Bugaboo International Recalls Over 50,000 Strollers Due to Fears of Child Injury

High end strollers have been very popular among parents these days.  But according to a recent stroller recall notice, apparently they can be extremely dangerous in some situations. According to the recall notice from Bugaboo International, there's a button that can dislodge on their donkey and cameleon strollers, causing the handle to detach and risk injury to the child.

Over 50,000 of these strollers have been recalled, mostly in the United States.  Approximately 46,300 strollers in the United States are being recalled and another 4,440 are being recalled in Canada.  Out of the recalled lot, approximately 58 parents have reported the issue, causing concern for injury to children in the stroller. Both of the recalled strollers were sold between 2009 and 2012, so newer versions of these strollers are not included in the recall. 

The Risk of Injury with Defective Strollers

If a stroller is defective or faulty, children are at great risk for injury.  Without control of the device, parents could potentially watch their child injured in many ways, including:

• falling
• choking
• slamming into something
• breaking bones
• heavy items falling on them

The possibilities are nearly endless because of the many  situations that could arise when a stroller's handle detaches.  What is clear is that parents could potentially lose control of the device and children may be injured.  

If Your Child Has Been Injured

If your child has suffered an injury due to a defective stroller, you could be entitled to compensation for those injuries.  You should not be forced to suffer because a product does not perform within its safety guidelines. If your child is injured, call a skilled product liability attorney today to discuss your rights.

Baby Tents Recalled for Suffocation Risk

It's always sad when a child dies of a preventable accident, but now baby tents are being recalled for several infant deaths due to suffocation.  Approximately 220,000 pea pod tents are being recalled after reports of 6 infant deaths by suffocation.  Parents told the Consumer Product Safety Agency that children have become trapped between the tents' sides and the inflatable mattress bottom.

The Consumer Product Agency and other industry watchdogs have long advocated that portable sleepers are not an adequate replacement for a proper crib.  There are many dangers to infants in sleeping situations where they could become entangled or trapped.

How are Infants at Risk

The National Institute of Health conducted a study in 2003 examining suffocation risks to infants.  The agency found that when infants slept in beds and on surfaces that were not adequately designed for infants, there could be as much as a 20 fold risk of suffocation. 

The following factors increase risk of suffocation in infants:

• excessive heating or cooling the child in bed, causing the child to kick at the covers and become trapped in the bedding
• loose sheets, blankets, covers which could tangle around the baby
• parental co-sleeping arrangements where a parent could roll over onto a child
• the baby getting trapped between bedding, small spaces between bedding and walls of a bed/ tent/ crib
• heavy blankets which could choke or asphyxiate a child
• loose ropes, cords, braids, and ribbons which could strangle a child
• small objects within reach of the child which they could choke on

If Your Child Has Suffocated

The loss of a child is heartbreaking and awful.  If your child has suffocated due to a potentially unsafe product, you could be entitled to compensation for your loss. You should contact a skilled personal injury and product liability attorney to preserve your rights and give you the help that you need.

Halloween: Deadliest Night for Children

Car Accidents Kill More Kids on Halloween

Halloween can be an exciting holiday for children and parents alike.  People get to dress up, run around the streets in costume, and get candy.  What could be better for a child?  Unfortunately, Halloween is also the most dangerous day of the year for children.

More car accidents kill children and teenagers on Halloween than any other day of the year.  Appriximately 47 youths aged 12 to 18 are killed every Halloween.  This is a disturbing but not surprising statistic.  Not only are children darting out into the street, often in dark costumes, or wearing masks which obscure their peripheral vision, but many adults get inebriated this time of year and then get behind the wheel.  Even in cases where alcohol isn't involved, it's easy to hit a child running out into the street.

Keep Your Child Safe

To keep your child safe this Halloween, why not try the following instead:

• Make your child hold your hand while trick or treating
• Discuss the danger of darting into the street with your child
• Use well lit pathways and cross with groups of people
• Try trick or treating at a public location like a shopping mall or a community sponsored center

If Your Child Has Been Struck By a Car

If your child has been injured in a car accident, seek immediate medical attention.  To preserve your rights, contact an attorney in the coming days.  You could be entitled to compensation which will help you to pay the costly medical bills.  A skilled personal injury attorney can help you to recover the compensation you need and deserve.

