A baby is constantly learning new things by exploring their environment. For many babies, this means grasping furniture to pull up to a better view. Ethan was one of these babies. He loved exploring and integrating himself into the world around him. Unfortunately, in 2001, when Ethan was 8 months old the rails of his portable crib collapsed when he pulled up, strangling him. The crib was a hand- me-down that Ethan’s parents thought was safe because it had been “kid tested.” Sadly, neither his parents nor the family member who passed it along knew the product had been recalled for this very hazard.
Ethan’s parents shared his story with KID and he is one of the many children we honor with our work to prevent product related injuries and deaths. KID has pushed for stronger testing on children’s products since 1998. We work with policymakers and legislation to improve the laws and regulations; including tougher safety standards for portable cribs. As a result, kids are safer.
Use the hashtag #FamilyVoicesFriday to share Ethan’s story and pass on this new information. Buying secondhand or using hand-me-downs isn’t always unsafe; refer to KID’s checklist for safely buying and selling used kid products. KID has an abundance of resources towards providing safety from your children’s products- check them out here.
