On Tuesday morning, after I had finished feeding Holden his 10 o'clock bottle, I flipped him around to burp him when I noticed that the back of his neck was all red and irritated. I pulled the neck of his Carter’s blanket sleeper down to find a huge, 5" +/- circle of red, irritated skin with a rectangular "burn" right in the middle. Where the skin was gone, it was wet and oozing. I freaked out, grabbed the camera, took a ton of pictures, and then jumped on my online triplet moms forum to ask if anyone else had experienced something like this and what I should do about it (Neosporin, A&D, etc.) One of the moms forwarded me to this website: http://www.zrecommends.com/detail/carters-responds-to-zrecs-inquiry/. I contacted Carter’s and they claim there was an issue with the ink that was used in the heat-transferred tag imprint from their Fall ’07 line (which were made in China, by the way) and that they were going to send me a postage paid return label via FedEx overnight and asked me to send back all the clothes I have from the Fall ’07 line, and anything else I’m not comfortable keeping, for a full retail-price reimbursement as well as a bunch of toys for the kids (kissing my ass, huh?). One of the other moms on the forum said that she’s heard that some of the moms sending things back are only getting credit for half of what they returned, as Carter’s is trying to say certain labels aren’t part of the issue, etc. so to take pictures and invoice everything I send back to them. I also called the CPSC and e-mailed Consumer Reports to file complaints. I kept the blanket sleeper in a Ziploc bag, as it still has his skin on the tag label. Gross and completely horrifying.
Holden has had a patch of what I thought was just eczema in that same spot for the last few months (no irritation, just flaky, dry skin). After we gave them their baths last Thursday, we put Holden into an older cotton footed pj that we had leftover from Gwen, which had sewn-in tags. When they got their baths this past Monday, we put all the kids into fleece blanket sleepers, as the temperatures are starting to drop into the 20s at night. In hind-sight, I am assuming that the eczema he had before all this was from a reaction to the tagless imprint, just that the ink in the label on that 2007 model was what really got him. I also am thinking that his skin had probably started to heal while wearing the jammies with the sewn-in tags, and so it reacted strongly when that type of label was reintroduced (like any other allergy would).
I took him to the pediatrician yesterday afternoon and they were shocked at how awful his back looked (which looked better than the day before, even though it was all crusted over). The nurse actually brought in another nurse to look at him and said they were going to go online and print out some of the info on the tagless label injuries to make the other docs, nurses, and parents aware. The pediatrician said it wasn't a chemical burn, but a serious reaction that caused the topical dermatitis eczema (and she said eczema can be horrible, with open wounds,etc. - not to gross anyone out) and gave us some steroidal gel to apply 2x a day. It is already looking better, and it doesn’t really seem to bother him, thank God! I asked her if he should stay away from any kind of tagless heat-applied tag imprints from now on and she said it probably wouldn't be a problem but to put medical tape over the tag imprints on the clothes we have for him for now, until the wound he has was all healed up and gone, and then to try again. I love her.
Carter’s can kiss the fattest part of my ass right about now so I am taking a stand. I am making sure to spread the word via my big mouth and my blog, so that everyone I come in contact with will know what is happening with these labels and what to look out for. Please join me in my efforts and tell other moms you know so that this won’t happen to their babies.
Finally, here is the photographic evidence. My poor little man…
Here is Holden’s tagless injury 3 days after it happened.
Here is Holden’s tagless injury 4 days after it happened. As you can see, it looks much better but is still very badly irritated. We’ve been using the steroidal gel as instructed for 3 days now and his skin is continuing to peel and starting to heal:
Carter’s should definitely issue a recall on these items (recalls are usually issued when the cost to pay injuries or suits out of pocket exceeds the cost of the recall) but I will take a Warning Notice from the CPSC for now: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09023.html At least it’s something! YAY!
Comments (14)
I just read your post on TC and I too had not heard a darn thing about any of this... Obviously my kids are quite a bit younger than yours but we still wear the Carters brand. We also have an outlet close by.
I was horrified to actually SEE Holden's burn and feel just awful for him...
I'm glad that your pediatrician was so proactive and he's now healing nicely. Regardless, what a hassle... I'm SO sorry!!
Good Luck!!
Posted by Jessica | October 23, 2008 2:01 PM
Posted on October 23, 2008 14:01
How horrible. my friend sent this to me concerned for my 2 1/2. I will certainly pass it on. I totally agree w/you. who wants there brown-nosing toys anyway? we want happy "UN-BURNED" babies!!!
Take that stand!
Posted by Ryann | October 23, 2008 9:09 PM
Posted on October 23, 2008 21:09
Hi Mandie,
I ran across your posting after reading today's press release by Carter's and thought that Holden's reaction to the tagless labels would be important for our readers to know about. We linked to your story from our baby blogs and noted the source of the burn image. You'll see the trackback from our green baby blog MapleBaby.com in the next few minutes.
