from the baby seat while it was being used on an elevated surface, such as a table top or counter. In 17 of those incidents, babies suffered skull fractures.
Even more shocking, the CPSC and Bumbo International have been notified of 50 more incidents involving babies falling or maneuvering out of the Bumbo baby seat when it was placed on the floor. Those events included 2 reports of babies suffering skull fractures and one of concussion. The CPSC recall announcement says, "The Bumbo seat is labeled and marketed to help infants sit in an upright position as soon as they can support their head."
Even though the product warnings state that the seat "may not prevent release of your baby in the event of vigorous movement," we think the CPSC warning should go out to parents in the form of an "All Points Bulletin", because these seats apparently sold like hot-cakes--and everybody has them! Approximately 3.85 million Bumbo baby seats have been sold in the United States since 2003 -- at about $40 -- that's approximately $154 million, depending on whether they were purchased at full price.
If you have one of these jewels in your home, please note that the "CPSC and Bumbo International are now aware of at least 46 falls from Bumbo seats used on elevated surfaces that occurred prior to the 2007 recall, resulting in 14 skull fractures, two concussions and one incident of a broken limb."
One retailer's advertisement for the Bumbo baby seat indicates they sold for $39.99. The advertisement said, "The Bumbo Baby Seat is cleverly designed to support babies and allows little ones to sit up independently. Made from a single piece of latex-free, low-density, lightweight foam, the Bumbo Seat provides a snug and comfortable environment for your baby to sit in during feedings, play time or quality time with the family. The Bumbo Baby Seat requires no straps or fasteners to hold your baby in place and helps babies make the transition to sitting upright."
To view a photo of a Bumbo baby seat, go to the CPSC website:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml12/12047.htmlAt this time there appears to be no provision for a refund or replacement. Childsafetyblog.org suggests parents remove this baby seat from their homes.
##
CSB Home
Toys
Child
Safety In and Around Cars
Pool
and Water Safety
Internet
and Cyber Predators
Health
and Nutrition
Links