Babies are often given a dummy to suck on for comfort. Most babies have a strong sucking reflex and sucking often soothes them. Some parents swear that dummies are lifesavers, but there can be some downsides. While injuries from dummies are rare, there are risks associated with using old dummies or dummies that do not meet mandatory safety requirements. Unsafe dummies can cause a child to choke, strangle or suffer infection.
Standards Australia has just released an updated standard AS 2432:2015 Babies’ Dummies to establish, through manufacturing requirements, a desirable level of inherent safety in babies’ dummies. The Standard supersedes the 2009 edition and includes a number of changes including requirements for decorations; and minimum thickness for the teat.
Other changes include adjustment to the bite test and warning label text.
CFA has a representative on the Standards Australia Technical Committee CS-040 which revised the standard.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) Product Safety Australia has more information about Babies’ dummies including safety issues, bans, mandatory standards and recalls; as well as the Babies’ dummies – Keep babies safe brochure.
Find out more about the pros and cons of babies’ dummies.
CFA provides volunteer representatives on Standards Australia Technical Committees as part of the CFA Standards Project; if you are interested in finding out more about the Project and/or becoming a volunteer CFA Standards Representative please contact the Standards Coordinator at standards@consumeraction.