Crib Injuries: Nearly 10,000 Babies Hurt Every Year

It's interesting how often there is a disparity between the things we fear and the actual risks. We often hear about parents that are scared to death of having a stranger kidnap their child. However, as it turns out, a more serious risk often exists right in your nursery. 10,000 babies suffer crib injuries every year. In fact, according to a recent study, crib-related accidents send 26 children to U.S. emergency rooms daily and result in more than 110 deaths annually, Reuters reports. 

According to the study, the biggest crib-related risk of death comes when infants become caught in the crib's protective bars. The good news is that 94% of children that are admitted to the ER for crib injuries are treated and released without incident.  

Researchers that conducted at study from Nationwide Children's Hospital and Ohio State University said that continued strengthening and enforcement of crib safety standards would protect more infants. The study noted that the vast majority of these incidents are happening in cribs, not bassinets or playpens, Reuters reports. 

The study also offered three tips that parents can do to protect their children when it comes to crib injuries: 

• Select cribs that meet safety standards, do not have a drop side and are not old, broken or modified.
• Skip cribs with cutouts, decorative corner posts, or knobs or slats that stick up. 
• Check www.recalls.gov to ensure that the crib has not been recalled.

Related Resources:

• Nearly 10,000 Kids A Year Injured In Cribs, Bassinets And Playpens (NPR)
• Stork Craft Recalls More Than 500,000 Cribs; Mattress Support Bracket Failures Create Risk of Entrapment and Suffocation (Findlaw)
• CPSC chief concedes it moved slowly on crib safety (Findlaw)