Small children being strangled in their homes - major blind recall of over 3 million - Atlanta Woman to Woman

Venetian blinds, as they used to be called, always presented a strangulation hazard to small children; especially when these blinds were behind a sofa or another object they could stand on. Kids just love to climb and they love to look out of windows.

These two factors puts them at severe risks of being strangled by cords dangling. Parents would always tie these cords way up high out of the children's reach. This can still be done with some blinds; but many other designs present the same hazard; but it is not possible for the cords to be tied.

You can check with the link of photos below to see the many ways these new blinds can be responsible for the strangulation of a child. This last recall was for various blinds sold in IKEA stores nationwide which includes Atlanta.

The old Venetian blinds were updated later with a long plastic wand to twist for opening and closing the blinds; with a split cord with plastic ends (so there was no loop to get their heads through) for raising and lowering the blinds.

However, it seems that more and more children are dying because of the faulty manufacturing of these roller, Roman, and roll-up blinds. It has been reported that as many as 200 small children have died in recent decades by hanging themselves on window blinds. These blinds were made in foreign countries and sold through IKEA Home Furnishings in Conshohocken, Pa.

And now in the aftermath of other children being strangled to death and nearly strangled, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued yet another huge recall on these blinds.

CPSC reports:

Name of Product: Roller, Roman, and Roll-Up blinds

Units: About 3,360,000 (About 790,000 Roman blinds were recalled in November 2008 and August 2009 and about 533,000 Roller blinds were recalled in October 2009)

Distributor: IKEA Home Furnishings, of Conshohocken, Pa.

Hazards:

Roller Blinds

Strangulations can occur if the blind's looped bead chain is not attached to the wall or the floor with the tension device provided and a child's neck becomes entangled in the free-standing loop.

Roman Blinds

Strangulations can occur when a child places his/her neck between the exposed inner cord and the fabric on the backside of the blind or when a child pulls the cord out and wraps it around his/her neck. An additional hazard exists when the Roman blind has a continuous looped bead chain that if not attached to the wall or floor, which poses a strangulation hazard to children.

Roll-up Blinds

Strangulations can occur if the lifting loops slide off the side of the blind and a child's neck becomes entangled on the free-standing loop or if a child places his/her neck between the lifting loop and the roll-up blind material.

Incidents/Injuries:

Roman blinds: CPSC and IKEA received a new report of a 1 ½-year old boy in Lowell, Massachusetts who suffered a near strangulation in February 28, 2010. On April 4, 2008, a 1-year old girl in Greenwich, Conn. became entangled in the inner cord of an IKEA Roman blind and strangled. CPSC and IKEA also received a report of a 2-year old boy who suffered a near strangulation. The last two incidents prompted previous recalls.

Roll-up blinds: No incidents reported.

Roller blinds: No incidents reported.

Description: This recall involves roller blinds that do not have a tension device attached to the bead chain, all Roman blinds and all roll-up blinds.

Sold at: IKEA stores nationwide from January 1998 through June 2009 for between $5 and $55.

Manufactured in: India, Estonia, China, and Poland.

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the roller blinds that do not have a tension device attached to the chain, all Roman blinds and all roll-up blinds and return them to any IKEA store for a full refund. In a previous recall, IKEA reminded consumers who have roller blinds with a tension device attached to the bead chain to make sure the tension device is installed into the wall or floor. If the consumer has difficulty installing the tension device, contact IKEA for additional information.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact IKEA toll-free at (888) 966-4532 anytime, or visit the firm's website at www.ikea-usa.com

Pictures are available at http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10261.html

Note: Examine all shades and blinds in your home. Make sure there are no accessible cords on the front, side, or back of the product. CPSC recommends the use of cordless window coverings in all homes where children live or visit.

CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about it by visiting https://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx .