Usually my blog entries center around specific products geared toward children, such as recalled cribs and toys, but today it’s about the food they putting in their mouths, specifically fruits and vegetables. An article in the June issue of Pediatrics includes some interesting research regarding pesticides and their possible connection to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children.

The new findings suggest that exposure to high levels of certain pesticides, commonly found on nutritional items such as berries, celery and other produce, and could raise the odds for this disorder.

The authors point out that right now, there is no specific evidence pesticide exposure can actually cause ADHD.

Here’s how the study breaks down: The authors looked at data on pesticide exposure and ADHD in more than 1,100 American children aged 8 to 15. The researchers found that kids with higher pesticide levels in their urine were more likely to have ADHD.

Exposure to the pesticides, known as organophosphates, has been linked to behavioral and cognitive problems in children in the past, but past research has focused on people closely related to fruits and vegetable such as farmer’s communities of farm workers and other high-risk populations. This study is different in that it is the first one to examine the effects of exposure in the population at large.

But how might pesticides harm brain development? According to the authors, high doses of organophosphates or pesticides may inhibit a certain nervous system enzyme. Lower doses of the pesticide may affect different growth factors and a part of the brain, known as neurotransmitters.

No one is saying you should stop feeding fruits and veggies to your kids, but extra precautions such as thoroughly washing them or perhaps buying organic, which contain fewer pesticides, may help.

Attorney Jeffrey Killino's focus is on keeping kids safe and knows problems associated with your children through no fault of their own is a very serious matter and can leave a parent feeling helpless.

If you believe your child was injured or has developed a serious illness as a result of either a faulty or recalled consumer product, please contact defective child product lawyer Jeffrey Killino at 877-875-2927 today.

Just a few days ago, I blogged about a huge recall involving cribs that posed a strangulation and a suffocation hazard. Now comes word of yet another crib recall. This time it involves C&T International/Sorelle cribs. On Thursday May 6, 2010 The U.S Consumer Product Safety 
Commission recalled as many as 170,000 Drop-Side Cribs.



The cribs are distributed under the name Golden Baby Inc.



The CPSC says the hazard centers on the cribs' drop-side hardware. Officials say it can disengage from the tracks, causing the drop side to detach from the crib. When the drop-side partially detaches, it creates space between the drop side and the crib mattress.

The bodies of infants and toddlers can become trapped in the space, which can lead to strangulation and/or suffocation. Complete detachment of the drop sides can lead to falls from the crib. In addition, slats can detach from the sides of the cribs. Infants and toddlers can then become entrapped, strangle or fall out of the crib.



So far, the CPSC and C&T/Sorelle have received reports of  more than 100 incidents of drop-side and slat detachments in C&T/Sorelle drop-side cribs.

Six infants received bruises and abrasions to the head, face, torso or leg from becoming entrapped or falling after the drop side collapsed. An 
additional five infants who were entrapped or fell were found by their parents and were not injured.



The full-size cribs were sold at various children's product stores around the country from January 2000 through March 2010 for between 
$300 and $600.

The cribs were manufactured in different countries including Italy, Latvia, Brazil, China and Vietnam.



The CPSC has some recommendations for parents and caregivers. They are urging them to immediately stop using the recalled cribs and find an alternative, safe sleeping environment for their baby.



Consumers should contact C&T/Sorelle to receive a free replacement kit. For four of the older models of the cribs - the Hampton, Jackie, Nina and Rita models -- the firm may be unable to supply a part to repair the crib and will, instead, provide consumers with a $100 voucher towards the purchase of another C&T product. 

The recalled  Models Include:



• Alessandra; Model Number 180

• Alex 3 in 1; Model Number 910
• 
Amelia; Model Number 185

• Chelsea; Model Number 100
• 
Federica; Model Number 170

• Glenda/Toscana; Model Number 350
• 
Hampton; Model Number 303
• 
Jackie; Model Number 440

• Jessica; Model Number 810
• 
Lana; Model Number 240
• 
Leonardo; Model Number 395
• 
Marisa; Model Number 680
• 
Martina; Model Number 135
• 
Mirabella; Model Number 930
• 
Nadia; Model Number 245

• Natasha; Model Number 900
• 
Nico; Model Number 630

• Nina Pine; Model Number 710
• 
Noelle; Model Number 999

• Pagodina; Model Number 195

• Rita; Model Number 490 - Manufactured between 2001 and October 2007

• Rosa; Model Number 870

• Rosemary; Model Number 925
• 
Silver; Model Number 485  

It should be noted that this is the fourth crib recall I’ve blogged about since just last Fall. Attorney Jeffrey Killino’s focus is on keeping kids safe and knows child injuries are very serious and can leave a parent feeling helpless. If you believe your child was injured as a result of a faulty or recalled consumer product please contact child injury attorney Jeffrey Killino at 877-875-2927 today.

