Bumbo Baby Seats Recalled After Skull-Facture Risk Reported

Roughly 4 million Bumbo Baby floor seats are being recalled after 21 reports of infants falling out if them and fracturing their skulls.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), in cooperation with the Bumbo International Trust of South Africa, announced the voluntary recall Wednesday.

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml12/12247.html

Consumers were warned to stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product, according to the CPSC.

The baby seats pose a hazard because infants “can maneuver out of or fall from” from them,”  posing a risk of serious injuries, the CPSC said.

In October 2007, 1 million Bumbo seats were voluntarily recalled to provide additional warnings against use on raised surfaces.

“The CPSC and Bumbo International are aware of  least 50 incidents after the October 2007 voluntary recall in which babies fell from a Bumbo seat while it was being used on a raised surface,” the federal agency said in a press release.

“Nineteen of those incidents included reports of skull fractures. CPSC and Bumbo International are aware of an additional 34 post-recall reports of infants who fell out or maneuvered out of a Bumbo seat used on the floor or at an unknown elevation, resulting in injury. Two of these incidents involved reports of skull fractures, while others reported bumps, bruises and other minor injuries.”

The seats have been sold Sears, Target, Toys R Us (including Babies R Us), USA Babies, Walmart, and various other toy and children’s stores nationwide, and various online sellers, from August 2003 through this August for between $30 and $50.

Consumers should immediately stop using the product until they order and install a free repair kit, which includes: a restraint belt with a warning label, installation instructions, safe use instructions and a new warning sticker, according to the CPSC.

“The belt should always be used when a child is placed in the seat,” the agency said. “Even with the belt, the seat should never be used on any raised surface. Consumers should also immediately stop using Bumbo seat covers that interfere with the installation and use of the belt.”