Parents warned not to hang trendy fabric canopies over cots due to suffocation fears – The Sun

THANKS to the likes of Instagram and Pinterest, one of the biggest current nursery trends is to drape a stylish canopy over a baby’s cot.

However, while they may look pretty, parents have been warned that the drapes can be a strangulation risk and lead to your child suffocating.

Dr Ruth Barker, a paediatrician and director of the Queensland Injury Surveillance Unit told the MailOnline: “I've treated a baby who used a mosquito net to pull up to stand, and ended up wrapping it around her neck.

“Luckily, her mother came into the room and found her dangling from the net before it was too late.”

Fairy lights were also slammed by Choice Australia as they can also be a choking hazard for young tots.

As well as the string poses a risk, the bulbs can also be dangerous if they become unscrewed.

If the lights are powered by button batteries, these can also be a hazard if they are swallowed.

And if babies chew on the chord, they could also be a possibility of electrocution if the lights are powered by electricity.

They may seem sturdy, but pieces of furniture can easily fall on top of children.

Even if a chest of drawers is securely fastened, the removable drawers can still pose a risk.

From wardrobes to bookcases, these heavy items of furniture can easily crush small children.

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR BABY STARTS CHOKING

If your baby starts choking there are three things to do immediately:

Step 1. Give your baby five back blows

Hold your baby face down, resting them along your thigh with their head lower than their bottom.

Hit them firmly on their back between the shoulder blades up to five times.

If back blows don't dislodge the object, move on to step two.

Step 2. Give up to five chest thrusts

Turn your baby over so they are facing upwards and place two fingers in the middle of their chest just below the nipples.

Push sharply downwards up to five times.

Step 3. Call 999 if the object does not dislodge

Continue with cycles of back blows and chest thrusts until the blockage clears or help arrives.

And they often seem like play equipment to children, known for climbing up drawers and hiding in wardrobes.

Each year, 40,000 under-fives are admitted to hospital following accidents, and lots of these accidents are preventable.

The most common causes are choking, strangulation, suffocation, falls and burns.

We shared how Amazon is giving all new parents a free MAM baby box featuring a bottle, breast pads and dummies worth £17.

And babycinos and hot chocolates pose choking risk to your kids – AVOID them, parents warned.

Meanwhile, these are the ‘fatal’ everyday mistakes you could be making around your child at home.

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