Baby Stroller Safety Tips
Tips for Baby Stroller Safety
Strollers have been used for decades due to the fact that they offer convenience to parents on the move. As with many products on the market that are designed for infants and toddlers, many safety alerts and red flags have been raised.
While it is unfortunate to hear of a baby and/or toddler to be subjected to strollers that may cause injury, and potential death, this information has been used to compile data that will allow parents to know and understand what safety enhancements are most important when selecting baby strollers.
When purchasing a unit for your child and/or children, it is absolutely essential that you take the time to determine if the product is safe. Here, you will be provided with information regarding the dangers that are associated with these devices, as well as some basic safety features that are important to the health and life of your child.
Alerts for Baby Stroller Use
According to Pediatric Emergency Care, there were a number of stroller related injuries responded to in the year of 2004 to the year of 2007 by the 911 Response Team in just one community. The statistics of this particular study indicated the following:
Of 241 different incidents involving shopping carts and strollers, there were 121 related directly to stroller use, during this study over approximately three and a half years.
The ages of the children that were involved in the stroller related injuries averaged between 0 months and 6 months of age.
Falls constituted the largest number of injuries, resulting in a percentage of 47.5% of all the cases.
59% of the injuries attributed to stroller related injuries resulted in injuries to the head area.
At least 18% of the children monitored also sustained an injury directly related to the facial area.
At least 77% of the children evaluated were transported to the local emergency treatment center by the use of an ambulance.
While there were no deaths, it is estimated that a little over 8% of all the children involved were hospitalized for further treatment and evaluation of their injuries.
Based on the information obtained from this study, medical professionals determined that education should be an emphasis when it comes to parents who implement the use of baby strollers. It is believed that if parents are aware of the steps to keep their children safe in strollers, there will be less likelihood that injury and even death may occur while using this type of device.
Stroller Safety Measures
If you are considering purchasing a stroller, or have purchased a stroller, it is important that you know and understand the basic safety measures that you can take. Below you will find a few effective strategies that have been found to enhance the safe use of strollers.
1. Fact: Strollers that are narrow tend to have the most complications when it comes to leaning and tipping over. It is essential to ensure that you purchase astroller that has a base that is relatively wide. This way, there is a reduced opportunity for tipping and accidental falls.
2. It is often tempting for an adult to hang things on the stroller handles, such as purses and diaper bags. It is important to understand though, that by doing so you are providing the possibility of causing a stroller to begin tipping over, and this can result in injury.
3. It is absolutely imperative that you use the seatbelt that is attached to the stroller at all times. This will add security to the device for the child.
4. Each and every single time that you are using the stroller, it is important to ensure that you take the time to use the device that locks the stroller into place. It is equally important to use the wheel locking devices when the stroller is not in movement.
5. Since it is when a child is left unattended that the most injuries occur, be careful to never leave the baby stroller unattended.
6. Thoroughly check the stroller before and after each use to ensure that the parts are all secure – especially the seat area and the wheel area. If you find that any parts are loose, do not place your child in the unit prior to fixing these components; or purchase a new unit altogether.
7. Compare your stroller to the lists of product recalls that are issued on a regular basis as a result of known safety issues. Then simply discard it or follow the appropriate instructions on the recall list, if you find that your stroller is listed.
Conclusion
It is imperative to ensure that you learn as much as you can regarding what can happen, and how to prevent these situations from occurring. If you do this, it is almost a guarantee that your child and/or children will remain safe as both parent and child enjoy the use of these convenient forms of transport.
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