Increased Role of Grandparents Cites Need for Updated Safety Awareness
NEW YORK, NY (June 12, 2017)—Families are the top resource when it comes to guidance on baby proofing, according to a recent national survey conducted by the Window Covering Safety Council (WCSC). This creates challenges to raising child safety awareness, as new research shows that many grandparents employ outdated health and parenting myths that could potentially and unknowingly pose serious risks to young children.
The new WCSC survey showed that 55% of respondents prefer child safety guidance from their family, compared to 39% from physicians and 22% from retailers. This highlights the need to ensure that all caregivers are obtaining accurate child safety information. This is further underscored by a new study, “Potential Health Risks to Children When Grandparents Raising Their Grandchildren Subscribe to Out-Dated Health Beliefs,” that found that many grandparents were unaware of evolving parenting practices and health benefits, unknowingly putting children at risk. For example, according to the study, “44 percent of the 636 grandparents who completed a detailed questionnaire mistakenly believed that ‘ice baths are a good way to bring down a very high fever.” In fact, ice baths pose a hypothermia risk.”
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2012 2.7 million grandparents are raising more than seven million children. While the WCSC survey showed that 83% of those surveyed were aware of hazards posed by corded window covering products—one of the ‘Top Five Hidden Hazards in the Home’ according to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, there is a need to ensure that caregivers are aware of updated safety practices, regardless of age, including ensuring that homes with young children are equipped only with cordless window covering products or those that have inaccessible cords.
Corded window coverings can become a potential serious hazard, when infants and children accidentally becoming entangled in window cords. Some of these incidents involve older products that are still in use and do not have the safety devices or designs instituted in the past decade.
The Window Covering Safety Council (WCSC) reminds parents, caregivers and grandparents about the potential dangers posed by window cords, and urges them to only use cordless window covering products or those that have inaccessible cords in homes with young children.
“Those with young children should replace their corded window coverings with products that are cordless or have inaccessible cords,” says Window Covering Safety Council (WCSC) Executive Director, Peter Rush. “The new Best for Kids™ certification label recently launched makes it easy for parents, grandparents and caregivers to easily identify which products are best suited for homes with young children.”
To maximize window cord safety when young children are present, caregivers are urged to follow these safety guidelines:
- Install only cordless window coverings or those with inaccessible cords in homes with young children. Replace window blinds, corded shades and draperies with products that are cordless or have inaccessible cords, such as those marked with the Best for Kids™ label certification which enables you to easily identify products best suited for young children. Make the right choice and use cordless products to keep your children safe year-round.
- Move all cribs, beds, furniture and toys away from windows and window cords, preferably to another wall.
- Ensure that all window cords are out of sight and reach, by shortening or tying them up and away, so that they are inaccessible to young children.
For more information on window cord safety in the home, visit www.windowcoverings.org. Connect with WCSC on Facebook and Twitter for more home safety information and ideas.
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The Window Covering Safety Council (WCSC) is a coalition of major U.S. manufacturers, importers and retailers of window coverings. The Council assists and supports its members in the industry’s ongoing efforts to encourage the use of cordless products in homes with young children, its redesign of corded products, and to support the national ANSI/WCMA standard for the safety of corded window coverings. WCSC’s activities in no way constitute an assumption of any legal duty owed by its members or any other entity. Consumers seeking more information can visit WCSC’s website at www.windowcoverings.org.