Nanny State Gone Mad

Drop-down side cribs banned.

"'These products are deadly'

In all, drop-side cribs have been blamed in the deaths of at least 32 infants and toddlers since 2000 and are suspected in another 14 infant fatalities. "

This is utterly ridiculous! For fewer than 4 deaths per year they are banning a very useful product. Insane. If we were to outlaw every thing that could potentially kill a child there would be precious little left to do in the world.

Let's put some perspective on the 4 deaths per year.

Statistics on accidental deaths per year

We need to outlaw swimming and bathing because over 3,000 die from drowning each year.

We need to outlaw every chemical cleaner and pharmacuetical because over 9,000 die from poisoning each year.

Electricity should be done away with because over 400 are killed each year from electrical shock.

Modern medicine should also be banned because complications from medical procedures kill nearly 3,000 each year.

And above all motor vehicles should be banned, they kill over 45,000 each year.

Vaccines kill as well. According to this page, in two years over 70 infants died within a day of vaccination. And the controversy surrounding Gardasil is growing.

I am sorry for those who lost children because of faulty parts, truly I am. The loss of a child, no matter the reason, is sad. This over zealous effort to make the children 'safe' however, is not the way to handle it.

Americans have been seduced by the idea that bad things will never happen to them. They somehow think that it is possible to never have an accident happen. Life is fraught with peril. There is no guarantee that one will live to see the sun come up tomorrow or even go down tonight. Accidents happen. They are always sad, but they will happen.

So what will happen now that the evil drop-side cribs are done away with? Well, there are plenty of them still out there and I doubt those who use them will be wanting to give them up.

For those who will have no choice but to use a stationary side crib they will do one of two things. They will not put the matteress down as far as it should be so they will be able to reach to put their child in it safely or they will use some alternate sleeping arrangement.

For the first option, that could be dangerous once the baby starts pulling up (as early as 7 mos). The baby could fall out of the crib and then end up with a broken head, neck, or extremity and perhaps even die.

For the second, while I am an advocate for cosleeping (have with all eight of my kids), not everyone does it correctly and it can be dangerous in certain circumstances. People might choose to use playards/pens instead. That would be okay, that is what we use for Edward when he isn't in bed with us.

The point is, the alternatives are not perfectly safe either, accidents can, and will, happen. There will always be dangers. And putting our energy into removing a very minor danger as the drop-side crib is wasteful when there are so many other things that kill far more.