WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following his September 2014 letter to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) calling for clear rules and warnings on crib bumpers, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today announced that the CPSC has released a statement advising parents and guardians against using padded crib bumpers, which can restrict breathing. Between 1985 and 2007, there were more than two dozen instances of infant death that involved padded crib bumpers, which can restrict breathing.
“It’s critical we make sure parents have the best information possible to make the right choices for themselves and their children,” Brown said. “I am glad to see the Consumer Product Safety Commission take this step to keep parents informed.”
Physicians, child safety experts, and industry leaders all recognize that unregulated crib bumpers and other forms of soft bedding remain a significant risk factor for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), a type of Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID). In May 2012, the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) – the trade association which represents manufacturers of infant products like cribs and car seats – petitioned the CPSC for a clear standard to define safe and unsafe bumpers. Brown called on CPSC Chairman Elliot Kaye to prioritize this rule making.
In 2014, Brown’s landmark legislation to battle against the rise in infant mortality was signed into law by President Obama. The Sudden Unexpected Death Data Enhancement and Awareness Act will build on existing activities at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to improve upon the quality and consistency of data collected during death scene investigations and autopsies to better inform prevention and intervention efforts related to stillbirths, SUIDs, and Sudden Unexplained Deaths in Childhood (SUDC). This collaboration with the states to enhance current methods of data collection across existing surveillance systems will enable doctors and researchers to better track and prevent these tragic losses.
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