Safety tips for using a stroller

Strollers are great if you have young children. They give you the opportunity to go around with your little ones whenever you want. But beware! For a stroller to be fully practical, it is necessary to use it safely. Every year in the United States, over 14,000 children under five years old are treated in emergency rooms for injuries caused by an unappropriated use of a stroller. Most injuries are to the head and result from falls. And each year, about two children die because of a stroller and most victims are under one year of age.

Strollers are a hazard!
Strollers look pretty straightforward: a chassis, three or four wheels and a seat (or a carrycot for a pram). But if strollers are not properly used there is a risk of suffocation or strangulation for your baby. If the child is not maintained by the harness, s/he might slip through a leg opening and get trapped by the head between the restraint bar and the seat.
Keep an eye on the folding parts of the stroller. Many infants' fingers have been amputated because of these.
Strollers can easily fall backwards if the grab handles are overloaded with parcels and bags, or if the child stands up on the seat.

How to avoid accidents?
Accidents that may happen with a stroller can be avoided in two ways: before you buy the stroller and then when you actually use the stroller.

Before buying the stroller
There are obviously lots of things to consider before getting the right stroller for you and baby (see our Guide to Buying a Stroller) and safety features are one of the things to look for when you buy.

• Try to find a stroller with an JPMA (Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association)or an ASTM International (American Society for Testing and Materials) sticker on. These strollers meet voluntary safety standards.

• Make sure the stroller you are planning to buy has a five-point harness (three-point harness for older strollers if you are buying second-hand. In this case you can also buy a harness separately). The harness have to be strong and durable and also easy to fasten and unfasten.

• Check the brake. It has to be convenient to use and locks the wheels.

• Check the folding system on the stroller. Make sure th stroller cannot fold up when your child is in it! (There should be a locking device to prevent this form happening.)

• If you buy a stroller with a fully reclining seat make sure the legs opening can be closed off so that your child does not slip through.

• For a stroller with shopping baskets under the seat, check these are low on the back of the stroller and in fornt of the rear wheenls to ensure a good stability.

Using the stroller safely

• Always follow the manufacturer's instructions! Check the fame and infant seat are locked into place.

• Every now and then check the overall condition of your stroller.

• Always use the harness when your child is in the stroller so that s/he does not fall off. And never leave him/her unattended in the stroller.

• Never overload the stroller, espacially on the grab handles so that the stroller doesn't tip over with your child in it.

• When the stroller is not in use, always use the parking brake. Also, remember to regularly test the brakes to make sure they work properly with the weight of your baby in the stroller (on flat surfaces as well as on slopes).

• Do not use heavy blankets, quilts, cushions or pillows in the stroller as they can cause suffocation.

• When folding or unfolding the stroller, make sure your child is not around. When making adjustments, ansure your baby's feets and hands are out of the way to avoid entrapments incidents.

• If you are using a jogging stroller, do not run if your child is less than 6 months old because their head and neck to still too fragile. When you run, stick to smooth surfaces and never take your hands off the stroller so that you are always in control.