Dangerous Dummies Still On Market
Four dangerous childrens' dummies are still on sale in Australia despite the introduction of new safety standards, a consumer watchdog says.
The Tommee Tippee Latex Orthodontic Comforter with Glow Ring and Snap On Hood has ventilation holes which are too small for children to breath normally, Choice magazine says.
It also says the NUK Latex Smoother, Nuk Silicone Soother and the NUK Starlight Silicone Soother all have shields which are too small.
Children may inhale any of the three which could cause choking, it says.
Choice, an independent consumer watchdog, said it performed safety tests on the four products after receiving complaints from parents.
"We had been contacted by several distraught parents who have found these dummies fully inside their baby's mouths," Choice spokeswoman Indira Naidoo said.
"Parents who have bought these dummies should throw them out immediately."
The warning comes after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) began an investigation in June into the dangers of six dummies then deemed dangerous by Choice.
In October, the federal government launched new safety standards in which dummies must have a safe shield size and shape, adequate ventilation holes, secure teat attachment and structural integrity.
"Choice is disappointed that despite alerting manufacturers to the dangers of their dummies, they have not addressed all these problems," Ms Naidoo said.
The ACCC is responsible for enforcing the new standards, but Choice is urging retailers to remove the dummies from sale.
Choice has reported their most recent findings into the four dummies it claims are dangerous to the ACCC.
