Study from the New England Medical Journal: Window Blind Cords as Dangerous to Young Children as Bodies of Water, published December 11, 2107
Strangulation by window blind cords accounts for an estimated 10 deaths per year among young U.S. children, a Pediatrics study finds.
17,000 injuries related to window blinds or shades occurred in children under 6 years old treated in emergency departments between 1990 and 2015. Among the findings:
- usually involving horizontal blinds.
- About half of cases involved being struck by blinds.
- Some 12% of injuries involved entanglement, usually by blind cords. Of these, 13% resulted in death. Of 271 deaths overall, 94% were due to entanglement.
- The majority of entanglements took place while parents were home, although nearly all were unwitnessed. Most occurred when the child had last been sleeping (or placed to sleep), playing, or watching TV. Entanglements often occurred within minutes of leaving the child unsupervised.
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) News: Purified water for infants recalled due to possible mold contamination, published December 4, 2017
The Kroger Company has recalled gallons of Comforts for Baby purified water with fluoride with sell-by dates of April 26, 2018 to Oct. 10, 2018 after finding Talaromyces penicillium.
The products were distributed to Kroger stores, including Food 4 Less, Jay C, Jay C Food Plus, Kroger, Kroger Marketplace, Owen’s, Payless Super Market, and Ruler stores in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia, according to the FDA.
Contact with mold may induce allergic reactions or asthma attacks in some people. Infants with compromised immune systems can experience serious health consequences. The FDA recommends parents call their doctor if they believe their infant is affected.
Customers can return the recalled water to the store for a refund.