Bumper Pads in Cribs and Bassinets Should Be Banned

Bumper pads are used in most infant cribs in the U.S. To examine the risks associated with bumper pads, researchers conducted a detailed search of U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission databases (1985–2005) for deaths attributed to cribs, bassinets, or bumpers.

A total of 23 infant deaths involved bumper pads in cribs, and 4 involved pads in bassinets. Death-scene investigations attributed the cause of death as the infant’s face against the bumper in 11 cases, the infant wedged between the bumper and another object in 13 cases, and the bumper tied around the infant’s neck in 3 cases.