How To Protect Baby From Infection
Pediatricians Give Award Winning Product 100% Endorsement
Allison Costa’s twins were born healthy. She wanted to keep them that way. But while on vacation in Mexico in December 2004, when the boys were five months, she faced an unusual menace, one she did not contemplate; a “filthy” play yard.
At Allison’s request a portable play yard was brought to her hotel room. She was appalled by its condition. “It was filthy,” Costa said. “I requested another and that too was filthy.” She said the bars were grubby; the mattress was stained and had an unpleasant odour. Afraid of exposing the children to infections she cleaned and sanitized the play yard before using it.
Following that, Allison decided to create a portable slipcover for her children’s play yard. She experimented with raw materials and refined the design until the first slipcover was completed. The idea to sell it was serendipitous and in September 2007, Allison and her business partner, Amy Feldman, launched Coverplay, the newest baby product on the market. Last month it received the 2008 iParenting Media Award for Best Product. And it has received endorsements from top pediatricians who recommend it to parents.
Richard Barter, Corporate Director of Strategic Sources, Hilton, signed a vender’s contract with Coverplay to service its 2800 properties, among them, Hampton Inn, DoubleTree and Waldorf Astoria. Costa has met with Disney Cruise Lines and is shopping the product with Regency, Sears, K-Mart and other department stores.
Dermatology pediatrician Dr. Stephen Shapiro who practices in Mississippi said children can contract viral infections from contaminated play yards: diarrhea, upper respiratory tract infection, pneumonia, throat infection and skin rashes, adding that the slipcover helps to reduce such infections. “Children sleep, pee, vomit, drool and cough in play yards making them infected. In hotel environments, especially, for overnight stay, play yards are not sanitized and children sleep on them, it’s like sleeping on a plain mattress without a sheet. This is a phenomenal product; it’s amazing how we’ve gone all these years without it,” he said.
Dr. Raphael Nach, Pediatric, ENT-Head and Neck Surgeon in Beverly Hills, California, heard of the slipcover from another pediatrician and bought one for his grand-son’s play yard. He said, “babies like to touch everywhere; they put their mouths on the bars and the mattress and pick up infection. The slipcover has a clean surface and that protects the baby from greater infection. It’s a fantastic product and has a little mesh in the middle for light and ventilation. I will advise all parents to get one for their children’s play yard.”
Pediatrician Dr. Sheldon Kishineff practices in North Hollywood, California. He sees hundreds of cases of children with viral infections daily and noted that mucus from a child’s nose can be contagious for a week. “The slipcover is good for travel since small hotels do not provide sanitized play yards for babies. They can contract the common cold, diarrhea, chicken pox and other viral infections from dirty play yards,” he said.
The California based company manufactures and distributes 14 designs of slipcovers. Still in its infancy, and with no competition, the niche product is gaining a distinction of its own. “Anything that reduces a baby’s risk of infection will be a great product,” Costa said, adding, “it's machine washable and easy to put on, like putting a sheet on a bed.”
Costa is from New York and Feldman from New Jersey. They relocated to California in April, 2004. They both worked in the garment industry. Costa’s husband, Joe, promotes the product at trade shows and has predicted significant sales increase by year’s end.
Patent for the slipcover is pending.
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