Safety of crib bumpers called into question

An investigation by Ellen Gabler of the Chicago Tribune has prompted the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to review the safety of crib bumpers, which are popular baby products sold in stores throughout the country. The Tribune found that while the safety commission acknowledged it has gotten more than two dozen reports of infant deaths associated with bumper pads in the past two decades, there could be more deaths that the agency dismissed or did not fully investigate. In response to inquiries from the Tribune, the agency said it would reopen files on babies' deaths, evaluate the safety of bumper pads on store shelves and rethink how investigators examine deaths where bumper pads are present. The products, which wrap around the inside of a crib and tie to crib slats, are a staple in many babies’ nurseries.