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| |    Window Safety by Laura Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P. reviewed by Kathryn Clark, M.D., F.A.A.P. Where young children are concerned, even seemingly innocuous items like windows can present a number of safety risks. Some are obvious, some are a bit more subtle, but if you take a few basic precautions, you can make your home much safer for your child. Long cords. Many shades and curtains have long cords. These can all too easily become wrapped around a child's neck and cause strangulation. If you aren't interested in replacing your window coverings with the recommended cordless options now available, make sure that you install and use cord hooks on the walls or tie the cords around themselves well out of the reach of your child. Cord loops. Some window coverings have looped cords. The risk of strangulation is not hard to imagine. With most blinds or shades, the cord loop can simply be cut and made into two separate cords. Be aware, however, that some curtains or shades may not work if the loop is cut. If this is the case in your home, or if you simply don't want to cut your cord loops, always make sure that the cord is tied, clipped, or wrapped around a hook well out of your child's reach. Open windows. Every year, a handful of children are injured or even killed when they fall from an open window. You should keep your children away from open windows in general, whether or not screens are in place-they won't eliminate the risk of a fall. If you have the type of window that opens from either the top or bottom, always open it from the top. If you have the type that only opens from the bottom, window stops (available at hardware stores) will limit how far the window can actually be opened. Furniture near windows. Bottom line: Kids climb. Easy access to windows, as well as the cords that hang from window coverings, can spell disaster. You should make sure that furniture is not placed near any windows that are not securely locked (with a lock your child can not reach or open), or where climbing on the furniture could put a window cord within reach of your child. Window guards. You might consider installing metal window guards with bars no more than four inches apart on any windows above the first floor of your home. If you do, make sure that each room has at least one window that could be opened easily in the event of a fire. Some window guards are actually designed to be removable with force for just this purpose. Window paint. In homes built before the 1970s, lead paint may be a hazard, and windows are often the source of contamination. If you live in an older home, you should have the paint on the windowsills (as well as elsewhere in the house) checked for lead. You can call the National Lead Information Center (800-424-LEAD) for a list of certified inspectors and risk assessors in your area.
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