Product Safety

Consumer Groups Support Proposed Rule for Infant Support Cushions

CFA and other consumer groups submitted public comments in support of Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) proposed rule for infant support cushions. CPSC staff has reported at least 79 fatalities and 125 nonfatal incidents involving infant support cushions from January 1, 2010, through December 31, 2022. More than 90 percent of the fatalities involved infants six months old and younger, and a majority of the fatalities were related to asphyxia or probable asphyxia. The consumer groups stated that the list of products covered by the proposed infant support cushion definition is sufficiently broad and would include products American Academy of Pediatrics and other safety groups currently warn caregivers against using, including infant sleep positioners, wedges meant to incline an infant sleep surface, infant “self-feeding” pillows, and head positioner pillows. The groups further noted that it is critically important for the CPSC to continue its diligent surveillance of data, with the goal of confirming that injuries and deaths associated with infant support cushions decline significantly.