photo courtesy of FDA
The Gerber Products Company recently discontinued and announced a Gerber Teething Sticks recall due to choking hazard.
The recall was announced following reports of injury.
Teething is a terrible rite of passage. The pain of those tiny pearly whites breaching tender flesh. The powerless feeling a parent goes though, not being able to completely soothe this sensation.
For centuries, parents have concocted home remedies, treatments, and teething aids.
From sticks in historic times to frozen washcloths to modern teething toys. And for a short time, edible Gerber teething sticks available for purchase at a grocery store near you.
According to a Nestle press release, when the product was released in 2020, these products were a “first-of-its-kind natural product for teething babies.” These Gerber teething sticks were branded Sooth ‘n’ Chew.
Made of a grain-based material, these chew sticks were designed to naturally massage the babies’ gums while they gnaw on them.
According to Nestle, “The firm, long-lasting texture … slowly softens” as the baby chews on it. It is described as a natural alternative to medicine and plastics.
Despite later discovery that it was a choking hazard, the press release indicates that the company “partnered with paediatric feeding specialists to design” this unique edible teether.
The concept was promising. But the follow-through was life-threatening.
After several complaints, the product has now been discontinued and a recall has been initiated.
On January 31, 2025, Gerber Products Company initiated a recall for all batches of their Gerber® Soothe N Chew® Teething Sticks due to “choking hazard.”
Recalled products include:
Recalled product was distributed nationwide online and to distributions centers and retail stores in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregan, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wyoming, and Puerto Rico.
This recall was initiated following several consumer complaints of choking incidents. According to the recall notice, at least one emergency room visit has been reported to the company.
The Gerber Products Company is cooperating with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on this recall.
The consequences of consuming foreign material can be serious and even life-threatening, depending on the foreign material and how far it makes its way through the body. This is especially important in small children – the expected consumer of Gerber teething sticks. The major concerns for injury when consuming foreign material involve the mouth, teeth, and digestive tract. However, other related symptoms to the injuries may also occur.
Consuming hard or sharp foreign objects can injure or damage the mouth, resulting in painful lacerations of the mouth and/or tongue. The soft pallet of a small child is especially vulnerable. According to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) injury to the mouth and throat is the most common injury associated with foreign material contamination.
Small children are vulnerable to choking hazards. Objects small enough to fit in their mouth but large enough to restrict the airway are especially concerning. Prone to startle gasps, small children can choke on something that an adult would know to hold in their mouth.
In addition to the potential dangers of choking, the digestive tract is at risk if the large or sharp object makes its way past the throat. As the foreign object makes its way through the digestive tract, it can cause several injuries along the way. If the foreign material is hard or sharp, these damages can be severe.
An esophageal laceration may occur. This is when the esophagus is torn or cut but does not fully penetrate the walls of the esophagus. In cases where the tear or cut to the esophagus results in a hole in the walls of the esophagus, it is referred to as an esophageal perforation. This can happen with Gerber teething sticks if a sharp portion of the stick breaks off and is swallowed.
In some cases, a fistula may form as a result of the injury. This dangerous situation occurs when two tissues that should not be connected fuse together as the injury improperly heals. Small children do not have a way to express themselves. If the injury is ignored due to attributing the fussiness to general teething problems, this dangerous situation could take place.
Additional lacerations or perforations of the uvula (the fleshy ball at the back of the throat), the epiglottis (the soft tissue that acts as a gatekeeper to the esophagus and the larynx), and the pharynx (the muscular tube that runs from the nose to the esophagus) may occur.
The stomach and/or intestine may also become lacerated or perforated if the hard or sharp foreign material makes its way through the digestive tract.
Other symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, fever, dizziness, and/or chest pains may occur as a result of consuming a hard or sharp object.
If your child has been injured or experienced a choking event from Gerber teething sticks, you may have a legal claim. The Lange Law Firm has won millions of dollars in product liability and food poisoning cases and has the experience to get you the justice you deserve.
Call (833) 330-3663 for a free, no-obligation consultation. Or fill out the online submission form and a compassionate member of our team will get back with you soon.
By: Heather Van Tassell (contributing writer, non-lawyer)
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