A warning is expected from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) next week on <"https://www.yourlawyer.com/practice_areas/product_liability">Baby Monitor Cords, said Techlicious. The issue concerns placing baby audio and video monitors in too close proximity to “cribs, bassinets, play yards,†and other locations where children sleep, explained Techlicious.
It seems, said the CPSC, that since 2004, no less than six babies have been strangled by the monitors’ cords, which were too close to the infants. Earlier this year, a 10-month-old baby in Washington, DC, died after she became tangled in the monitor cord near her crib, reported Techlicious.
There have also been nonfatal injuries reported in children similarly entangled, but who escaped death and serious injury because their parents or caregivers were able to release them from the cords, noted Techlicious.
Techlicious reported that it spoke to an expert who indicated that cords dangling from appliances placed near infant sleeping environments are particularly dangerous when babies are learning how to pull themselves up to sitting and standing positions, which occurs somewhere around six-to-12 months of age.
It is at this point in their development that babies can reach for the cords on baby monitors that are either mounted to cribs or other furniture, said Techlicious, which noted that while the babies can reach for the cords, they cannot extricate themselves if tangled.
The CPSC warns against corded monitors and will recommend use of monitors with cordless transmitters next week, said Techlicious; however, if corded devices must be used, parents are warned to ensure cords are placed away from babies’ grasping arms and also recommends the following for products with cords, said Techlicious:
• Ensure cords connected to shades and blinds are not accessible to babies, children, and pets.
• Keep all baby sleeping, sitting, and playing furniture at a sufficient distance from windows and window blind cords to better ensure babies do not grab at cords and climb out windows.
• Ensure wall and other decorations containing ribbons, streamers, cords, etc., are kept away from the reach of children.
• Take all drawstrings out of the neck and hood area of jackets and other outerwear meant for children because these clothing items present strangulation hazards to children.
Meanwhile the CPSC reported on a number of recalls concerning fire and burn hazards associated with faulty wiring in a wide array of baby monitors, both wired and wireless.
The devices are meant to monitor babies’ activities when parents and caregivers are not in the room, for instance, when babies are sleeping. A transmitter is placed in the same room as the baby, with recommendations indicating that the transmitter be plugged in no more that 10 feet away from the baby. Typically, the receiver is portable and is placed in another room—within about 150 feet from the transmitter—to enable listening.
