[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 106 (Thursday, July 24, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1512]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           BABY SAFETY SHOWER

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. RODNEY P. FRELINGHUYSEN

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 24, 1997

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, on July 21, 1997, I hosted an event 
in my district, the details of which I would like to share with you and 
my colleagues.
  The event, a Baby Safety Shower, was developed by the Consumer 
Product Safety Commission to help good parents become even better 
parents, and good grandparents become even better grandparents. I was 
certainly pleased to have Ann Brown, Chair of the U.S. Consumer Product 
Safety Commission [CPSC], as my guest at Morristown Memorial Hospital 
to share some of her extensive knowledge of consumer product safety 
issues with new and expectant mothers, grandparents, pediatricians, and 
child care providers in New Jersey.
  I can tell you that when I learned about the CPSC's Baby Safety 
Shower program, I decided immediately that it was something that I 
would like to share with my constituents. As I well know, as a parent 
myself, babies do not come with instruction manuals and even the best 
new parents need to learn how to take care of their babies.
  We know how much new parents want this kind of information, and CPSC 
has already given out over a quarter million baby safety checklists, 
containing safety tips that can save a baby's life, to parents around 
the country. Most people don't know that many of the everyday items in 
their homes can be hazardous to a baby, nor do they realize the extent 
of harm that these hidden hazards can cause.
  Ann Brown shared several of the most common items with us in her 
presentation. For example, many individuals would never think that an 
old crib with sentimental value could be deadly for a new baby. To the 
contrary, old and previously used cribs are involved in the deaths of 
about 50 infants each year. To prevent these unnecessary deaths, CPSC 
has an abundance of information that can be used to identify these 
hazards.
  The event was cosponsored by the New Jersey Department of Health and 
Senior Services. Dr. Leah Ziskin, Deputy Commissioner of Child Health, 
served as my cohost and offered her expertise on child health issues. 
The Department of Health and Senior Services offered new mothers 
important information on lead poisoning prevention.
  I chose to host the event at Morristown Memorial Hospital to add a 
health emphasis on the day as well. The 11th District has a wealth of 
talented pediatricians and Morristown Memorial Hospital has one of the 
finest pediatrics and maternal health programs in the area. I want to 
thank Morristown Memorial and their staff for all of their assistance 
in planning the event and making the day run smoothly, including Dick 
Oths, Jeanne McMahon, Carol Paul, Dr. Kathleen Baker, Dr. Abraham Risk, 
Alan Robinson, Marcus DePontes, and Vicki Allen.
  I would like to also thank the hospital for their excellent and 
informative presentations on the ``TraumaRoo'' program, Sudden Infant 
Death Syndrome, the Women, Infants, and Children [WIC] nutrition 
program, and Childhood Immunizations. The new or expectant mothers that 
I spoke with at the event were thrilled with all of the information 
that was made available through these displays.
  Further, the 11th District has a wealth of companies that manufacture 
important products to keep infants and children healthy. I would like 
to thank Johnson and Johnson, founding sponsor of the New Jersey State 
Safety Council and the New Jersey State Safe Kids Campaign, American 
Home Products, the Warner Lambert Co., and Discovery Toys for their 
generous contributions of products and information that they made 
available to all the attendees.
  Finally, I consider myself and the 11th District privileged to work 
with Kathy Ross, executive director of Child and Family Resources, who 
was also a great help in coordinating the event, sharing information on 
the ``Rethinking the Brain'' campaign, and reaching out to parents and 
child care providers alike.
  I am hopeful that the information that was made available at the Baby 
Safety Shower will prevent accidents and harm to infants and children 
in my State. I am also optimistic that the day's events will be 
replicated by some of the individuals in attendance so that these 
important points will reach even more new parents and grandparents in 
our area and around the country.

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