From 2004 to 2006, there were 93 deaths of children under age 5 associated with cribs or mattresses, and 33 deaths of children under age 5 associated with bassinets or cradles, according to the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission. To provide their infant with a safe sleep environment, parents should be aware of and follow baby bed safety standards.
Development
The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 requires that the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission, or CPSC, issue mandatory safety standards for infant products. Baby crib standards are developed through a joint effort by ASTM International, the CPSC and other consumer and industry stakeholders. The Juvenile Products Manufacturing Association, or JPMA, certifies products that comply with safety standards published by ASTM International.
Purpose
Safety standards are developed and enforced in an effort to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities associated with baby beds. Infants that sleep in baby beds that do not meet federal safety standards may be at greater risk of death or injury from hanging, entrapment, suffocation and falls. ASTM International standards are credited with an 89 percent reduction in the number of injuries and deaths associated with the use of cribs, according to JPMA.
Full-Size Cribs
Safety standards for full-size cribs regulate the firmness and fit of the mattress, height of corner posts, distance between slats, drop-side locks, assembly, load and materials used in the baby bed design. The distance between slats, posts, rods or spindles must not exceed 2 3/8 in. The distance from the mattress support to the top of the rail should be at least 26 in.
Non-Full-Size Cribs
Many parents make use of non-full-size cribs during the first few months of their infant's life. Portable cribs, bassinets, Moses baskets, co-sleepers and cradles are examples of non-full-size baby beds. According to Consumer Reports, these kind of infant beds have not been subject to the same mandatory regulation as full-size cribs. New safety standards are expected to be implemented in 2010, according to the CPSC. The new standards will address issues related to testing, mattress support and performance under side impact.
Considerations
It is important to note that the majority of deaths associated with baby cribs are the result of improper use of the product, such as the use of soft bedding, improper placement of the bed that allows the infant access to other hazards or improper maintenance, repair or assembly, according to the CPSC. Parents should not allow soft bedding, stuffed animals or pillows in the bed with their baby, according to the National Institute of Child Health and Development.
References
- Standardization News: Child Safety
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: Nursery Product-Related Injuries and Deaths Among Children Under Five
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: CPSC Proposes New Rules for Full-Size and Non-Full-Size Cribs
- National Institute of Child Health and Development: What Does a Safe Sleep Environment Look Like?
- Consumer Reports: Crib Alternatives
