Councils are warning parents about the risk of nappy sack suffocation following the death of two babies in just over a year.
Derbyshire County Council and Derby City Council have backed the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents’ (RoSPA) campaign after two babies died after putting a plastic nappy sack in or over their mouths.
Derbyshire County Council cabinet member for health and communities, Cllr Dave Allen said: ‘These two local deaths of very young babies were tragic accidents which have had a devastating effect on the families involved.
’That’s why we’re keen to support RoSPA’s campaign to highlight the dangers of suffocation from this product and other plastic or packaging.’
According to RoSPA research, many parents tend to store nappy sacks close to the cot while nappy changing at night.
RoSPA public health advisor, Sheila Merrill, said: ‘Nappy sacks are made from light flimsy plastic that is easy for babies and young children to grasp and they instinctively discover the world by putting things in their mouth, but once in their mouths they find it difficult to remove and can suffocate or choke.’
