Claims of injuries to children as young as 3 months of age has prompted a Bumbo Baby Chair recall throughout North America according to the American Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
The recall, which has been made on a voluntary basis by the manufacturers of the Bumbo Baby Chair, is the result of a series of complaints made to the CPSC and reports of more than twenty infants who have sustained fractured skulls from falling out of the Bumbo Baby Chair, which is also marketed in Ireland as the Bumbo Baby Sitter.
At first it was believed that the injuries sustained by young children were caused by parents leaving their children unattended and unrestrained in the chairs in elevated positions – such as on tables – and this lead to an initial recall of the product in 2007 when labels were added to the baby sitters advising parents of the risk of injury should their child be particularly active.
However, the number of injuries to children continued and, in November 2011, the CPSC changed their warning about the Bumbo Baby Chairs to one of vigilance and advised parents only to use the seats with caution. It was thereafter discovered that a significant number of injuries had been sustained when the Bumbo Baby Chairs were used a floor level.
The CPSC and Bumbo International have advised parents to stop using the product until they have a received a “repair kit”. The kit consists of a restraint belt with a warning label, installation instructions, safe use instructions and a new warning sticker, but is only available for customers in the United States.
Parents in Ireland are advised to contact their retailer to obtain the restraint belt and to speak with a solicitor as soon as possible if their child has sustained an injury due to the faulty product as they may now be entitled to claim compensation due to the Bumbo Baby Chair recall.