The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Name of Product: ANTILOP High Chairs

Units: About 169,000 (133,000 in the U.S. and 36,000 in Canada)

Importer: IKEA North America Services LLC, of Conshohocken, Pa.

Fall Hazard

The high chair’s restraint buckle can open unexpectedly, posing a fall hazard to the child.

Incidents/Injuries: IKEA has received eight reports worldwide of restraint buckles that opened unexpectedly, including three reports of children who received minor injuries after falling from the high chair.

Description: This recall involves ANTILOP high chairs sold in red, blue or white. The plastic high chair has detachable silver-colored metal legs. High chairs included in the recall have a manufacture date between 0607 and 0911 (YYMM format) from supplier number 17389. The production date and supplier number are molded into the underside of the seat. “ANTILOP,” “IKEA” and the model number are printed on a label affixed to the underside of the seat. Model numbers included in the recall are:

ANTILOP high chair blue Model # 701.467.92
ANTILOP high chair red Model # 501.467.93
ANTILOP high chair white Model # 300.697.24

Sold exclusively at: IKEA stores nationwide from August 2006 through January 2010 for about $20.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy

Consumers should immediately stop using the high chairs and contact IKEA to obtain a free replacement seat restraint.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact IKEA toll-free at (866) 966-4532 anytime, or visit the firm’s website.

Official Press Release

Contributed by Dan
Tags: China, fall hazard, high chair, IKEA, recall, unsafe high chairs
Posted in: Recalls
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Some children are just born with big heads. Sonograms revealing the size of a baby’s head are often startling to new mothers, but having a large head in proportion to the body is typical and healthy. Many infants, especially boys, are born with very large heads.

Sonograms that reveal early head growth can be disconcerting, but oftentimes a fetus’ head will grow in spurts, gaining a lot one week and hardly anything the next. The same is true of body size. Often a child will seem to be larger than normal early in the pregnancy but the growth evens out later on. Conversely, a small child can have a growth spurt just before birth.

Big Headed DNA?

Head size has a tendency to run in families, so if you are worried about your baby, ask around. Your family members are sure to reminisce fondly on the size of your spouse’s head when they were born. The terms ‘bobble-head’ or ‘glow worm’ might be mentioned.

Many children, especially boys, have a hard time finding children’s hats or helmets in their size. They may have to resort to adult sizes. This does not mean that they are abnormal. They will grow into their heads. Over 60 percent of all newborns have abnormally large heads, so don’t worry if your child falls into that category.

What the Research Says…

Having a baby with a big head is nothing to be ashamed of. According to researchers from the University of Southampton, “the brain volume a child achieves by the age of one year helps determine later intelligence… it was found that those with the biggest heads achieved the highest IQ scores.”

It is also important to note that it is natal and infant head growth that is the most important. “Our findings provide additional evidence that infancy is the most important period of postnatal brain growth for determining later intelligence.”

So the next time someone comments on the size of your baby’s noggin, just tell them it means he’ll be a genius when he’s older.

Small Heads
Small head sizes have actually been linked to cardiovascular problems later in life. A study from doctors in Sheffield, England found that, “reduced fetal growth is followed by increased mortality from cardiovascular disease. They suggest that reduction in growth begins early in gestation. They are further evidence that cardiovascular disease originates through programming of the body’s structure, physiology, and metabolism by the environment during fetal life. Maternal nutrition may have an important influence on programming.”

The doctors were specifically talking about children with small heads and low growth due to maternal malnutrition in third-world countries. Typically, a well-nourished mother and child do not need to worry about small head size, but consult your pediatrician if you have any concerns.

Author Bio
Nancy Parker was a professional nanny and she loves to write about wide range of subjects like health, Parenting, Child Care, Babysitting, nanny background check tips etc. You can reach her at nancy.parker015@gmail.com

Contributed by Guest-Blogger
Tags: bighead, fetal development, guest blogger, head size
Posted in: Baby
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Babies develop at different rates, but there are still some milestones that they are expected to reach within a certain timeframe. This is part of what doctors use to determine whether a child is developing ‘normally’ or whether there may be problems. Determining developmental delays is not always easy as children just do things at their own pace.

Knowing When to Seek Professional Help

While there is no right or wrong way to deal with what may be a developmental delay, there are some telltale signs. Firstly, as a parent there are times when you need to go with your gut feeling. If you feel that something is wrong or you see things that cause you concern, err on the side of caution and talk with your pediatrician. It may be nothing, but some developmental delays are more easily corrected if caught early.

