Okay, I have to get this off my chest as I heard about it again today. The other night, I think Monday it was, the wife and I were watching the evening news when the anchors discussed the potential hazards the baby slings pose. Now I am not sure if everyone reading the blog has seen one; http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100309/capt.363281ae6af143908fcab46761c2526d.baby_sling_warning_wx102.jpg. Consumer Product Safety Commission Chairman Inez Tenenbaum "says her agency is getting ready to issue a general warning to the public, likely to go out this week, about the baby carriers" (http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2010-03-09-baby-slings_N.htm?csp=34).
Can we as a society please apply some common sense when using products purchased? The slings cradle the baby in a curved position. If one carries their child around in these things and the material restricts the airway the result is suffocation. I am waiting for the lawsuits to begin or for labels to be stitched in warning of death. Just another example of Government being looked toward for an answer instead of applying some common sense when use a product purchased.
So the manufacture doesn't have responsiblity to create a safe product that doesn't include the risk of death? It says only some have the risk, so others obviously don't. All we've got right now is a warning, too. Tell me who is in a better position to issue the warning and inform the public?
ReplyDeleteAnon..I do agree that manufacturer's need to make products safe. The baby sling is a safe product. It is operator error that is killing the babies. The sling allows for the child to curve their bodies to be more comfortable. If the parent wearing the sling does not have the common sense to see their child is in a position that may be harmful to their health then let's put the blame on the parent.
ReplyDeleteCommon sense is often replaced by unneeded laws and more government oversight. It harkens me back to the idiot that picked up his push lawnmower to trim the hedges and lost his fingers. Or the woman you burnt her crotch when getting a McDonalds coffee. Common sense tells me that I do not pick up the lawnmower nor do I put a hot cup of coffee in my crotch.
I just watched a report that frist responders of 9/11 are being awarded money because of inhaling dust in the aftermath. Now, I appreciate their actions but to sue the city for health issues after the fact. It is dusty and shards of debri is floating in the air..where is your airmask? I am not saying this to marginalize their actions because they are heroic.
Apparently not all are safe. Where in that article is it stated that operator erros is the problem? Is that from a different source? The article says that some slings, not all, have a problem. That would cause me to believe that it is a design defect of those that allow the problem.
ReplyDeleteReally, this is the argument? The article concluded with "Safety advocates have cautioned that some slings, where the baby falls into a curved or "C-like" position inside the sling, can lead to suffocation by restricting the baby's breathing."
ReplyDeleteA design flaw? No, it is the fact that parents who feel hip or trendy by having these type of baby carriers are not paying attention to their child. I have four kids and I know that if one of them has a blanket over their head or their face is smashed into the sofa cushion because they are sleeping that it may lead to suffocation.
Same with these baby slings. The baby moves to a postion in which their airway is restricted, what do these parents think will happen? Common Sense. Why must we always product the stupid from being stupid?
If some do, and some don't, why the difference other than design? Only stupid people are using the ones that happen to cause problems?
ReplyDeleteI did go online to see different companies that offer the baby sling and from my untrained eye they appear to all be functionally the same. Which leads me to believe that it is operator error.
ReplyDeletehttp://babysling.com/
http://www.babyslings.ch/Products/Products%20home/products.htm
http://www.slinglings.com/
Most websites I have seen too have instructions on how to use them too. I am suprised we have not heard baby's falling out of these things.
But from your untrained website viewing eye, you don't know the cause. Let's just wait on passing judgment on the intellgience level of people who have lost their children until at least the warning is out and all of the facts known.
ReplyDeleteSo is this the "Government bad, freedom good" rant again? Before you go talking about how our freedoms are being stripped away or that the Government is intruding into our lives unnecessarily, reflect a bit more on what is being done.
ReplyDeleteThe Consumer Product Safety Commission is set to issue a safety warning. No more, no less. A warning. That's it.
This is the same big bad government entity that assisted in the recall of: drop side cribs after 3 infants died; Graco strollers after fingertips were amputated by hinges; pushed for an investigation into cadmium in children's jewelry; assisted in the investigation of lead in Mattel toys that were made in China. The list goes on. As a parent of four children, I would think that you might think twice about demonizing the CPSC or at least that part of the big bad government that is looking out for your kids when you would have no clue of what to look for.
Finally, it seems like your outrage, anger or frustration is misdirected. Aren't many of the warning labels that came from the "lawn mower as hedge trimmer" or "hot coffee spilled in your crotch" examples due to ambulance chasing lawyers? I don't know for certain, but it would be quite surprising to find out that Congress was the cause for so many warning labels.
Anon..
ReplyDeleteThis is not about big government vs. freedom rant as you call it. The trouble is that people cannot accept that they made a mistake. I do agree that our society looks for the quick, easy dollar and if one can get that from suing all the more.
I do contend that we should not allow for lawyers to work on a fee schedule that will pay them if they win. That allows for ppl to sue in hopes the other side settles. This issue is retarded. If you as a parent cannot figure out that your child, who is attacked to you, is suffocating then you deserve the result. My heart goes out to those kids that died because their parents were too stupid.