Last week I told you about a huge recall concerning Graco and Simplicity cribs. Now comes word of yet another major recall involving children’s products.

A part of Johnson & Johnson is recalling certain children’s over the counter liquid medications. The Food and Drug Administration says the problem centers around manufacturing deficiencies, which may affect the quality of the product.

The products recalled include certain lots of infants’ and children’s Tylenol, Motrin, Zyrtec and Benadryl products because some of them may have more of an active ingredient than specified. The products were manufactured by Johnson & Johnson’s McNeil Consumer Healthcare division. Other products involved in the recall may have foreign particles such as manufacturing residue.

Although the chance for serious harm is small, McNeil officials are urging parents not to give the products to children. The specific products in question involve Tylenol Infants Drops, Children’s Tylenol Suspensions, Infants’ Motrin Drops as well as Benadryl Allergy liquids.

This is not the first time McNeil has been cited. Back in January, the company was forced to recall hundreds of lots of adult and children’s products after receiving reports of moldy smells coming from over-the-counter drugs made in Puerto Rico.

Attorney Jeffrey Killino’s focus is on keeping kids safe and knows child injuries are very serious and can leave a parent feeling helpless. If you believe your child was injured as a result of a faulty or recalled consumer product please contact child injury attorney Jeffrey Killino at 877-875-2927 today.

We have an important recall to tell you about. The Consumer Product Safety Commission is recalling thousands and possibly hundreds of thousands of  of Simplicity and Graco Cribs. The CPSC warns that babies are risk because the cribs pose a suffocation and strangulation hazard. 

The CPSC is reporting that at least one death associated with the cribs. The agency says a one-year-old boy from New England., became trapped in his Simplicity crib and suffocated in 2008.

The agency said about 217,000 Graco dropside cribs made by LaJobi were also being recalled and the issue with both types of cribs has to do with hardware errors. As many as 99 consumer complaints have been logged.

Here’s The Problem

With the Graco brand and their wood cribs, the dropside or the part that moves up and down can snap, break or detach from the rest of the crib. This can cause a huge problem and potentially dangerous gap between the mattress of the crib and dropside part.

The Simplicity recall pertains to the company’s brand of full-sized cribs which contain a  tube-like metal mattress-support frame. The issue with this model is that those frames can bend, loosen, as well as detach. This means that mattress could collapse and an infant or baby could simply roll into a space or gap and become trapped and suffocate.  

Past Problems

This is not the first time Simplicity brand cribs have been involved in a recall. In the last five years, Simplicity has been at the center of at least 12 recalls. Sadly, its cribs have been linked to 13 deaths.

Attorney Jeffrey Killino’s focus is on keeping kids safe and knows child injuries are very serious and can leave a parent feeling helpless. If you believe your child was injured as a result of a faulty or recalled consumer product please contact child injury attorney Jeffrey Killino at 877-875-2927 today.

There has been another recall of a children’s product and this time it poses a fall hazard.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a recall of Graco Harmony High Chairs. The recall is voluntary and in cooperation with the manufacturer. The CPSC advised consumers to stop using the product immediately unless otherwise instructed.

The problem centers around the screws which hold the front legs of the chair. Officials say they can loosen and fall out and/or the plastic bracket on the rear legs can crack causing the high chair to become unstable and tip over unexpectedly. This obviously poses a fall hazard to children.

The high chairs were manufactured by Graco Children’s Products of Atlanta, GA and more than one million units have been sold.

The company has received 464 reports of screws loosening, which again, can cause the high chair to tip over. These tip-over’s have meant as many as 24 reports of injuries. The injuries have run the gamut from bumps and bruises to the head to hairline  fractures to arms as well as general bruises and scratches to the body.

