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Munchkin Recalls ‘Latch’ Pacifiers As They Pose A Choking Hazard To Babies

By Alap Naik Desai
Published on: 01:40 PST, May 10, 2016

Munchkin is recalling its pacifiers because they pose a choking hazard to babies. The recall involves Munchkin’s Latch brand, which is sold as a set of lightweight pacifiers and clips.

About 180,000 units of pacifiers, made by Munchkin, are being recalled. The company, a popular multi-product brand that caters primarily to infants, toddlers, and young kids, has concluded that a circular cover that is attached to the clip can come loose and detach itself. The loose clip cover may be swallowed by the infant, resulting in oxygen deprivation and possibly asphyxiation.

Announcing the recall, federal Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says Munchkin’s Latch brand of pacifiers and clips are part of the set. The Latch brand consists of lightweight pacifiers that come with their own clips. The product is sold as a set. The pacifiers are sold in a variety of designs, and the company has initiated a recall of all of them to ensure the safety of the infants. The details about the styles, colors, and patterns are available on the commission’s recall page.

Evidently, the Van Nuys, California-based company has initiated an internal inquiry about possible design or manufacturing problems. Moreover, it is the company who ordered the voluntary recall, shared Commission spokeswoman Patty Davis. CPSC’s spokeswoman added that Munchkin is fully cooperating with the government to take the products off the shelves and away from infants as soon as possible.

Fortunately, there has been no incident reported so far. None of the products have caused any injuries. However, there have been 10 reports of the clip cover coming off in the U.S. and Canada, reported WKRG. Five of those reports were from the United States and rest from Canada. The company has confirmed on the recall page that all the products were manufactured in China.

CPSC has asked consumers or parents who may have bought the Munchkin pacifiers to immediately take away the products away from the infants. Those who have bought the pacifiers are entitled to a full refund or exchange. Munchkin has requested that concerned parents to call the company to receive a free replacement lightweight pacifier pack with two pacifiers.

How to identify the pacifiers that pose a choking hazard and necessitate a recall? The pacifiers were sold at Babies R Us, Target, Wal-Mart, and other locations. Moreover, the pacifiers are also available on leading e-commerce portals like Amazon, including the company’s own portal, reported CNN. The products are priced anywhere between $11 and $15 depending on the region and pricing models adopted by the respective platforms.

Incidentally, the company hasn’t confirmed any specific batches that qualify for the recall. However, the recall covers a very wide time frame. The company will voluntarily accept the pacifiers that were sold through the retailers and other mass distributors nationwide and online from March 2014 through March 2016, reported News Net 5. The company has established a dedicated helpline. It has urged customers or those who are interested to know about the recall to give a call on 877-242-3134 or visit Munchkin.com.

There have been recalls of numerous baby products in the last year. Beech-Nut recalled its baby food formula last year because glass shards were discovered in some of its products. Other products that the CPSC has asked to be recalled are baby wipes, strollers, car seats, among others.

[Photo by Erika Lidzn/Getty Images]

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