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Bumbo Seats Recalled

Bumbo International is a South African company that sells soft foam-rubber infant seats. Sally and I had one for George, but he preferred escaping to sitting, so it went to a friend. I notice that Bumbo has issued a recall on this child seat today. Why? Because the instructions did not clearly warn against using the seat on an elevated surface.

The safety agency said it received 28 reports of young children falling out of the seats, including three who suffered skull fractures because the seats had been placed atop tables.

The recall involves sending out new warning stickers and instructions for the seats, and the company warns that parents “should never use the infant seat on a table, countertop, chair or other elevated surface.”

I’m not sure that’s enough. If parents don’t know that they shouldn’t put their infant in this thing on top of a table, I think they need a more detailed instructions than simply avoiding elevated surfaces. Here is a non-exhaustive list that should give parents some direction regarding the safe use of the seat.

Do not place your child in a Bumbo seat that is:

* atop a moving vehicle
* immersed in water
* exposed to lightning strikes (although the Bumbo seat is a fine electric insulator)
* within striking range of a deadly cobra
* covered with bees
* on fire
* suspended over a pit of alligators

Let’s be safe out there.

October 25, 2007 - 9:16 pm

Fulmer Fam - Your add on is too funny. My brow furrowed when I read the atop elevated surfaces, like are you serious people do this. Sometimes too many kiddie contraptions make people feel too safe I think. It is sad though. I think the same thing has happened with that bathtub seat majigger doohickey thingy. I know one 8 month child from here did drown when left alone in it and if they had never purchased this "latest thing" you know the parent never would have thought of leaving such a young child alone in the bathtub.

October 25, 2007 - 9:17 pm

Mark Woodman - To be thorough, please advise customers of the following…

Warning: Pregnant women, the elderly and children under 10 should avoid prolonged exposure to Bumbo Seat.

Caution: Bumbo Seat may suddenly accelerate to dangerous speeds.

Bumbo Seat Contains a liquid core, which, if exposed due to rupture, should not be touched, inhaled, or looked at.

Do not use Bumbo Seat on concrete.

Discontinue use of Bumbo Seat if any of the following occurs:

* Itching
* Vertigo
* Dizziness
* Tingling in extremities
* Loss of balance or coordination
* Slurred speech
* Temporary Blindness
* Profuse sweating
* Heart Palpitations

If Bumbo Seat begins to smoke, get away immediately. Seek shelter and cover head.

Bumbo Seat may stick to certain types of skin.

When not in use, Bumbo Seat should be returned to its special container and kept under refrigeration. Failure to do so relieves the makers of Bumbo Seat, Wacky Products Incorporated, and its parent company Global Chemical Unlimited, of any and all liability.

Ingredients of Bumbo Seat include an unknown glowing substance which fell to Earth, presumably from outer space.

Bumbo Seat has been shipped to our troops in Saudi Arabia and is also being dropped by our warplanes on Iraq.

Do not taunt Bumbo Seat.

Bumbo Seat comes with a lifetime guarantee.

October 25, 2007 - 9:45 pm

Matt - Ha! Happy Fun Ball – that's exactly what I was thinking of as I posted this.

October 26, 2007 - 10:14 pm

Laura - You jerk, Matt, I can't believe you made me watch that cobra video. From now on I will watch only the videos that Sally posts.