Bumbo Baby Sitter Seat Recall Issued Due to Serious Head Injury Risk

The Bumbo Baby Sitter Seat was recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) today, following reports that several children had suffered serious injuries after falling from the popular infant seat. According to the CPSC, at least 28 children have fallen from the Bumbo Baby Sitter Seat, and three of those infants suffered skull fractures.

The Bumbo Baby Sitter Seat recall involves more than 1 million of the infant seats. The recalled Bumbo Baby Sitter Seats were sold in various retail, toy and children’s stores nationwide, and online, from August 2003 through October 2007 for about $40. The bottom of the Bumbo Baby Sitter Seat is round and flat and about 15 inches in diameter. The Bumbo Baby Sitter Seat is made of a single piece of molded foam, and comes in the colors yellow, blue, purple, pink, aqua, and lime. On the front of the seat in raised lettering is the word “Bumbo” with the image of an elephant. The bottom of the seat has the following words: “Manufactured by Bumbo South Africa Material: Polyurethane World Patent No. PCT: ZA/1999/00030.”

The Bumbo Baby Sitter Seat, sold by Bumbo International of South Africa, is a soft foam chair that is supposed to allow infants to sit upright without the aid of straps. It is designed with the seat lower than the leg openings so that children will remain secure. The CPSC began investigating the Baby Bumbo Seat earlier this month, after several media outlets reported on children who were severely injured after falling from the seat. These reports included two children from Kansas and California who suffered from skull fractures after falling out of a Baby Bumbo Seat.

According to various media sources, infants have fallen out of the seats when they reach for something, causing the Bumbo Baby Sitter Seat to tilt off balance. If the Bumbo Seat is on the floor when it tips, most children are fine. But, if a parent or caregiver has placed the Bumbo Baby Sitter Seat on a counter, another chair, or any high surface, the results could be disastrous. While the Bumbo Baby Sitter Seat does have a small warning label that says “never use on a raised surface”, some of its marketing materials send a different message. These materials say the chair is safe on “any level surface”, and some of the pictures used by the company show children sitting in the Bumbo Baby Sitter Seat on a raised surface. The website also showed pictures of babies in the seat on a picnic table and playing the piano. Some of those pictures were removed from the website after reports of Bumbo Baby Sitter Seat accidents were publicized.

The CPSC is warning caregivers not to use the Bumbo Baby Sitter Seat on any raised surface. Anyone who purchased a Bumbo Baby Sitter Seat should contact Bumbo for a new warning sticker that reads “WARNING – Prevent Falls; Never use on any elevated surface.” Those warning stickers will also be added to all Bumbo Baby Sitter Seats sold in the future. Bumbo International can be contacted by calling (877) 932-8626 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or by visiting the firm’s Web site at www.bumbosafety.com

Source: clikc here 

NEWS from CPSC

Serious Head Injuries Prompt Recall of Bumbo Baby Sitter Seats – New Warnings and Instructions to Be Provided To Consumers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 25, 2007
Release #08-046

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. Name of Product: Bumbo “Baby Sitter” Seats

Units: About 1 million

Manufacturer: Bumbo International, of South Africa

Hazard: If the seat is placed on a table, countertop, chair, or other elevated surface, young children can arch their backs, flip out of the Bumbo seat, and fall onto the floor, posing a risk of serious head injuries.

Incidents/Injuries: CPSC has received 28 reports of young children falling out of the Bumbo Baby Sitter seat, including three skull fractures, which occurred when children fell out of chairs that had been placed on tables.

Description: The bottom of the children’s seat is round and flat with a diameter of about 15 inches. It is constructed of a single piece of molded foam and comes in yellow, blue, purple, pink, aqua, and lime green. The seat has leg holes and seat back that wraps completely around the child. On the front of the seat in raised lettering is the word “Bumbo” with the image of an elephant on top. The bottom of the seat has the following words: “Manufactured by Bumbo South Africa Material: Polyurethane World Patent No. PCT: ZA/1999/00030.” The back of the seat contains the following “WARNING” – “Never use on a raised surface. Never use as a car seat or bath seat. Designed for floor level use only. Never leave your baby unattended as the seat is not designed to be totally restrictive and may not prevent release of your baby in the event of vigorous movement.”

Sold by: Target, Wal-Mart, Sears, Toys R Us, Babies R Us, USA Babies and various other toy and children’s stores nationwide, and various online sellers, from August 2003 through October 2007 for about $40.

Manufactured in: South Africa

Remedy: Consumers should never use the infant seat on a table, countertop, chair, or other elevated surface. Consumers can contact Bumbo to obtain new warning label stickers and instructions, free of charge. The new warning label will state: “WARNING – Prevent Falls; Never use on any elevated surface.” Consumers should use the Bumbo seat at ground level, but should never leave a child unattended.

Consumer Contact: Contact Bumbo International at (877) 932-8626 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s Web site at www.bumbosafety.com

Source: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml08/08046.html