X
theAsianparent Malaysia Logo
theAsianparent Malaysia Logo
EnglishMalay
  • Becoming a Parent
    • Project Sidekicks
    • Pregnancy
    • Losing A Baby
    • Conceiving a Baby
    • Adoption
    • Labour & Delivery
  • Ages & Stages
    • Baby
    • Child
    • Pre-Teen & Teen
  • Parenting
    • Parenting Tips
    • Marriage, Relationship & Sex
    • Viral News
  • Health
    • Illness
    • Allergy & Syndrome
    • Vaccinations
  • Breastfeeding & Nutrition
    • Breastfeeding
    • Healthy Meal Tips
    • Formula
  • Education
    • Preschool
    • Primary School
    • Middle School
    • Special Education
  • Money Parenting
    • Tips for Parents
    • Tips for Toddlers
    • Tips for Older Kids
    • The 5 Personas
  • Lifestyle
    • Money
    • Contests & Promotions
    • Holiday
    • Spirituality
    • Home
  • TAP Recommends
  • Press Room
  • Products

Sophie The Giraffe's Dirty Secret

24 Jan, 2017
Sophie The Giraffe's Dirty SecretSophie The Giraffe's Dirty Secret

Popular teether Sophie the Giraffe revealed a nasty surprise when a curious mother cut it open after noticing a funny smell - it was full of mold!

There are always items that mothers deem a must-have - sleep bags, Bumbo chairs, nursing pillows, these are just some items that make modern motherhood a bit easier.

Sophie the Giraffe is a trendy teether that many of my friends recommend. It's not cheap, retailing in Malaysia at around RM108. Moms declare that it's worth the price because of how organic it is - its made from natural rubber with spots painted on with food grade paint. At least we have the peace of mind knowing its safe for our little ones to chew on. It's also nice and soft, apparently a hit with all kids and most importantly, it's really cute.

But a piece of news just went viral last week when horrified mother Dana Chianese cut open her son's Sophie the Giraffe and discovered it was filled with mold!

dana

Photo by Dana Chianese. 

Chianese told Goodhousekeeping.com that she was cleaning the toy one day when she noticed the air coming out of the hole smelled strangely musty.

"I decided to cut into Sophie out of curiosity and discovered a science experiment living inside. Smelly, ugly mold living in my infant's favorite chew toy!" she says.

Imagine the horror!

She says that she always carefully cleaned the toy according to instructions, using hot soapy water with a damp sponge and never submerging it into water.

This prompted other parents to cut open their expensive teethers to make some horrifying discoveries for themselves. You can see more pictures here.

Sophie the Giraffe does have a little hole, that enables her to "laugh" when squeezed. But as all moms who have battled bath toys filled with mold will know - holes equals water getting in equals mold.

A spokesperson for Sophie the Giraffe had this to say:

First of all, it's important to know that Sophie la Girafe [Sophie the Giraffe] is composed of 100% natural rubber, so the cleaning instructions have to be carefully respected. As indicated on the packaging and in an explanatory leaflet inside the packaging, we recommend to clean the surface of Sophie la Girafe with a damp cloth. It should not be immersed in the water nor rinsed off, to prevent water from getting inside, as she may become damaged. We thus would like to emphasize on the fact that is it important, while cleaning the product, that no water gets inside the whole. As of now, we have not been contacted by Mrs. Chianese nor Mrs. Opera and were not aware of the situation before reading your article. It is thus difficult for us to comment on the current situation, as we haven't had the chance to examine the products. Please know that each complaint received is taken very seriously and that the return of the product is always asked for further examination. Furthermore, please know that the safety of children and satisfaction of their parents is our main priority. For the past 55 years, we have always strived to exceed security standards and all of our products comply with the most stringent global standards.

Although mold exposure is not serious for babies with a strong immune system, children with mold allergy may develop coughs and itchy eyes. Mommy Chianese says she will no longer be giving any toys with holes in them to her babies.