So absolutely no sympathy for the parents. Wow. You are heartless.
ReplyDeleteI'm just guessing that the death a child is one of the most, if not the most, traumatic experiences that a parent can go through. For you to suggest that the issue is that the parents "cannot accept that they made a mistake" is insulting. There's little doubt in my mind that any parent that loses a child questions whether they could have done anything differently to prevent the tragic death of their child. It's as if, in your mind, the parents have 100% responsibility for the death of their child. I couldn't disagree more. You seem to suggest that the company who manufactured the product is completely absolved of any responsibility. I believe in caveat emptor as much as the next consumer; but that does not mean that a company has no responsibility to make a safe product or warn consumers when they find out that their product may be unsafe.
You also comment that "our society looks for the quick, easy dollar". Let's keep the focus on this discussion. Are you suggesting that parents who suffer the death of a child are looking for a quick, easy dollar? There's more to suing a company in a products liability case than getting a quick, easy dollar. Think I'm wrong? Look up the definition for the word "punitive".
So if you believe that there's no need for the CPSC, then what other government agencies should go away? The FDA? The Agriculture Department's Food and Inspection Service? What else? How many other unnecessary government agencies exist to protect the stupid?
Your statement that parents are simply getting what they deserve when their child dies in a baby sling is the ultimate insult.
Anon...My comment is not heartless; rather it is the brutal truth. Our society has gone soft, lost the ability to apply common sense and is void of any personal responsibility. Do I feel empathy for a parent that loses a child; yes. It is tragic that the child had to die senselessly.
ReplyDeleteI did agree that manufacturer's need to provide products that are safe. Only 7 deaths have been reported out of all the slings sold. While I do not have a hard number of slings sold, but I am guessing it is north of six digits. If that is the case, why are other parents able to apply common sense when using the slings and these parents are not?
And yes, our society developed a "sue first" mentality instead of taking personal responsibility. Now, if 100 babies were dying a year from these slings then I'd agree that a manufacturing design flaw exists. That does not appear to be the case here.
I am not saying that Government agencies, like the FDA, are not needed. We do need a watch dog group to ensure manufacturer's produce safe products. While I'd never wish death of child on anyone, the simple truth is that the parents who lost their children, 7 thus far, due to using the baby sling are the result of operator error. Common sense needs to apply and I am not insulting anyone by saying that.
Different anon than above...
ReplyDeleteDoes any parent really deserve to have one of their own children die? I'd like to think not. And especially when it comes to baby slings.
According to you though, they do: "If you as a parent cannot figure out that your child, who is attacked to you, is suffocating then you deserve the result."
The simple truth is not as you state.
ReplyDelete"While I'd never wish death of child on anyone, the simple truth is that the parents who lost their children, 7 thus far, due to using the baby sling are the result of operator error."
This is not the simple truth. It is your own personal opinion.
What I am saying is that parents need to be accountable for their actions. It should have been attached and not attacked..ugh.
ReplyDeleteMy words are harsh for a reason. We, as a society, need to wake up and realize that actions or inactions in these unfortunate deaths have consequences.
As for my statement of it being operator error, I will stand by that simple explanation for the untimely deaths until further information comes out otherwise. If other parents are capable of using the slings without death then, unless otherwise noted, a rational conclusion is operator error.
I'll use some "Viper Logic" on this one.
ReplyDeleteI will stand by the simple explanation that miniature pink unicorns are killing those babies until further information comes out otherwise.
Sorry to say Anon, Viper Logic would not result in miniature pink unicorns killing the babies in the slings. Unless of course the before mentioned creature is giving birth to humans and carrying them around in baby slings. Until that is discovered, I will stand by rational logic that contends that operator error led to the deaths of 7 infants.
ReplyDeleteWhy is it so hard to admit personal responsibiity?
You do understand that not allowing people to bring cases under a payment agreement that the lawyer is paid only if the win or settle will drastically limit the number of people who can bring valid claims, right? The average Joe can't afford a modest civil case with discovery and expert witnesses out of their own pocket. Most cases settle, not because the claim is baseless, but because most states, including MN, requiring some sort of ADR process prior and it's freaking expensive to litigate. Eliminating contingency fee agreements will harm the poor and encourage big businesses to drag things out and bankrupt valid claims.
ReplyDeleteWhy is it hard to accept that something else maybe going on? Why call people stupid without knowing all the facts? Are these people even suing? Isn't it just a warning issued, a heads up essentially? It seems to me you are trying to create victims and then blame them when the individuals haven't even done that yet. Does it make you feel better to pass judgment and call names? Why so quick to judge?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37302942/ns/health-kids_and_parenting/
ReplyDeleteYep, I saw this. It is unfortunate but with only 32 deaths with over 7 Million in homes, using data from recent recall, is not a bad rate. Still better rate than being murdered which is 80,000 to 1 (http://www.funny2.com/odds.htm).
ReplyDeleteCan we make a product that is completely safe? I am not sure as there is always someone who will assemble incorrectly, use it wrong or continue to use it after a piece has been damaged or missing.