How To Keep Your Toddlers Safe From Blind Cords.

In 2016, a Coroner sent out a warning after a 16-month-old girl died when she got caught in a window blind cord. The little girl got entangled while playing at her grandparents’ home. She died of cardiac arrest. Sadly, this was not the first or last accident caused by blinds. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents said it was ‘all too aware of the devastation’ looped blind cords can cause. Although there is now a law to ensure that both the style and the lengths of blind cords conform to safety regulations there are still hundreds of thousands of homes across the country that have potentially dangerous cords. Ideally, parents would only fit blinds that have the cords fixed at the bottom as well as at the top, or don’t have cords that hang down at all. It highlights the importance of first aid training for parents and child carers.

So why are young children so much more vulnerable than older children from these accidents?

Research shows that many of the accidental deaths which involve blind cords happen in the bedroom and occur in children between 16 months and 36 months old, with the majority (more than half) happening at around 23 months. This is because toddlers are mobile, but their heads still weigh proportionately more than their bodies compared to adults and their muscular control is not yet fully developed. This makes them more prone to be unable to free themselves if they become entangled. In addition, toddlers’ windpipes have not yet fully developed and are smaller and less rigid than those of adults and older children. This means that they suffocate far more quickly if their necks are constricted. We are all aware that we cannot take our eyes off toddlers, even for a few minutes. But we are not invincible and there is always an unguarded moment. This latest tragic story could easily have been my story. When my son was a toddler (he is now 30) his nanny had left him alone in the bedroom for a few minutes. When she returned, she found him hanging from the blind cord. He had climbed onto the bed which was foolishly placed under the window and… I hate to think what might have happened had she not returned so quickly!

Keeping your toddlers safe from blind cords:

• Ensure that your blinds don’t have a cord, particularly in a child’s bedroom
• Don’t put your child’s cot, bed, playpen or highchair near a window
• Pull cords should be kept short and out of reach of children.
• Tie up the cords or use one of the many devices such as cleats, cord tidies, clips or ties that are available
• Make sure there are no hanging toys or objects over a child’s bed or cot.
• Don’t hang drawstring bags where a small child could get their head through the loop of the drawstring.

One mother’s story about blind safety:

Should the worst happen make sure you know how to resuscitate a baby or child. If you are unsure about which first aid courses are right for you, then take a look and get in touch with our team. It could save a life.