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Toxins in household dust may be harmful to kids
Most of the dust that coats your furniture and floors comes from outdoors and can pose a health threat, a new study suggests.
BPA in canned foods could harm children, group says
Measurable levels of the chemical additive bisphenol A (BPA) were found in a variety of canned goods, including some that claimed to be BPA-free, according to an analysis released this week by the nonprofit advocacy group Consumers Union.
Toxic toys? Health group finds high lead levels
Children's toys carrying the Barbie and Disney logos have turned up with high levels of lead in them, according to a California-based advocacy group — a finding that may give consumers pause as they shop for the holiday season.
Are Your Windows Safe?
Are Your Windows Safe?
Baby-proofing your house is one of the many rites of parenting. When you have a baby or a toddler in your home, the most unobtrusive household fixtures, such as outlets and stairs, become hazards. However, many parents don't realize all the risks that some window coverings pose to babies and toddlers.

"Cords are the biggest problem with window coverings," says Joe Janokowski, member of the Window Covering Safety Council and vice president of merchandising for Hunter Douglas. "Toddlers are very innovative and they're always looking for ways to get in trouble, and a young child can easily get entangled in a cord."

Window coverings can have a number of potential hazards that many parents don't realize.

Outer Cord Strangulation
Many mini blinds and window shades use an outer cord to lift and lower the window covering. The outer cord usually hangs down from the side and gets longer when you raise the blind. This cord poses a number of safety concerns, especially older models with a looped outer cord.

 

"Old products don't meet the current standards," Janokowski says. Most blinds made before 1995 have a loop cord instead of two separate tassels. With a loop cord, babies and toddlers can easily get the cord wrapped around their necks and strangle themselves.

As long as your blinds are relatively new, then you probably don't have a looped outer cord. But if your home is older and you haven't updated your window coverings in the past five to 10 years, then they may have a looped outer cord.

"The older blinds are still around," says Meri-K Appy, president of the Home Safety Council. "If you have older blinds in your house or if you visit grandparents who haven't updated their blinds, then the risk is still there."Some newer blind styles don't have any outer cord or are equipped with cord safety features. For example, Hunter Douglas has new blinds that use a battery-operated remote control system that allows you to raise or 

lower shades by pressing a button instead of pulling a cord. And other styles use a single, retractable cord that remains at the same length whether the shade is raised or lowered, making it harder for children to reach. They also offer a safety tassel on all horizontal blinds that is designed to break open under pressure if a child gets entangled in the cord.

Many other window-covering manufacturers have created safer blinds that don't use outer pull cords. The Home Safety Council has recognized Levolor's cordless blinds for their safety innovations. If you do have a looped outer cord on your window coverings, Lowe's and the Window Covering Safety Council offer a free safety kit that allows you to cut the loop and make two individual cords. For more information, call (800) 559-2555 or visit www.WindowCoverings.org.

Inner Cord Strangulation
These safety kits reduce the risk of outer cord strangulation; however, they do not completely childproof blinds.

"Safety kits might reduce the risk, but they don't completely eliminate it," says Linda Kaiser, founder and executive director of Parents for Window Blind Safety and a mom whose toddler daughter died from a window covering strangulation accident. "And they give parents a false sense of security."

Safety kits protect your child from getting strangled by the outer cords when the blinds are down completely. But when you raise the blind, the cord gets longer because as you pull them up the blinds are lifted from the bottom. When the blinds are raised completey, the cord hangs down and creates a strangulation hazard. And when the blinds are down, your child can potentially pull enough cord length from between the slats to loop around his neck."Twelve to 15 children die each year in window covering accidents, and that's with safety kits in place," Kaiser says. "That means that 40 families have lost their children since my daughter died four years ago." Kaiser asserts that the only way to completely childproof corded window coverings is to get rid of them all together.

"Even with a safety kit on your blinds, you'll always have a cord long enough to strangle a child," Kaiser says. "Any cord longer than 7 3/4 inches should not be in the room with a child."

Other Window-related Risks
"Falls from windows become a problem when the child becomes mobile," Appy says. To prevent falls, move allfurniture away from windows so your child can't climb up to the window level. And use window guards to keep your child inside, or window stops to keep the window from opening farther than a crack.

 

Be aware that any time you place something on a window to prevent it from opening, you lose a fire escape. Make sure you have an alternate way out of your home in this type of emergency.

Being aware of all the risks is the first step in baby-proofing your home, and don't overlook the hidden dangers of window coverings. If you have recently moved or are planning to move, double check the window treatments and repair or replace any hazards. Never place your child's crib near a window, and look for safer alternatives to corded window coverings.

When you use these tips for baby-proofing your window coverings, you make your home a safer place for the babies and toddlers in your family.