There are many aspects of our homes that we have to consider baby-proofing for child safety: outlets, the stove, cleaning supplies, and perhaps less obviously, corded window blinds. Fortunately, they are no longer being sold by American stores or websites, according to Mother.ly.
The Window Covering Manufacturers Association made the decision to require stock window coverings to be cordless or to have inaccessible cords.
According to a 2017 study published in the journal Pediatrics, 255 children died after getting tangled in blind cords between 1990 and 2015. More than 16,800 children were injured by blind cords and ended up in the emergency room.
Gary Smith, M.D., Dr.Ph., director of Center for Injury Research and Policy, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, was senior researcher for the study.
“We’ve known about this risk for over 70 years, yet we’re still seeing children strangled by these products,” said Dr. Smith. “It’s just unacceptable.”
People who need corded blinds, for example those with disabilities who find corded blinds easier to use, will be able to custom order them. However, you will no longer find them on the shelves at your local home store.
If you have corded blinds in your home and would like to replace them, look to the replacement blinds that have the “Best for Kids” certification label on the packaging. Begin with replacing the blinds in the rooms your child is in the most if you are unable to replace all of them. If you’re renting, you should speak to your landlord about the safety hazard and cite the study in Pediatrics along with the regulations from the Window Covering Manufacturers Association. If you have snap-in blinds, you can easily remove these and replace them with a safer option.
