Didgets
Child safety site tracks recalls

By Vicki Viotti
Advertiser Staff Writer

It's bad enough that parents have to worry about safety problems with products they purchase for their kids. When the system for correcting the problems has broken down, too, it's enough to cause Mom or Dad to throw a tantrum.

Nearly one out of five product recall hotlines for child safety gear is flawed in some way, according to a report by the Consumer Federation of America. Either the listing from the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission provides a wrong number, or the number is disconnected, rings a fax machine, is always busy or is answered by someone unable to help the consumer, the organization reported.

The federation, a collective of about 250 pro-consumer groups, has responded through its nonprofit foundation, which has launched Safechild.net, a clearinghouse of information about all aspects of child safety. For parents, the aids include a list of recalls, a primer on filing a complaint, evaluations of safety problems with children's merchandise, issues encountered at home and while away and papers covering numerous child health topics.

Most helpful of all, perhaps, is the free e-mail notification service, alerting parents of relevant product recalls.