Tell Holden that Dr.MOZ the moose says hello!
Best,
Jason at Dr.MOZ
Posted by Jason | October 24, 2008 6:52 PM
Posted on October 24, 2008 18:52
Mandie, thank you so much for sharing Holden's story. I will link to your blog; Holden's poor little back looked horrible. I am so glad you got to the bottom of this sooner rather than later.
Posted by Ashley | October 24, 2008 10:13 PM
Posted on October 24, 2008 22:13
Mandie,
I am so sorry to hear about your son and see these horrible pictures! As you will see, your son's pictures are similar to our daughter's pictures, and Holden's story is remarkably the same as Ava's. We have chronicled everything in our blog, including Carters CEO's personal hand written letter to us; http://avastaglesshorrorwithcarters.blogspot.com/
Thank you for continuing to spread the word on the dangers of wearing Carters tagless clothes.
Wishing you and Holden the best.
Posted by Janet | October 25, 2008 12:40 AM
Posted on October 25, 2008 00:40
I am so sorry . . . I will be spreading the word and checking all of my LO's clothing!!!
Posted by Jenny | October 28, 2008 1:36 AM
Posted on October 28, 2008 01:36
I posted on my blog.
Posted by Amy | October 28, 2008 1:50 PM
Posted on October 28, 2008 13:50
OMG. i found your blog beacuse it was linked on a cafemom group I am apart of talking about the carters recall! thank you for posting and as soon as I go home from work I am going through all of my daughters clothes to see what needs to be sent back. We own a TON of carters clothes and i think at one point or another my daughter has ad a little rash on her upper back (NOT ANYWHERE BAD as your little one) and I just thought it was a reaction to eating something new and it alwayas went away and never got worse! Wow thank you so much for the heads up. If there is anything i can do to help with anything let me know I am willing to spread the word as much as i can so that no other children have to go through this! Glad to hear your little one is getting better!
~Meaghan
Posted by Meaghan | October 28, 2008 5:41 PM
Posted on October 28, 2008 17:41
This looks exacctly like my daughter back and the same story I heard from the doctor.. I felt like such a bad mom becasue I could not figure out why she had this rash. Thanks for this website.. i am getting ride of 90% of my daughters clothes. i am spreading the word becasue i have expirence with this rash :(
Tasha
Posted by Tasha | October 28, 2008 5:56 PM
Posted on October 28, 2008 17:56
I'm a television reporter getting ready to move to Austin, TX and am wondering if there are any parents from Texas whose children have experienced this. I'd like to do a story on this to make other parents aware of this. Please contact me if you or anyone you know lives near Austin and has a child who has suffered a similar rash. Thank you.
Terri Gruca
terri@terriontv.com
Posted by Terri Gruca | October 30, 2008 1:27 PM
Posted on October 30, 2008 13:27
Hi Mandie,
This is really short notice but any chance you want to talk to an investigative reporter out of San Francisco who is on deadline for a big story on the Carter's fiasco? They have lab-tested the labels and have found something, though they're not talking until Friday when the story airs. The guy wants to talk to other mothers whose children have suffered reactions. Please let me know asap and I will give you his information.
Posted by Ashley | November 5, 2008 8:57 PM
Posted on November 5, 2008 20:57
I have an 18 month old son, who has had a sever rash all over his body on and off for about 2 months. I was looking things up and found your blog. i wish i had taken pictures. After going to get ethan tested for allergies, eliminating different foods, seeing Dr.s and such I suddenly thought about his sleepers. It is not one spot. It is really all over his whole body. Several nights ago we started to put him in cotton and the the warm sleeper on top. That way it is not touching his body. It looks like it is getting better. He still itches his lower back, legs and arms a bit. But, it looks so much better. Have you or anyone else ever heard of this before? I have not found it by googling it. Any suggestions?
Posted by karissa | January 12, 2009 9:54 PM
Posted on January 12, 2009 21:54
My daughter had the same reaction to Carter's tagless onesies. The red patch would 'weep' and layers of skin peeled off. I am frustrated also! Have any of you found onesies that have 'real' old-fashioned tags? Or nothing at all? My daughter's sensitive skin is better, but still can get irritated. It's hard to find any clothes out there that doesn't have the tagless silkscreened print in them. If you have suggestions, it would be greatly appreciated! Thanks so much!
Posted by Holly | February 5, 2009 9:14 AM
Posted on February 5, 2009 09:14
I have been buying clothes from Gymboree that only have the tags (no more tagless for our children!). Our daughter is much more comfortable in these clothes with tags and is healing from the Carters tagless burns she had.
Posted by Janet | February 26, 2009 1:16 PM
Posted on February 26, 2009 13:16