Parents Should Never Place a Fussy Baby on a Clothes Dryer

Wednesday, March 16, 2011 - 09:35
Urgent Media Advisory
Immediate distribution
 
The Trauma Specialists at The Montreal Children’s Hospital warn this is extremely dangerous as the baby could fall off and be seriously injured
 
Montreal--March 16, 2011: Contrary to a commercial currently running on radio and television, parents should never try to soothe or put their babies to sleep on their clothes dryer or any other appliance while it’s operating or sitting idle.
 
The trauma specialists at The Montreal Children’s Hospital (MCH) of the McGill University Health Centre are urging parents to disregard the advice in an ad by a major furniture and appliance retailer which makes reference to using a clothes dryer to get a baby to fall sleep within minutes. The commercial emphasizes the benefits of motion and white noise in helping soothe colicky infants. The advertiser, however, makes no mention of the potential dangers associated with the practice.
 
“Some parents believe placing their children on appliances such as clothes dryers will help settle them to sleep but these are very dangerous practices as the child may fall off and be injured or even killed by the fall,” says Debbie Friedman, Director of Trauma Services at the MCH. “Even buckled in a car seat or infant carrier, helpless children placed on appliances have ended up toppling over the side due to the vibrations.”
 
In Canada, falls are the leading cause of injury in young children.  Parents need to be aware of potential safety issues in their home and take necessary precautions, says Ms. Friedman, who urges the retailer to withdraw the advertisement and suggests the company run a new commercial warning parents about the dangers associated with placing young children on appliances.
 
For more information and recommendations on how to better prevent falls and serious injuries in young children, please click here.
 
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For more information please call:
Lisa Dutton
Manager Public Relations and Communications
The Montreal Children’s Hospital of the MUHC
(514) 412-4307