AAP Urges Recall of Fisher-Price Rock 'n Play Sleeper

April 10, 2019

From the American Academy of Pediatrics:

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) calls on the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to issue an immediate recall for the Fisher-Price Rock 'n Play Sleeper, which has been tied to 32 sleep-related infant deaths, according to a new analysis by Consumer Reports.

AAP urges parents to stop using the product immediately. Stores should remove the Rock 'n Play Sleeper from their shelves. A warning issued by the CPSC and Fisher-Price on April 5 did not go far enough to ensure safety and protect infants, according to the AAP.

"This product is deadly and should be recalled immediately," said Kyle Yasuda, MD, FAAP, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics. "When parents purchase a product for their baby or child, many assume that if it's being sold in a store, it must be safe to use. Tragically, that is not the case. There is convincing evidence that the Rock 'n Play inclined sleeper puts infants' lives at risk, and CPSC must step up and take immediate action to remove it from stores and prevent further tragedies."

Last week, the CPSC and manufacturer alerted consumers to stop using the product when the infant reaches 3 months of age or is capable of rolling over, citing 10 infant deaths that occurred in the Rock 'n Play. The Consumer Reports article, published April 8, tied a total of 32 deaths to the Rock 'n Play, including the 10 noted in last week's warning.

Consumer Reports concluded that these 32 deaths, between 2011 and 2018, included babies even younger than the 3-month threshold cited in the initial warning, which is alarming. The cause of death listed for some babies was asphyxia, or the inability to breathe caused by the babies' position. AAP urges parents of children of all ages to immediately stop using the Rock 'n Play.

Read more from the AAP.