Baby floats: FDA warns parents not to use neck rings after at least 1 baby dies, another hurt

The FDA has a warning about baby neck floats: don't use them.

At least one child has died, and another was hurt linked to one of those devices. In both cases, the babies were injured when their caregivers were not directly monitoring them.

The FDA says the inflatable, plastic rings put babies at risk of drowning, suffocation and other injuries - especially in babies who have developmental delays or special needs.

They're sometimes marketed for water therapy to help kids who have spina bifida, spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type 1, cerebral palsy and Down syndrome.

Companies have not gotten government approval to promote neck floats for a child's development.

Parents and caregivers are being encouraged to report any injuries due to infant neck floats to the FDA to help identify and better understand the risks.