Children can strangle themselves on blind and drapery cords

Drapery and venitian blind cords have been in homes for decades, so we take them completely for granted. However, they kill children all the time -- hundreds of kids have died when they strangled in the cords on drapes and blinds. The two most common ways for cord strangulation to occur are:

  1. The child's crib is next to a window and the cord gets into the crib when the blinds are raised. The child gets entangled in the cord while playing or sleeping.

  2. A child jumps or is playing near the cord and the cord accidentally hangs the child. The phrase accidental hanging is a common term in hospital emergency rooms. Accidental hanging happens most frequently with blind and drapery cords.

This page from www.ParentsForWindowBlindSafety.org illustrates five different ways for a child to be strangled in window blind cords. You should read this page to familiarize yourself with all five possibilities. Hundreds of children have died by strangulation.

The best solution to this problem is for you to eliminate all long drapery and blind cords, as well as any looped cords. Steps you can take

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