6 of 15 dummy holders tested pose choking, strangulation risks to babies, Hong Kong consumer watchdog finds
- Five models did not have ventilation holes to prevent choking, while another product failed to comply with durability standards
- ‘The safety of young children is so important that this has to be highly safeguarded. What we found is that quite some samples do not pass the EU requirement,’ watchdog says
Six of 15 dummy holders tested by Hong Kong’s consumer watchdog could pose choking and strangulation risks to babies as they failed to meet EU safety standards.
The Consumer Council on Thursday said five of the models tested did not have ventilation holes to prevent choking and that their length exceeded safety guidelines.
Another model failed to comply with durability standards as it had broken parts that potentially obstructed airways.
“[We are] definitely not happy about [the test results],” the council’s chief executive, Gilly Wong Fung-han, said.
“The safety of young children is so important that it has to be highly safeguarded. This time, what we found is [that] quite some samples do not pass the EU requirements.”
According to Kenneth Chan Kin-nin, the council’s publicity and community relations committee vice-chairman, a dummy holder typically consists of a strap and clasps, with one end featuring a pacifier clamp and the other a clip to attach to the clothes of infants and toddlers.
The council said that according to the European Union safety standards, the holder and its components should have two vent holes measuring at least 4mm in diameter or one not less than 12mm if they could pass through two test guides simulating the oral cavity of young children.
These openings would allow a child to breathe in case their airways were obstructed by the products.
Designs with ventilation holes would also buy parents some time to send their babies to hospital in emergencies, Wong stressed.
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Among the products tested, five failed to comply with that requirement, with the worst models being Snapkis 2-in-1 Pacifier & Teether Clip (unicorn) and KuKu Duckbill @ Jini Baby Ku-Ku Pacifier Chain (Pink).
The clothing clip and decorative elements of Snapkis 2-in-1 Pacifier & Teether Clip (unicorn) could pass through two guides emulating the oral cavity of a young child, but it did not feature any ventilation holes.
Meanwhile, the dummy clip of Kuku Duckbill @ Jini Baby Ku-Ku Pacifier Chain (Pink) failed to meet a standard for the detachable part size, as well as for ventilation openings for both the dummy and garment clamp.
The watchdog also found that the overall length of the same five products exceeded the recommendations, which could pose a strangulation hazard. The standards stipulate that the maximum length of the entire dummy holder, excluding its clothing clip, should be no longer than 220mm.
The longest among the products tested was Hoppetta Multi Clip (Hedgehog), exceeding the standard by 66mm.
The Post has reached out to Hoppetta’s sole agent in Hong Kong for comment.
Another product, Simba Pacifier Holder (Orange) from the brand Simba, failed a durability test, as a part of its clothing clip broke off on the 320th attempt of opening and closing. The model also cracked during a tensile strength test.
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“The small parts of the model which broke off during the tests can pose choking hazards to young children if accidentally swallowed,” Chan said.
Replying to the watchdog, the brand owner of KuKu Duckbill @ Jini Baby Ku-Ku Pacifier Chain (Pink) said the product had been discontinued a while. The distributor of Snapkis 2-in-1 Pacifier & Teether Clip (unicorn) said it no longer sold the product.
Wong advised those purchasing dummies to ensure the components at the product’s both ends were relatively bigger.
She added that parents should also measure the length of the product to ensure it was not longer than 220mm, excluding the garment clip, as well as examine the dummy for ventilation holes.
