Two months ago, a 15-month-old baby suffocated by the strings of a curtain died in Madrid. A fatal accident that every year it causes injuries in 100 children in the European Union, and approximately 12 annual deaths in the United States.
Therefore, in this country they have decided to ban curtains and blinds with rope, and as of December 15 this type of model will no longer be manufactured. With this measure, it is intended to eliminate one of the five most dangerous household items for children, as listed by the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) of the United States.
The danger of curtains with ropes
The United States has decided to ban the sale of curtains and blinds with rope. With this new initiative, they are intended avoid deaths and injuries in children caused by strangulation, an accident that occurs too frequently, both in this country and in the European Union.
In Babies and moreAttention to curtain and blind cords: the danger is where we least expect it.But, despite the fact that the CPSC and the European Alliance for Child Safety warn of its risks, there are still few people really aware of this serious problem of Child safetyThe main dangers of this type of curtains and blinds are found in:
The ropes used to raise and lower blinds or to run the curtains
Beaded or ring-shaped nylon laces to raise and lower roller blinds or blinds
Internal cords placed on the back of the Roman curtains
Children are restless by nature, and see no danger in many of the things they do. They run, jump, play and hide behind the curtains. It's easy that wrap the rope around your neck, put the head in the ring of the cord or get caught in the back cords of the blinds.
In some cases, accidents occur because the baby's crib or play yard is located near a window With curtains of this style. The hanging rope catches the child's attention, and in a few seconds it can become a deadly trap.
In Babies and more, does your child cat in a safe environment?And is that these types of accidents happen quickly and silently, so the only way to prevent them is to eliminate these potential dangers from our home.
Alternatives to ropes and laces
Thus, manufacturers of blinds, roller blinds and curtains made in the United States, they must do without the use of ropes and cords to eliminate the risk of hanging parts. As alternatives to the laces, we recommend:
The use of rigid rods, both to adjust the inclination of the slats of the blind or blind, and to move them from one side to another.
Wireless options or motorized.
Flat, simple, and stringless curtains whose winding mechanism consists in subtly pulling a tab.
Roman curtains with clips, instead of ropes.
In Babies and more Blinds of blinds and curtains, a danger for childrenAlthough it may seem that the laces of our curtains are so short that children could not access them, experts also advise not to use them, as the most curious children could climb up to reach them.
For its part, the European Alliance for Child Safety, neither recommended to cut the cords, not even as a short-term solution, because cutting the cord by the wrong place can make one of the ropes longer, thus increasing the risk of strangulation.
At the moment, in European countries you can continue to buy curtains and blinds with ropes, although experts recommend avoiding them in homes with children or frequented by them. However, European manufacturers and sellers are expected to reach a voluntary agreement soon for which they stop manufacturing this type of products.
Photos | iStock
