They may look cute and seem harmless, but neck floats for babies can have deadly consequences, an expert warns. Kyran Quinlan, associate professor of pediatrics at Rush University, made the claim as the trendy gadgets¹ continue to flood social media.

 

婴儿颈浮圈造型可爱，看似也没有伤害性，但随着这款潮物在社交媒体上不断泛滥，拉什大学小儿科副教授柯瑞`昆兰警告道，它们可能带来致命后果。

 

The former chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) said seams on the inflatable gadgets, sold across the world, can be poorly sealed.

 

Speaking of the growing sales of the dangerous devices, he said: 'Neck floats for babies scare me to death, and I hope they scare parents.

 

'These are potential death traps... To have your precious baby one poorly sealed seam away from going under at the pool is frightening.'

 

Such gadgets, designed originally as medical aids for disabled children, are often used by parents to support their baby's neck while in the water.

 

But officials have long warned of the threat of swimming and flotation aids and have said they should not be confused with safety devices.

 

Risk of drowning increases if the gadgets, used to support a baby's neck in the water, are used incorrectly, or if they accidentally deflate.

 

The AAP warns any air-filled swimming aids can pose the same risk, as any deflation takes away their buoyancy immediately.

 

Other experts have condemned² neck floats as being unstable³.

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