On Wednesday, December 15, the U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission announced an unprecedented ban on all drop-side cribs. A total of 1.5 million drop-side cribs have been recalled just since January 2010, but still the number of infants who have died has topped 32 just since 2001, causing much concern over the drop-side option.
Details of the Drop-Side Crib Ban
Drop-side cribs have been very popular over the past decade and there are several crib manufacturers that have sold them. A drop-side crib is any crib where one entire side can be lowered to reach the infant more easily. The danger of this type of crib is that the side can disengage from the crib and the infant can become trapped in the gap created.
The ban requires all child-care facilities, including daycares and any hotels that have cribs, to replace their drop-side cribs. Additionally, the cribs will not be allowed to be resold, whether on eBay, in a thrift store or on craigslist. These regulations will take effect as of June 1, 2011, giving daycares some time to replace their cribs.
In addition to the ban of the notoriously unsafe drop-side cribs, more rigorous safety testing will be required for cribs, the hardware will be required to be sturdier and the mattress supports will be required to be stronger. This will make the beds that parents allow their infants to sleep in to be as safe as possible.
What to Do With Your Drop-Side Crib?
While the ban on the manufacture, sale and resale of drop-side cribs was unanimous, this does not change the fact that many families still have these cribs in their homes. So now the question comes up that while public facilities that offer cribs must comply with the new regulations, what are individual families to do with their cribs?
There are two basic options for families still using drop side cribs. First is to simply replace the crib with one that has a stationary side. This is especially important if the crib has been a part of one of the many recalls over the past years. To find a list of recalled cribs, visit the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission website.
If a crib has not been a part of a previous recall, it is possible to modify the drop-side in such a way as to make it safe for a child to sleep. Many crib manufacturers are offering a simple kit that parents can use to disable the drop side and lock it in the upright position. This eliminates the danger of the side becoming detached and trapping the infant.
Jennifer Wagaman - Jennifer is a mother of 2 and has both public, private and administrative experience in the education field.
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