Mum shares her terrifying experience to warn parents about the dangers of vertical blinds.

The 27-year-old mum of four from Wagga Wagga recently took to social media to share the terrifying experience, after her 18-month-old son was almost strangled last week.

Blogger, My Tribe of Six shared her horrifying experience on Instagram explaining the moment she looked up from folding laundry to see her toddler, who’d been playing peacefully a moment earlier, stuck in the cords at the bottom of the vertical blinds.

“He said ‘mum’ fairly quietly, and I looked over and it was all strangled around his neck,” she says. “Not too tightly, but he couldn’t move and he was getting quite upset.

“We often read and hear about how the cords on our blinds (that pull them up and down) should be secured tightly to the frame work .. and mine are! With safety tags attached and all.

“But these cords along the bottom are clearly a major over sight (atleast they were to me) when it comes to the safety of our littles. I would never of given it a second thought if I had not seen what could have seriously hurt him, if I were not right there with him.

“Please, check your vertical blinds if you have them on Windows, above floor length and little ones in your home.”

“But I didn’t think it was an issue in the living areas. I’ve never heard specifically about children being strangled in the cords along the bottom of the vertical blinds, and I just wouldn’t have thought of it.”

“I knew people would be like, ‘Well you should have been watching him,’ or, ‘Why did you have those cords on there anyway,’ she says.

But in the end she decided the message was too important.

“Just another thing to criticise another mother, but maybe it’s more important than me and what you think,” she wrote on the post.

“Maybe it might stop it from happening to someone else.”

|| WARNING || I ummed and ahhhed whether to even post this because you know, another major mum fail this week that could have killed him (maybe its why i am such an emotional wreck this week) just another thing to criticize another mother, but maybe its more important than me and what you think.. maybe it might stop it from happening to someone else. Too big not to share? Earlier this week while i was folding the washing, he was playing next to the window, within my view, only 2 metres away (if that). Next thing i know, i hear him start to quietly cry my name “mamma” i looked up from the washing pile and see him caught in the cords, with them wrapped around his neck. I immediately jump up as fast as i can and untangle him. We often read and hear about how the the cords on our blinds (that pull them up and down) should be secured tightly to the frame work .. and mine are! With safety tags attached and all. But these cords along the bottom are clearly a major over sight (atleast they were to me) when it comes to the safety of our littles. I would never of given it a second thought if i had not seen what could have seriously hurt him, if i were not right there, with him. Please, check your vertical blinds if you have them on Windows, above floor length and little ones in your home. These photos were taken after what happened, before i removed the cords from our vertical blinds. To show how dangerous they are. I obviously didnt take these photos when he was tangled. That would be a rediculously irresponsible and dangerous thing to do. My children, their health and safety is always priority to me, not a post or a picture. Just a warning, be careful. He was totally fine just a little stuck, thank goodness.

A post shared by Stevie || Mother of Four (@mytribeofsix) on Nov 3, 2017 at 1:12am PDT

It is now mandatory that these types of blinds with the looped cords (usually 2 cords) hanging down the sides have to have a tension device, which the 2 loops are hooked into. The tension device is then screwed to the window/door frame. Whether you live in a rented property or have your own home this Regulation must be met as of 1 January 2015.

Safety tips via Kidsafe
•Check all the rooms in your house for any blinds or curtains with long cords that are either loose or looped. This includes any cords that are within children’s reach at floor level or near furniture they can climb on.
•Secure any lose or looped cords with cleats or tension devices – these can be purchased from your local curtain and blind retailer or hardware store.
•Do not put furniture such as cots, beds, highchairs, playpens, couches, chairs, tables or bookshelves near a window where children can reach the blind or curtain cord.
•When installing new blinds and curtains, make sure you or the installer secures any loose or looped cords immediately.

THIS shocking video highlights deadly danger for young children in the homes of your elderly loved ones. WATCH HERE.

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