Mothers
with Attitude

Boiling Point

Heated dispatches from the parenting front lines

Total recall: The latest poor products from the Consumer Product Safety Commission

by Terri Mauro
February 26, 2001

Last week, when the kids were home from school, I made an attempt to clean out my daughter's closet. Well, I got this far: I opened the door, saw what a mess everything was, and closed it again. Her closet, the largest in the house, is the place where we dumped all the toys we didn't know what to do with when we moved. We still don't know what to do with them, nor even that they're there, because there's such a jumble. Maybe my kids would play with these toys if they knew what they were, though it must also be said that we're doing perfectly well without them.

My plan is to go on a closet-organizer shopping spree, and then put all the un-played-with toys in neat rows and stacks so that the kids can see what they're not playing with. And then, perhaps, to weed some things out. Now, I know most of the stuff in there is of the puzzle, game, and flashcard variety, boring and safe, but closet-cleaning time is nonetheless a good time to think about recalls, and what you might have hanging around that you can legitimately toss or trade. And so, in the interests of public service and filling this space on a morning when I can't think straight or irate, may we present a recurring Mothers with Attitude feature, a listing of recent recalls from the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The child-related items below were recalled in January and February.

Item recalled: Graco high chairs manufactured between January 1995 and December 1997, with the numbers 3170, 36051 or 74001 in their model numbers.
What's wrong with them: Injury risk -- the legs may come off, and down will come baby, dinner and all.
What to do if you have one: Call Graco at 1-800-617-7447, with the chair in front of you.
What you get: Free repair kit.

Item recalled: Simmons cribs sold in 1998, unless you bought it at Sears, in which case it's 1998-2000.
What's wrong with them: Injury and suffocation risk -- brackets positioning mattress may break, causing mattress to collapse and trap, injure or suffocate baby.
What to do if you have one: Call Simmons at 1-800-421-2951, or contac the company through its Web site at www.simmonsjp.com/recall.cfm.
What you get: Free replacement brackets.

Item recalled: Barbie Sunglasses from IMT Accessories.
What's wrong with them: Poisoning risk -- the glittery frames can break, releasing glitter glop that can burn kids' eyes and skin. The glop, a petroleum distillate, could also be fatal if ingested.
Where to return them: The store you bought it from. Or call the Barbie Sunglasses Recall Hotline at 1-800-868-7870
What you get: Full refund.

Item recalled: "Planet Discovery" kids' meal toys from Chick-fil-A restaurants.
What's wrong with them: Choking risk -- a suction cup can fall off.
Where to return it: Any Chick-fil-A restaurant.
What you get: A different toy or a small Icedream.

Item recalled: Remote controllable toy vehicles with bouncing balls in the cockpit/driver's seat from Supreme Toys.
What's wrong with them: Choking risk -- small parts can break off.
What to do if you have one: Cut off the remote cord and mail it to Supreme at 8348 C Olive Road, St. Louis, MO 63132.
What you get: $5 refund plus cost of postage.

Item recalled: Project HomeSafe Gun Locks (alright, not a kids' item, but presumably kids would be why you have one)
What's wrong with it: Shooting risk -- the locks can open without a key.
What to do if you have one: Call the Gun Lock Hotline at 1-800-726-6444.
What you get: Free replacement lock.

Item recalled: Wooden dog pull toys from Pottery Barn
What's wrong with them: Choking risk -- small pegs can detatch from the toy.
Where to return it: The store you bought it from.
What you get: Refund.

Item recalled: Tot Rider Walkers from Kolcraft, manufactured between February and April 2000, with the model number 14302.
What's wrong with them: Choking risk -- the cover to the walkers' music center can come off, releasing small chokeable parts.
What to do if you have one: Call the Kolcraft Recall Hotline at 1-800-453-7673.
What you get: Free replacement tray.

Item recalled: Infant jumpsuits from Carter's
What's wrong with them: Choking risk -- a decorative ribbon on the zipper can come off and make baby gag.
What to do if you have one: Take the ribbon off.
What you get: A slightly less cute jumpsuit.

Item recalled: Children's bicycles from Seattle Bike Supply -- model-year 2001 Torker Blaster 16-inch Boy's bicycles in red, black, blue, or chrome, and Sunflower 16-inch Girl's bicycles in yellow, pink or florescent green.
What's wrong with them: Injury risk -- pedals are too low and may strike ground, causing rider to lose control and get an owie.
Where to return it: The store you bought it from.
What you get: Free repiar.

Item recalled: Busy School Bus from Playskool, item number 5527 with date codes 91671 through 91883.
What's wrong with them: Choking risk -- awning above door can break off.
What to do if you have one: Contact Playskool at (888) 510-1561 or visit their web site at http://www.hasbro.com/consumer/safety.html.
What you get: A free toy of equal value.

Item recalled: Ocean Pacific girls' long-sleeve sweatshirts with hood and drawstring, sold from August through October 1999.
What's wrong with them: Strangulation risk -- the drawstrings can catch on objects.
Where to return it: The store where you bought it. (Or just pull out the drawstring and be done with it.)
What you get: Refund.

Item recalled: Baby Guess and Guess Girls overalls with style numbers KL11450, KH11448, JL21338, JH21408, and JH31288.
What's wrong with them: Choking risk -- metal appliques may fall off.
What to do if you have one: Call the Garment Recall Hotline at (888) 626-4939.
What you get: Free replacement garment.

Item recalled: Crayola toddler boots sold between September and December 1999.
What's wrong with them: Choking risk -- lace-tightening toggle may come off.
Where to return it: The store where you bought it (or just take the toggles off and be done with it).
What you get: Refund.