Do you need a crib tent?

While crib tents have become the most sought after born baby products, they have received mixed responses and reactions among parents owing to their advantages as well as potential risks. The principal purpose behind these dome shaped tents is to keep away insects and also prevent the baby from climbing out of the crib to fall down. The hazards associated with crib tents are worth discussing so that we play a cautious note as parents in ensuring the safety of our babies.

Crib tents are available for standard sized cribs, portable cribs and play yards. They keep away insects and household pets from babies. They too protect the babies from falling out of the cribs. These are the intended purposes behind purchasing crib tents. On the other hand, some grave incidents over the past have sent a warning signal for those using crib tents since in some cases they have proved disastrous and even brought deadly consequences.

Over the five year period from 1997 and 2012, there were about 27 complaints of product failure lodged with the Consumer Product Safety Commission regarding the crib tents manufactured by a famous born baby items manufacturer.

In these incidents, most babies who were victims only suffered minor injuries, while a two-year-old boy was succumbed to death having got trapped rapped in between the top rail of the play yard and the lower rail of the crib tent. In yet another incident, a two-year-old child suffered a highly gruesome brain injury when the dome shaped tent got inverted and the broken rod pierced the baby’s neck. Since then, the CPSC has had recalled all crib tents supplied by the distributor under allegation, but the other brands of crib tents have been surviving in the market. Now the question is whether they are safe for babies and as a matter of fact, none can bet on them.

If a product is available in the market, it does not mean it is safe for use. The buyers need to do a proper research and find out whether there is any safety hazard connected with the product. Even after American Academy of Pediatrics has issued a safety warning that crib bumpers can kill, to this day bumpers are lined up in all the baby marts for sale. While there are several other sleep-positioners and alternative bumpers manufactured, they are not subjected to FDA regulation meaning that the manufacturers can make any unwarranted safety claims with regard to their products.

Parents need to do a bit of homework especially while it comes to the safety of their beloved babies. So far there have not been any official statements made regarding the safety of crib tents. However, a number of child wise resources have raised their concerns that crib tents could collapse and injure babies. Also, consumer reports have suggested that those babies getting entangled in the mesh of a failed tent can be strangled or suffocated. The bottom line is this. Crib tents, sleep postioners and foam wedges are on the whole not suitable for unsupervised sleeping environment and therefore parents need to use their discretion to buy the right kind of product for their babies.

Author is a freelance writer and having successful experience in writing about Baby Care. Currently he is writing about Crib Tent and  Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child for more information about Infant Baby Healthcare visit: Twelvehourbaby