Does California’s Diversity Translate to Less Disparity in Injury Outcomes?

In a new University of San Diego study, researchers concluded white, black, and Hispanic children all had equal hospital survival rates after experiencing serious injuries.  In a 12 year study of over 47,000 patient records, the study concluded there was little disparity.  In fact, an estimated 1% of injured children died, findings that were similar across racial groups.

This finding was somewhat surprising, given past evidence that racial disparities could influence outcomes. Said lead researcher, Dr. David Chang, “We suspect that there's something about the system, and it could be the diversity or it could be the health care system in California, where there's less of a difference between races than you see in different parts of the country.”

Originally, it appeared there might be just the opposite.  Among white kids, deaths seemed to be less common than blacks and Hispanics until researchers accounted for age, severity of injury and mechanism of injury. For instance, gunshot wounds were more common in blacks, and falls were more common in Asians.

What do you think? Does California’s increased diversity translate into better outcomes for minority patients?

If you’ve experienced just the opposite and you need a trusted advocate, you should contact an attorney today.

Doctors Warn of Trampoline Dangers

Bouncing on a backyard trampoline can be fun for kids of all ages.  But the inherent dangers associated with trampolines are making parents pack these up and ship them off to the dump. Doctors at the American Association of Pediatrics are warning that trampoline use could cause serious injury to children.. 

With over 97,000 trampoline injuries reported per year and over 3,000 hospitalizations, parents are reconsidering this childhood pastime.  Parental supervision doesn’t seem to be an adequate deterrent when there are dangers lurking in worn out pads, springs poking out, and netting that doesn’t stop a fall. 

"One-third to one-half of all trampoline-related injuries happened with an adult supervising trampoline use," says Susannah Briskin, MD, a co-author of the policy statement. "If injuries are still occurring, adults are likely not appropriately monitoring behavior on the mat."

Trampolines Are Especially Harmful to Small Children

No parent wants to see their pride and joy injured, but trampoline injuries are a serious problem.  75% of these injuries occur when multiple people are bouncing on the trampoline.  According to the American Association of Pediatrics, trampolines are 14% more likely to be a danger to small children with injuries such as broken bones, concussions, bruises, cuts and gashes, asphyxiation, and more. When big kids bounce next to their younger siblings, it’s likely the big kid will fall on the younger child and trap him or her beneath him.  

This can lead to serious problems.

Doctors such as Ruth Borgen, MD, medical director of the pediatric emergency department at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey, see a lot of trampoline related injuries. "We see broken bones and bruises, or kids who fall off the trampoline and break an arm.  I tell my patients the recommendations from AAP -- that you're at high risk for injury. The little kids aren't as coordinated. Their heads are bigger than their bodies so they're more likely to land on their heads."

Know How To Protect Your Child

• Protect your child by ensuring he or she bounces alone.
• Don’t let your child bounce unsupervised.
• Follow all safety precautions recommended on the device.
• Keep the device properly maintained.

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If Your Child Has Been Injured On a Trampoline

If your child has been injured on a trampoline, you should seek immediate medical attention.  Consult your home owner’s policy to see if trampoline accidents are covered.  You may want to call an attorney to discuss your legal remedies if your child has been injured on one of these devices.

Toxic School Supplies Could Be Endangering Your Child

Every year, part of the back to school ritual is loading up on new school supplies for the term.  These include new pencils, pens, erasers, protractors, lunchboxes, backpacks, and toxic chemicals? If you’re surprised that toxic chemicals are lurking in your child’s school supplies, you’re not alone.  Many parents were similarly surprised by a new study that states your child’s school supplies could endanger their health.

The Center for Health, Environment, and Justice released a recent study in which they analyzed the harmful chemicals in a variety of school supplies.  What they found were widespread toxic amounts of phthalates, which were used as plasticizers, substances which increased the flexibility, transparency, and durability of plastic and PVC- vinyl products.  It’s no wonder the Center for Disease Control says children are exposed 20- fold to these harmful chemicals.  They’re in the very supplies these children use in school every day!

In the study, 75% of backpacks, binders, lunchboxes, and rain gear purchased in New York contained unacceptable levels of phthalates.  As a parent, you try to protect your child from harmful chemicals in their toys, but are you aware of the harmful levels of toxins in their lunchboxes and binders?

