A consumer warning is ringing across suburban Chicago and beyond after multiple disturbing reports of children nearly suffocating due to a seemingly innocuous household item—silicone baby bowls. According to FOX 32 Chicago, a couple from Joliet, Illinois experienced a parent's nightmare when their 13-month-old daughter, Ellie, struggled to breathe after a silicone bowl made by PandaEar suctioned to her face.
"Horrifying – it was very scary," Angela Kendall conveyed her terror to FOX 32 Chicago, after recounting the ordeal that occurred just two weeks ago when the bowl refused to come off easily from her daughter's face, necessitating her to pry at it. Inquiries aimed at the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission by FOX 32 elicited direction towards www.SaferProducts.gov, which revealed an eerily similar complaint about the PandaEar product and an 18-month-old child.
Case is far from isolated, as another harrowing incident was shared by a Texas-based mother on Facebook, and subsequently reported by Kidspot. Laci, the mother, narrated how her one-year-old daughter, Elliott, had the silicone bowl she was eating from suction to her face. "Thank goodness I was paying attention," Laci stated on Facebook, detailing the frantic moments she spent trying to free her daughter from the predicament that left the child shaken up.
The silicone bowls, advertised as a child-safe way to prevent mess by sticking to surfaces, appear to pose a greater risk than previously thought. Both FOX 32 and Kidspot stories underscore the unintended consequences of the product's design, with Laci remarking bitterly on Facebook, "As you can see, they don't suction well to the highchair," contradicting their proposed purpose. Despite the alarming experiences and direct outreach to the manufacturer by concerned parents, it appears that PandaEar has not responded to either family's attempts to contact them about the safety concerns.
The collection of these incidents has spurred parents to take preventive measures, with some discarding their silicone bowls as a result. The takeaway from these episodes is clear: Vigilance is paramount, and if a product in your home seems to present a potential danger, it should be reported. Parents and caregivers can use resources like www.SaferProducts.gov to research or report unsafe products, potentially preventing further near-misses or tragedies.