Signs of potential problems are based on set developmental milestones that children of a certain age generally achieve. These milestones are categorized into five broad groups, namely:

1. Fine motor skills: This is the ability to color, sort objects based on shape and color, and stack building blocks or similar tasks.
2. Gross motor skills: This refers to sitting up, crawling walking, standing on one leg and similar activities.
3. Language skills:  The ability to understand and speak
4. Social interaction: How the child relates to caregivers and peers.
5. Thinking

Some general signs that may indicate developmental delays are when the child:

• Does not stay as focused on activities as other children of the same age group
• Tends to stare into space more often than not
• Does not frequently make eye contact
• Unable to say short sentences by age three
• Do not react to sounds such as someone calling their name or a dropped object

While a child may be delayed in some areas this does not mean that this is the case for all areas. This is one reason why some delays are not readily identified. Also interesting is the fact that a developmentally delayed child may be gifted in another area. For example, a child who is slow to speak or who has speech problems can be adept with fine motor skills and be an excellent artist.

How to Deal With Developmental Delays

Early intervention is one of the best ways to get help for a child with certain developmental problems. Once a problem is spotted and after evaluation and diagnosis, the pediatrician or other medical expert will advise on the necessary action. It is important to follow-up with exercise programs or other therapeutic programs the child needs. Keep informed about research in the area of childhood development and discuss your concerns and wishes with a pediatrician. Most importantly, parents need to keep a positive outlook and help their child develop with the capacity to deal with their challenges.

Contributed by Jessdel27
Tags: child development, developmental delays, developmental milestones, evaluation and diagnosis, reading motor skills, speaking, walking
Posted in: Health
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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

B.O.B.® single and double strollers

Units: About 411,700 in the United States and 27,000 in Canada (357,000 units were recalled in February 2011 due to strangulation hazard posed by canopy drawstring)

Importer: B.O.B. Trailers Inc., of Boise, Idaho

Hazard

The stroller canopy’s embroidered logo’s backing patch can detach, posing a choking hazard to babies and young children.

Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received six reports of children mouthing the detached patch. Gagging and choking were reported in two incidents. The backing was removed from the children’s mouth without injury. In each of the reported incidents, the children were seated in an infant car seat attached to the stroller.

Description: This recall involves all B.O.B. strollers manufactured between November 1998 and November 2010. Strollers manufactured after October 2006 have a white label affixed to the back of the stroller’s leg with the manufacturing date. Strollers with no manufacturing date listed were produced prior to October 2006 and are included in this recall. The strollers were sold in single seat and double-seat models. The BOB®, Ironman® or Stroller Strides® brand name is embroidered on the canopy of the strollers.

Sold at

REI, Babies R’ Us and other children’s product and sporting goods stores nationwide and Amazon.com between November 1998 and October 2011 for between $280 and $600.

Manufactured in: Taiwan and China

Remedy

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled strollers until they remove the embroidery backing patch from the interior of the canopy’s logo. Consumers should contact B.O.B. Trailers for instructions on removing the backing.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact B.O.B. Trailers toll-free at (855) 242-2245 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. MT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s website at www.bobnotices.com

Get more information on this recall.

Contributed by Dan
Tags: China, choking hazard, double stroller, recall, single stroller, unsafe stroller
Posted in: Recalls
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Recalled by Battat Due to Choking Hazard

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Name of Product: Musical Wooden Table Toys

Units: About 14,000

Importer: Battat Inc., of Plattsburgh, N.Y.

Hazard

Small pegs on the xylophone toy can loosen and detach, posing a choking hazard to young children.

Incidents/Injuries: CPSC and Battat have received nine reports of loose and detached pegs. No injuries have been reported.

Description: This recall involves Battat’s Musical Wooden Table toys. The table has a green painted surface and colorful instruments affixed to the top. The table stands about 7 1/2-inches tall and has three supporting legs. Instruments on the table include a xylophone, cymbal, drum and two drumsticks.

Sold at: Music and toy stores nationwide and on the Internet from September 2006 to October 2010 for about $30.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy

Consumers should immediately take the recalled toys away from children and contact Battat to receive a free replacement product.

Consumer Contact: For more information, contact Battat at (800) 247-6144 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s website at www.battatco.com

Contributed by Dan
Tags: China, music, recall, unsafe toys
Posted in: Recalls
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