Interviewer: You might get it free from a relative or maybe you found it at a killer garage sale, but there are second hand items that you should avoid. Hand me downs that harm. We'll examine that next on The Scope.
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Interviewer: What second hand kids items should you watch out for? We're calling it hand me downs that harm with Pediatrician Nathan Bexfield from University Utah Hospital. Let's talk about some of these things that maybe you might want to get free from a relative or you found a great deal at a yard sale, but they could cause more harm than their worth. How many would you say that there are?
Dr. Bexfield: I'd like to talk today about strollers, high chairs, used toys and baby furniture.
Interviewer: All right. Let's start out with strollers. What are the things that you should watch out for with strollers? Old hand me down strollers.
Dr. Bexfield: So, first of all you don't want to get any stroller made before 2007. The safety standards have changed with those strollers and they're probably not the safest ways to go when deciding to get a used stroller.
Interviewer: What are some of those safety standards that changed?
Dr. Bexfield: It's the parts that can pinch, cut, harm or fall off and hurt the child.
Interviewer: So, every stroller before 2007 you should avoid?
Dr. Bexfield: I would. If I . . .
Interviewer: Really.
Dr. Bexfield: Yeah
Interviewer: If it was you and you were the parent?
Dr. Bexfield: If it was me and I was the parent I would avoid most strollers before 2007.
Interviewer: All right. Hand me down that harm, number two.
Dr. Bexfield: Number two. I would say high chairs. A lot of people will get hand me down high chairs from grandparents or parents that they used when their kids were kids.
Interviewer: That kind of cool.
Dr. Bexfield: Yeah. It is kind of cool and it's very nostalgic and nice, but you want to watch out for those things because they might not meet the safety standards that newer ones meet.
Interviewer: Okay.
Dr. Bexfield: Such as a five point harness.
Interviewer: Okay.
Dr. Bexfield: So the child doesn't fall out. Also there is a crotch bar that keeps the child from falling out the bottom.
Interviewer: I've seen some of the antique high chairs. There are beautiful. There made out of wood but there legs are very narrow and the seats are very slippery and there is none of those things that keep the kids from just going . . .
Dr. Bexfield: Yeah. And if the kid rocks back and forth a little too much, they can just topple over . . .
Interviewer: All right.
Dr. Bexfield: . . . and have a nice little head injury on your hands.
Interviewer: So if you have one of those heirlooms just display item only or put a dolly in it.
Dr. Bexfield: Exactly.
Interviewer: Not a real kid.
Dr. Bexfield: Exactly. Exactly.
Interviewer: Hand me downs that harm. What's number three?
Dr. Bexfield: Number three. Used toys. So used toys are very, very common in yard sales, garage sales, and online sites. Main thing you want to look at is make sure there is no chips, break in the paint or old paint like lead paint used on those toys, because that can poison the child and also cut them or harm them.
Interviewer: All right. So old dolls might have heads that could easily be removed and become a choking hazard or something like that?
Dr. Bexfield: Exactly.
Interviewer: Gotcha. Hand me down that harm. What's next?
Dr. Bexfield: The last one I got is baby furniture.
Interviewer: All right.
Dr. Bexfield: Baby furniture. Very, very common at yard sales. Expecting parents are looking for these things all over the place. Again, you want to make sure these items have not been recalled and you can check that by looking on the manufacturer's website or calling the manufacturer.
Interviewer: That's probably a good rule for all of these things.
Dr. Bexfield: Definitely.
Interviewer: Some of them could be recalled so you can check for that.
Dr. Bexfield: Definitely. Another thing you want to look for on furniture is peeling paint, chips in the paint, and missing parts that could actually end up harming the child. Like getting fingers pinched. The actual piece of furniture falling apart or falling on the child is a concern as well.
Interviewer: Sure. Something that is old and might not be as stable or sturdy as . . .
Dr. Bexfield: Exactly.
Interviewer: . . . something newer. Any final thoughts on this.
Dr. Bexfield: Final though I would say anything that you buy used or online that's used you want to ask a few questions. Those questions what are what is the model number or product name. If you get an answer to that question, you can always go to a website called www.recalls.gov and that website will tell you if that product has ever been recalled.
Another one is does this product have the original instruction manual with it. Which would be helpful in knowing if you have any missing parts or if it has been recalled. The last thing is when was the item made, how long was it used, and if the seller bought it new or used.
Interviewer: Okay. And by asking those questions like that question there, what kind of answers are you looking for that might make you go ugh?
Dr. Bexfield: An answer would be like I got this used form my cousin that used this with her other three children. By the time it gets to you, it's been used five or six times.
Interviewer: So that's a red flag in your opinion.
Dr. Bexfield: That's a red flag in my opinion. Definitely.
Interviewer: So you as a pediatrician or you as a parent when in doubt . . .
Dr. Bexfield: Don't get it. If you're questioning yourself at all, just don't buy it.
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