Exposure Can Produce Serious Health Risks

Exposure to these toxic chemicals has been linked to:

• endocrine disruption
• birth defects
• early onset puberty
• obesity
• diabetes
• cancer
• asthma
• allergies
• attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• liver damage
• damage to reproductive organs

Children are at a much higher risk of these conditions because of their higher sensitivity to toxic chemicals.  A 2008 Canadian researcher observed that children “are more vulnerable to the potential adverse effects of phthalates given their increased dosage per unit body surface area, metabolic capabilities, and developing endocrine and reproductive systems."  In addition to their small size, children put things in their mouth constantly.  Who among us doesn’t remember the kids in school who ate paste and stuck objects in their eye lids or their mouths for a laugh?

The cumulative exposure to phthalates over the course of our lifetimes is the source of great debate.  But in 2008, the US National Research Council advocated further study and inquiry into these toxic chemicals due to adverse effects occurring in homes across the country.  Until the Safe Chemicals Act, and similar legislation works its way through Congress, parents need to be vigilant about what their children are exposed to.

How to Decrease Your Child’s Risk

• Avoid vinyl or pvc products.  Choose plastics with the recycling codes 1,2, or 5. Recycling codes 3 or 7 are more likely to include phthalates.
• If the ingredients are listed on the packaging, look for the following harmful chemicals

• DBP (di-n-butyl phthalate)
• DEP (diethyl phthalate)
• DEHP (di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate or Bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate
• BzBP (benzylbutyl phthalate)

If Your Child Is Exposed

If you’re concerned that your child may have been exposed to high amounts of toxic chemicals in their school supplies, you should consult a physician.  Mention the kinds of products available in your child’s home and classroom that could be potential risk factors.  Remove the toxic items from your home and your child’s school backpack. 

If your child has been harmed by these dangerous products, you may also want to review your legal options with a trusted personal injury attorney.  This trusted advocate can review your legal remedies with you and suggest a course of action.

Child Injury Highest in September

A recent study published by Safe Kids Worldwide and Fedex has revealed that child pedestrian injuries are highest in September.

The greater risk for child injuries during this month is due to the start of the school year. Most kids returning to school are never given proper safety warnings about crossing the street and walking safely.

The study shows teenagers are the most at risk for pedestrian injury. 

Safe Kids Worldwide is an organization dedicated to prevent unintentional childhood injury. Its study is conducted once in a fifteen year period. This year, the study was sponsored by Fedex. The two have worked closely since 2000.

In the last five years, children and teens 16-19 years of age are more likely to get hit by a car than. 14-19 year olds account for 50 percent of child pedestrian injuries.

Infants are also at risk

After teens, walkers ages one through two are most susceptible to pedestrian accidents and deaths.

The cause of pedestrian injuries

Distractions play a huge factor in increased teen injuries. Cell phones and texting are a leading cause of car accidents in the United States. Whether a person is driving or walking on the sidewalk, digital devices should be kept away and attention should be paid to the road.

However, this is proving to be a difficult advice to follow. Pedestrian and car accidents are still one of the highest causes of deaths and serious injury.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a pedestrian accident and are suffering serious harm, contact a pedestrian accident attorney and seek legal advice. If the accident was caused by a distraction like cell phone usage or texting, you deserve to be paid for your suffering. There is no reason you should endure the injustice alone. 

10 Ways Your Child can Prevent Dog Bites

Dog bites are known to cause some of the most serious injuries in the nation. They can be physically damaging and emotional scarring. 

Children can be the most susceptible victims of dog bites because they don't know how to read the signs that a dog is aggressive and prone to attack. There are many actions you can pursue in the case of a dog bite, but the best course of action is to prevent it altogether.

Here are several ways you can help prevent dogs from biting your child. Teach them some of the following rules about owners and their pets.

10 ways to avoid dog bites

1)  Ask the owner

If the owner of the dog is present, always teach your child to ask the owner if he or she can pet the dog.

A dog's owners will know the past behaviors and tendencies of the dogs and whether or not the dog is safe to pet. Never approach a dog without first acknowledging its owner and seeking permission to interact with the pet.

2)   Learn to read the signs. 

Usually, a dog's first inclination isn't to bite, but to protect itself. Biting just happens to follow close behind. If an animal feels threatened, it will defend itself, and with dogs, this usually involves biting.

