Parents have been urgently warned to keep their babies away from teething necklaces, after The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have deemed them unsafe.
The FDA issued the warning after an 18-month old child was strangled to death by his amber teething necklace during a nap.
A seven-month old child also choked on the beads of a wooden teething bracelet while under parental supervision and was taken to the hospital, the US agency reported.
Mums and dads use the necklaces to help alleviate the discomfort of teething toddlers, which can make little ones upset and teary.
The teething jewellery is supposed to help tots during this difficult but crucial stage of development, as the baby has something there to chew on – encouraging the teeth to break through.
Manufacturers also claim the resin in the necklaces helps to soothe the inflammation and ease the pain.
The jewellery is also used by children with special needs such as autism or attention-deficit or hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) for sensory stimulation.
But the FDA warns against the necklaces, as they put children at risk of serious injury and even death.
“We know that teething necklaces and jewelry products have become increasingly popular among parents and caregivers who want to provide relief for children’s teething pain and sensory stimulation for children with special needs.
“We’re concerned about the risks we’ve observed with these products and want parents to be aware that teething jewelry puts children, including those with special needs, at risk of serious injury and death,” said FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D.
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