Retailers in UK are being asked to put warning signs on packs of nappy sacks about the dangers of suffocation.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (Rospa) says it is aware of at least 17 baby deaths, including the tragic case of Maison Amison who died aged seven months in 2013.
Plastic bag nappy sacks are not required by law to have safety holes.They should be kept out of reach of children, says Rospa.
Suffocation can take place either because the child places a bag over their head, or because the plastic is flexible enough to form an airtight seal around their nose and mouth.
Nappy sacks can be brightly coloured and make a rustling sound, so babies can find them attractive to grab. They are made of thin plastic, which easily covers the face and can be sucked down the airways.
Rospa says that being extremely light and flimsy, they can easily be blown off a surface and come within the reach of a child.In many of the fatal instances, nappy sacks had been stored within the baby’s reach, close to the baby’s cot.
Maison Amison was seven months old when his mum Beth found him lifeless in his cot a nappy bag covering his face.
At that age children explore the world through taste, putting things in their mouths to experience new textures and tastes.But they don’t have the ability to remove the bags from their face or mouth, leaving them at risk of choking to death.
Safety experts are calling for
- nappy bags to be sold on rolls, rather than in single sheets to reduce the risk they pose to babies.
- bags to be non-scented to stop tots mistaking them for food.
- All bags should be black rather than bright attractive colours.
