The Danger of Corded Window Blinds
As toddlers begin exploring their worlds, curiosity takes over. During your toddler’s discovery stage, those seemingly harmless window coverings can begin to pose a real danger—one that can result in permanent injury or even death.
In fact, more than 600 young children are treated in U.S. emergency rooms every year for injuries related to window blinds, according to a January 2018 pediatrics study conducted by researchers from the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
Tragically, 67% of these cases resulted in death by blind cord entanglement.
The study found that window blind cords continue to pose a serious strangulation risk to young children, despite warning labels and public education. The researchers are calling for a new mandatory safety standard to prevent these injuries, which can be fatal.
According to the group Parents for Window Blind Safety, entanglement usually occurs in the following ways:
• Loops created by knotted or tangled cords
• One or more long cords which can wrap around a child’s neck
• The loop above a single tassel of the cord
• The loop above the stop ball of the cord
• A loop created when pull-cord is tied to another object, usually on the wall
The advocacy group points out that even newer window coverings claiming to meet “strict national safety standards” can pose an alarming risk. Even blinds with cord cleats—designed to keep cords out of reach—have resulted in strangulation.
Simply put, if a window covering has cords, it is not a safe option for young children.
A Safer Window Blind Option
Safety experts from the Consumer Product Safety Commission recommend removing any window coverings that have cords and replacing them with affordable cordless models.
“In many cases, kids have reached cords parents placed out of reach. Going cordless is paramount,” states Linda Kaiser, who founded Parents for Window Blind Safety after her daughter Cheyenne tragically died on a hidden inner cord.
If you have young children in your home and still have corded blinds, now is the time to make the switch to child-safe window coverings.
Here at Valley Shades, your family’s safety comes first. That’s why we offer a wide selection of beautiful, child-safe window treatments. From cordless and motorized blinds and shades to decorative window films, we have a variety of window treatments that will add style to your home while keeping those you love most safe.
Ready to make the switch to safer blinds? Give us a call today for a free, in-home consultation.