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The Consumer Product Safety Commission is urging consumers to inspect Fisher-Price Newborn Rock ‘n Play Sleepers after receiving hundreds of reports of mold being found on the units after being used.
CPSC has issued a voluntary recall for about 800,000 sleepers, which have been sold at national retailers and online since September 2009, retailing between $50 and $85. The sleeper is composed of a soft plastic seat on a metal rocking frame and the seat has a removable fabric cover.
Only products that show mold after use are included in the recall. Sleepers in stores are not affected.
The CPSC notes that Fisher-Price has received 600 reports of mold on the product. To date, 16 consumers have reported that their infants have been treated for respiratory issues, coughs, and hives after sleeping in the product. The recall asks that consumers inspect all Fisher-Price Rock N’ Play infant recliner seats called sleepers.
The sleeper is designed for babies up to 25 pounds and is composed of a soft plastic seat held by a metal rocking frame. The product has a removable, fabric cover that is sold in 14 patterns and color palettes.
The CPSC stresses that consumers should immediately check for mold under the removable seat cushion. Dark brown, gray, or black spots can indicate the presence of mold. If mold is found, consumers should immediately stop using the product. Consumers can contact Fisher-Price by phone or online to receive cleaning instructions or further assistance.
In 2004 the Institute of Medicine (IOM) found there was sufficient evidence to link indoor exposure to mold with upper respiratory tract symptoms, cough, and wheeze in otherwise healthy people; with asthma symptoms in people with asthma; and with hypersensitivity pneumonitis in individuals susceptible to that immune-mediated condition. The IOM also found limited or suggestive evidence linking indoor mold exposure and respiratory illness in otherwise healthy children.
