Uncertified Play Yards Present Risk of Suffocation
Product safety advocates have long warned parents about the suffocation dangers of padding and bedding in a child’s crib. Earlier this month, a related warning was given about padding in a play yard. The issue was raised by The Safety Institute, a nonprofit organization that promotes injury prevention and advocates for product safety. It noted that The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) advises consumers never to add a mattress, pillow, comforter or padding to a play yard. These products are equipped by their manufacturers with a mattress properly sized for maximum safety, and designed to meet a standard established by ASTM International, a global outfit that establishes standards companies voluntarily accept. But some companies, according to the JPMA, sell mattresses as “replacement” or “supplemental mattresses,” and the buyer must beware: An “add-on” or replacement mattress or bedding is not safe. Potential danger lies in the gaps between a mattress that is t