Teach your kid to read signs that a dog might be about to bite. Before a dog acts out with aggression, it will usually do one or more of several things:

• back away
• growl
• sneer
• show its teeth
• whine
• make eye contact
• tense its muscles
• bark

If a dog shows any of these signs, your child should remain calm, and step away from the dog slowly.

3)   Remain calm

The best way to act around a dog is to remain calm. Tell your child to "act like a tree or log" when approached by an unfamiliar dog. This means staying still, remaining motionless, being quiet, and avoiding eye contact. Don't do anything to provoke or frighten the animal.

Should your child be victim to an attack, he or she should drop to the ground and roll into a ball to protect his or her face and neck. This will minimize injuries.

4)   Never approach an unfamiliar dog

If you see a strange dog in your neighborhood, don't let your child near it. Only approach dogs if you are familiar with its history of aggression.

5)   Don't tease

Children should be taught that dogs are not toys to play with. Don't allow your kid to play with a dog's tail and ears or pull on its fur roughly. This will annoy the pet and quite possibly result in a dog bite.

6)   Don't bother dogs while they are eating, playing with toys, or protecting their children

Dogs are territorial by nature, which means that they will become aggressive if  they feel you are trying to take away their toys, food, and puppies. Teach your kid to leave a dog alone if it is eating. Never try to take away a dog's toys if it shows signs of aggression. 

7)   Remember that size doesn't matter

All breeds of dogs bite--whether the attacker is a harmless-looking chihuahua or monster-sized pit bull. It doesn't matter what breed the dog is. If it has teeth, it can bite. (If it doesn't have teeth...it can probably still bite.) Make sure your child approaches all breeds and sizes of dogs with the same wariness. Remain calm, ask the owner if it is safe, and watch out for signs of aggression.

8)   No touch, no talk, no eye contact

When interacting with an unfamiliar dog, tell your child the mantra, "no touch, no talk, no eye contact" at least until the dog shows that it is friendly. Let the dog approach you, and don't react until you know for a certainty that the dog shows no sign of aggression.

9)   Never play with a dog without adult permission or supervision

Never leave infants and young children alone with a dog. The same goes especially if the dog is eating, sleeping, or caring for puppies.

10)   Do not run

When a dog chases you, the last thing you should do is run. This will excite the dog, and set off its instincts to attack. Teach your child to remain calm and still. Back away slowly, and call for help.

In the case your child is bitten, get medical attention

Even if the wound is a small one, take your child to a doctor to prevent infection or spread of diseases. If your child was wrongfully bitten and the injury was the result of negligence, contact legal counsel. A lawyer could help you get justice for your child if the bite was preventable. Don't let your child suffer in vain.

Liquid Detergent Capsules Poison Your Children

A recent news article revealed a large number of toddlers are inadvertently swallowing liquid detergent capsules.

These capsules, known as Liquitabs are becoming a common, dangerous habit among toddlers, and can cause extreme harm to children when swallowed.

Doctors from the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Scotland reported that the habit is becoming a “significant public health issue.” The doctors urge detergent makers and packagers to redesign their packaging and safety warnings.

The doctors reported in the Archives of Chidlhood Diseases that “Laundry and dishwasher detergent Liquitabs should have childproof packaging and better safety warnings, after several reports have come in of young children swallowing contents of the capsules.”

Five children were reported for swallowing the liquitab capsules in one hospital in Glasglow over a period of 18 months.

Detergent capsules are not childproof and need better safety warnings

Liquitabs are bright colored capsules that can look like candy to toddlers. The detergents are not childproof, and at the moment, manufacturers and packing companies are encouraged to reconsider safety standards.

If your child was poisoned, contact a poison control center, and speak to an attorney

Manufacturers of these liquitabs do not provide sufficient safety warnings on the packages, and some parents are not aware of the danger the liquitabs present to your child. If your child was injured, you may have aclaim.

Although children who were inadvertently poisoned from swallowing one of these gel packets made full recovery, the incidents will have catastrophic impacts on the child. Not only do the gels cause serious medical concerns, but the aftermath can be expensive and emotionally draining.

Protect your child

Make sure to follow the safety standards printed by manufacturers of any products. However, if your child was wrongfully injured due to a product defect or failure to provide efficient safety warnings, you may be eligible to a claim. Contact a lawyer to speak about your case.