After the death or hospitalization of an infant, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has urged parents and caregivers to stop using baby neck floats. The agency warned Tuesday that the babies suffered injuries while being not monitored.
These inflatable plastic rings can be wrapped around the neck of a baby to allow them to float in water. They are suitable for babies as young as two weeks of age, and also for premature babies, or those with disabilities or developmental delays.
Manufacturers tout necks floats as being able to give babies mobility and provide valuable tools for children with special needs, but the FDA has stated that the product’s effectiveness is not proven.
It stated that it was recently made aware of neck floats being sold by companies for water therapy purposes without FDA approval or clearance.
The agency stated that neck floats are not safe or effective for building strength, motor development, or physical therapy. Neck floats can cause death by drowning, suffocation or strain to the neck. Special needs babies such as those with spina bifida and SMA Type 1 might be more at risk of serious injury.
Baby neck floats gained popularity over the years. There were many photos of these tiny swim products on social media. One pediatrician described them as “potentially death traps” in several news accounts.