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You spend all of your time trying to protect your child from harm, but how can you protect them from the products they use every day? Make a habit of checking for recalls on items which you may have in your house. The major agencies to watch are the Consumer Product Safety Commission (http://www.cpsc.gov/), the Food and Drug Administration (http://www.fda.gov/) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (http://www.nhtsa.gov/).

Products recalls can include everyday items such as clothing, toys, food, storage containers, strollers, furniture and more. For example, last week, Hobby Lobby recalled almost 13,000 infant pacifiers which can pose a choking hazard (learn more). Twin Go also recalled 4,000 baby carriers (learn more) because the waist buckle can break and cause an injury to the child.

Safe Kids Worldwide – http://www.safekids.org/ – can be another great resource for recall information related specifically to child safety. They maintain easily accessible monthly and annual lists of recalls. Because recalls never expire on products, it is always a good idea to check for possible recalls on any children’s products you receive second-hand. A quick check can prevent an avoidable injury to your child.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $1 trillion annually. If you believe that a product your child has been using is unsafe, please report that product to the Consumer Product Safety Commission at http://www.saferproducts.gov/. Companies and manufacturers often will voluntarily recall a faulty product if they have evidence that an item may cause harm to a consumer. You may prevent other children from suffering product related injuries.

Kenneth Selander, Jr. is a children’s injury attorney and advocate for kids’ rights. He practices in the Columbia City neighborhood of South Seattle. As a kids’ injury attorney, Ken works to hold responsible parties accountable for your child’s injuries and to prevent harm to other children from similar conduct. If you know or suspect that your child has been injured due to a defective or unsafe product, please feel free to reach out to our office with your questions.