The recall involves all Harmony High Chairs, which were manufactured from November 2003 through December 2009 in the U.S. This particular chair is no longer in production. The model number can be found on the label that is located on the
underside of the foot rest.

The highchairs were sold at various retail outlets including AAFES, Burlington Coat Factory, Babies "R" Us, Toys "R" Us, Sears, Target, Target.com, Walmart, WalMart.com, Shopko, USA Baby, and others throughout the country from December 2003 through March 2010 and cost anywhere between $70 and $120.

Consumers should immediately stop using the Harmony High Chair and contact Graco to receive a free repair kit.

This recall by the CPSC is just the latest in a long list of recalls involving children’s products. In early January of 2010, the CPSC announced the recall of 20 models of Dorel Asia cribs. The list goes on an on and includes everything from high chairs and strollers to bracelet and jacket drawstrings.

My focus is on keeping kids safe and I know that child injuries are very serious and can leave a parent feeling helpless. If you believe your child was injured as a result of a faulty or recalled children’s consumer product please contact child injury attorney Jeffrey Killino at 877-875-2927 today.

Over the past few months I’ve been telling you about the risks associated with various kinds of products, specifically ones targeted toward kids. This blog is different in that it does not mention products; instead it focuses on the issue of school bus safety.

You may have heard about a recent school bus crash outside Philadelphia. The accident killed a 27 year old man and prosecutors say the driver was driving recklessly just before the crash.  This was a tragedy that clearly could have been prevented. Investigators say the driver, Frederick Poust III, blew through as many as 10 stop signs and it was all caught on tape, courtesy of on-board surveillance cameras. The crash not only killed the driver of a car that the bus driver hit, but it also injured five students on the bus.

Unfortunately, this is not the first time Poust has been in trouble with the law, regarding his time behind the wheel of a school bus. In 1999, Poust was cited for careless driving in a crash that killed a 2-year-old girl. In that case he admitted to running a stop sign while dialing a cell phone. In this latest crash, investigators say he was not holding a cell phone, but court papers indicate that he been talking on a wireless headset and been listening to music on a speaker system. Poust, of Schwenksville, PA has been charged with homicide by vehicle and 46 counts of recklessly endangering another person.

It is unbelievable that someone who had taken the life of a child in a previous accident could be so reckless. He obviously did not learn his lesson.

When parents send their kids off to school, they assume they will be protected and transported in a safe manner. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. In April of 2009, in Charlotte, NC, a school bus crash injured 36 students.

We all know, accidents happen, but in the case of Poust, it clearly could have been prevented. Putting the lives of children at risk is unacceptable.

Attorney Jeffrey Killino’s focus is on keeping kids safe and knows child injuries are very serious and can leave a parent feeling helpless. If your child was injured as a result of a school bus accident, please contact child injury attorney Jeffrey Killino at 877-875-2927 today.

Just a few months ago, I told you about a recall concerning some children’s jewelry that contained cadmium. Now comes word, yet again, from the Consumer Product Safety Commission of another cadmium-related recall involving Children’s Metal Charm Bracelets.

The bracelets contain high levels of cadmium. Research shows that cadmium can be toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health effects.

This warning involves Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer brand children’s Christmas and winter-themed bracelets. The two styles involved in this notice are the Bumble Snowman and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. The bracelets were sold with winter and Christmas-themed charms including a snowman, Christmas tree, candy cane and snowflake.

The bracelets were sold at Discount and dollar-type stores nationwide including Buy-Rite Designs, of Freehold, N.J. , but that firm is no longer in business. The products were sold between 2006 and March 2009 for about $1 and were manufactured in China.

Consumers should immediately take these charm bracelets away from children and dispose of the jewelry.

It should be noted that earlier this month I told you about another product recall involving children’s bracelets. They were recalled because of a violation of the lead paint standard.

Lead was long the favored metal for cheap jewelry; now that federal law tightly restricts how much lead can be used in children jewelry, some manufacturers are using cadmium.

Attorney Jeffrey Killino’s focus is on keeping kids safe. He is no stranger to toxic toys. In 2007, he filed a class action lawsuit to compel Mattel to provide free testing of all children who played with lead toys.

Child injuries have the potential to be very serious and can leave a parent feeling helpless. If you believe your child has health problems associated with lead or cadmium-based toys or other dangerous chemicals found in children’s products, please contact child injury attorney Jeffrey Killino at 877-875-2927 today.