When parents buy equipment like strollers, cribs and bassinets for their children, they expect the products to keep their children safe and comfortable. Every year in the US, hundreds of children's products are recalled due to incidents of strangulation, choking and suffocation accidents. Products range from clothing and bags to play equipment and cribs.  Strangulation hazards caused by children's products, in fact, account for nearly 22 percent of all accidental fatalities in children in the US.

Types of Strangulation Injuries

There are two types strangulation – ligature strangulation and suspension strangulation.

Ligature strangulation refers to strangulation by a chord or rope. For instance, a child wearing clothing with drawstrings or playing with window blind cords can easily wrap the cords around their neck, interrupting oxygen supply to the brain.  Breathing difficulties result almost immediately and asphyxiation can result if there is no adult nearby to give emergency aid to the child. Ligature strangulations are often seen in children of curious ages, specifically 1-2 years old.  30 percent of all strangulation deaths recorded are the result of ligature strangulation.

Suspension strangulation occurs when the body is suspended above the ground by the neck. Such strangulations often occur with playground equipment, cribs and other children's furniture.  Cribs with low sides are a common cause of such accidents.  Suspension strangulations are the most frequent of all child strangulation accidents, accounting for nearly 70 percent of all related fatalities.  

Preventing Strangulation Hazards at Home

• The Consumer Product Safety Commission has a list of cribs that have been tested and proven safe for children.
• Never buy second hand cribs for a child. Most have unsafe designs and may have missing parts that can cause accidents.
• Never buy a crib with high corner posts. A baby's clothing can easily get snagged on these, causing suffocation or strangulation.
• Never buy cribs with vertical slats far enough apart to trap a baby's head.
• Avoid keeping loose pieces of clothing in the child's crib, or any other items that can be wound around their neck.