There is currently a major national recall of window blinds due to several strangulation deaths of children. Apparently many of these blinds were sold at IKEA.
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I personally have never seen a child who was strangled on a window shade or blind before, but I have to say I am sensitive to the issue.Â
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As a resident, I was in the ER when a 3 year old girl was brought in with choking. She had been eating a type of candy that was kind of like a big gummy bear.
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Unfortunately, by the time she was brought in to the ER, she was unconscious, and had been without adequate air for about 20 minutes. We were able to get a tube down her airway, and pull out the candy, but she was brain dead by that time.Â
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That case made me re-think my entire career.Â
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The look on her father’s face still haunts me.
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I’m curious if anyone has any stories of other choking hazards, and specifically problems with window shades or blinds.
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
I always tie the pull strings in lots of knots about 3 inches apart and then put a little tac up above my head to hang the string on when the shade is up.
When its down the knots in it makes it way too short to reach.
Apparently my babysitter growing up had a child choke on a peppermint, so we were never allowed any hard candy unless we we were sitting down. She also wouldn’t let us have any water when we took cough medicine either, so her reasoning could be a bit old fashioned. I vaguely remember a story when I worked in a Path lab of a little boy in a crib and the string ties used for the bedding and trying to find his binkie. I think they’re all Velcro now though.
I keep my blind strings draped up over the top because I have dogs, and they’re really dumb.
A girlfriend’s son — don’t know the age but was probably around 6-8 yo at the time had wrapped the blind tie around his neck and decided to pretend to fly. He still has a scar around his neck from the string-burns.
It happens. Do you have children? THANK GOD I don’t have boys — their injuries would break my heart!
Great blog and information!
Children can also do really dumb things like eat bleach, automatic dish detergent and prescription medications which taste HORRIBLE. go figure…
-G
Balloons are a VERY overlooked choking hazard.
Thanks for sharing everyone. Celeste – yes indeed ballons can be a major hazard!
Yep… Pedi codes tend to ruin everyones day.