Partner Stories
Vaksin Rotavirus, Langkah Berkesan Untuk Halang Kanak-kanak Maut Akibat Cirit-birit
Vaksin Rotavirus, Langkah Berkesan Untuk Halang Kanak-kanak Maut Akibat Cirit-birit
Seorang Doktor Yang Juga Seorang Ibu Menyarankan Ibu Bapa Semua Untuk Ambil Tahu Tentang Vaksin
Seorang Doktor Yang Juga Seorang Ibu Menyarankan Ibu Bapa Semua Untuk Ambil Tahu Tentang Vaksin
Rawatan Cirit Birit Di Rumah Mengikut Usia Anak, Ini Yang Ibu Bapa Perlu Tahu
Rawatan Cirit Birit Di Rumah Mengikut Usia Anak, Ini Yang Ibu Bapa Perlu Tahu
5 Cara Keluarkan Kahak Bayi, Ibu Kena Cuba!
5 Cara Keluarkan Kahak Bayi, Ibu Kena Cuba!

“It still hurts my heart to know that for months I allowed my babies to chew on moldy toys,” she said.

 

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

img
Written by

Hanna Lee

  • Home
  • /
  • Kesihatan
  • /
  • Sophie The Giraffe's Dirty Secret
Share:
  • 'How Often Should I Wash My Bra?' Here's The Dirty Truth!

    'How Often Should I Wash My Bra?' Here's The Dirty Truth!

  • Mum's dirty diaper picture perfectly encapsulates being a new mum

    Mum's dirty diaper picture perfectly encapsulates being a new mum

  • Sampainya Hati! Gara-Gara Lahir Berkulit Hitam, Ibu Bapa Bayi Ini Sanggup Membuangnya!

    Sampainya Hati! Gara-Gara Lahir Berkulit Hitam, Ibu Bapa Bayi Ini Sanggup Membuangnya!

  • Budak Darjah 1 Duduk Asrama Terlalu Rindu Ibu Ayah, Dia Menangis Sampai Cium Dinding

    Budak Darjah 1 Duduk Asrama Terlalu Rindu Ibu Ayah, Dia Menangis Sampai Cium Dinding

app info
get app banner
  • 'How Often Should I Wash My Bra?' Here's The Dirty Truth!

    'How Often Should I Wash My Bra?' Here's The Dirty Truth!

  • Mum's dirty diaper picture perfectly encapsulates being a new mum

    Mum's dirty diaper picture perfectly encapsulates being a new mum

  • Sampainya Hati! Gara-Gara Lahir Berkulit Hitam, Ibu Bapa Bayi Ini Sanggup Membuangnya!

    Sampainya Hati! Gara-Gara Lahir Berkulit Hitam, Ibu Bapa Bayi Ini Sanggup Membuangnya!

  • Budak Darjah 1 Duduk Asrama Terlalu Rindu Ibu Ayah, Dia Menangis Sampai Cium Dinding

    Budak Darjah 1 Duduk Asrama Terlalu Rindu Ibu Ayah, Dia Menangis Sampai Cium Dinding

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Conceiving a Baby
    • Adoption
    • Pregnancy
    • Labour & Delivery
    • Marriage, Relationship & Sex
  • Baby
    • Baby Names
    • Ages & Stages
    • Parenting Tips
    • Breastfeeding & Nutrition
  • Health
    • Fitness
    • Allergy & Syndrome
    • Illness
    • Healthy Meal Tips
  • Education
    • Preschool
    • Primary School
    • Middle School
    • Special Education
  • Lifestyle
    • Home
    • Money
    • Holiday
    • Contests & Promotions
  • More
    • TAP Community
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contact Us
    • Become a Contributor


  • Singapore flag Singapore
  • Thailand flag Thailand
  • Indonesia flag Indonesia
  • Philippines flag Philippines
  • Malaysia flag Malaysia
  • Sri-Lanka flag Sri Lanka
  • India flag India
  • Vietnam flag Vietnam
  • Australia flag Australia
  • Japan flag Japan
  • Nigeria flag Nigeria
  • Kenya flag Kenya
© Copyright theAsianparent 2022. All rights reserved
About Us|Team|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
  • Tools
  • Articles
  • Feed
  • Poll

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

theAsianparent heart icon
Kami ingin menghantar anda pemberitahuan untuk berita terkini dan gaya hidup terkini.