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First Years High Chair Gym toys

CPSC Recall #98-071 — February 18, 1998

Recall Summary

Recall Number98-071
Recall DateFebruary 18, 1998
Remedy TypeRepair
Units AffectedAbout 108,000

Where It Was Sold

Discount and toy stores sold the First Years High Chair Gym toy nationwide from January 1995 through November 1997 for about $10.

Product

First Years High Chair Gym toys

Description

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), The First Years of Avon, Mass., is recalling about 108,000 First Years High Chair Gym toys for repair. The clacker balls hanging from the center of the toy present a choking hazard to young children. CPSC and The First Years have received 2 reports of children getting one of the clacker balls stuck in the throat and blocking the airway. Nearby adults were able to pull the balls free and prevent the children from choking. The First Years is offering a free repair kit, consisting of easily installed permanent covers for the ball-shaped ends of the clacker toy. The covers will prevent the toy from entering a child's throat. The First Years High Chair Gym is an activity toy consisting of a metal wire frame about 7 inches high and 10.5 inches wide. It attaches to a high chair tray by two large red suction cups. Several brightly colored plastic toys hang from the wire frame. Two 1-inch diameter plastic clacker balls, one black and one white, are suspended from the center of the frame by rigid plastic arms about 3.5 inches long. A yellow plastic spinning toy on one end of the frame has "the first years" molded in one end with a sun on the opposite end. Discount and toy stores sold the First Years High Chair Gym toy nationwide from January 1995 through November 1997 for about $10. Consumers should take the toy away from children immediately and call The First Years at (800) 533-6708 anytime for the free repair kit and installation instructions or write to The First Years at One Kiddie Drive, Avon, MA 02322-1171.

Hazard

The clacker balls hanging from the center of the toy present a choking hazard to young children.

Incidents & Injuries

CPSC and The First Years have received 2 reports of children getting one of the clacker balls stuck in the throat and blocking the airway. Nearby adults were able to pull the balls free and prevent the children from choking.

Remedy Instructions

Consumers should take the toy away from children immediately and call The First Years at (800) 533-6708 anytime for the free repair kit and installation instructions or write to The First Years at One Kiddie Drive, Avon, MA 02322-1171.

What Should You Do?

Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Repair at no charge. If you experienced an injury, report it at SaferProducts.gov.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Follow the consumer action instructions in the recall notice above. Most recalls require you to stop using the product and contact the manufacturer directly — either by calling the toll-free number listed in the official CPSC notice or by visiting the manufacturer's website. You generally do not need a receipt or original packaging to claim a remedy. The manufacturer is legally required to provide the remedy (Repair) at no cost to you.

Federal law prohibits the sale of toys with small parts for children under age 3. CPSC uses a standardized small parts cylinder to test whether pieces from a toy can fit entirely inside — if they can, they are considered a choking hazard. Products marketed for children under 3 must not contain any small parts. Beyond the legal requirements, the CPSC and pediatricians recommend keeping all small objects away from children under 4, as the risk of choking extends beyond the formal legal age threshold.

In most cases, no. CPSC-coordinated recall remedies are designed to be accessible without proof of purchase. Manufacturers typically ask consumers to self-certify ownership and may ask for photos of the product or its serial number. Some manufacturers request that you mail in a portion of the product (such as a cut cord or removed component) as proof of disposal. Check the specific remedy instructions for this recall for exact requirements. If you registered your product at the time of purchase, the process is usually even simpler.

If the original manufacturer has gone out of business, the recall remedy may no longer be available through them. In this case, contact CPSC directly at 1-800-638-2772 or cpsc.gov for guidance. If the brand was acquired by another company, the acquiring company may have assumed recall obligations. In some cases where a remedy is unavailable, CPSC advises consumers to safely dispose of the product. If you were injured by the product of a defunct company, consult a product liability attorney — parent companies, distributors, and retailers may still bear liability in some circumstances.

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