On Tuesday, September 18, 2007, U.S. researchers cautioned that soft bumpers placed in cribs to prevent babies from trapping or hitting their heads against crib bars pose a significant strangulation and suffocation hazard to babies.

The researchers found reports of at least 27 children under the age of two who died as a result of crib-related strangulation or crib-related suffocation by bumper pads, and 25 injuries over a 20-year period.

“Many infants lack the motor development needed to free themselves when they become wedged between the bumper pad and another surface,” said Dr. Bradley Thach of the St. Louis Children’s Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine.

Dr. Thach and his colleagues reviewed three of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission databases for crib-related deaths and injuries over a 15 year period. Among the findings:

• 11 crib-related suffocations were discovered in which when the infants rested their face against the bumper pad.
• 13 babies died as the result of being wedged between the bumper pad and an object.
• Three babies were also strangled by a bumper tie.

Twenty-two commercially available crib bumpers were reviewed by Thach. Several of the cribs reviewed had long ties that could lead to crib-related strangulation. All of the reviewed cribs were potentially hazardous due to a space between the pad and mattress, which could lead to crib-related suffocation.

Source: “Crib bumpers can do more harm than good,” Reuters.Com, September 20, 2007.