High chairs – making feeding time safe
Around six months of age, as your child develops their neck strength, they are ready to comfortably go into a high chair when it’s time to eat. But how do you know what the best chair is for your baby or toddler? With so many models on the market, ranging in prices, parents are overwhelmed with choices. Finding the right product for your needs and budget has never been harder.
Luckily, we have some advice you can trust.
What should I be looking out for?
The most common form of injury to watch out for is when a child falls after trying to stand up or climb out of, or into, the high chair. Other serious harm can be caused by having their fingers, toes or other small limbs pinched or crushed by moving parts or gaps and choking on easily detachable small parts.
For these reasons we recommend that your child’s high chair should be sturdy, with a stable base, include a five-point harness with no sharp edges or exposed gaps/traps.
When a high chair is tested for safety, the following are assessed:
The stability of the high chair and whether it’s solidly built
Any scissoring, pinching or finger traps for the child or an adult folding and unfolding the chair
Any sharp edges or points
How easy the chair is to use
Any gaps and/or holes that could cause a finger entrapment or any small parts that could cause a choking hazard
If the chairs come with a five-point harness, ensure they include back and side protection as well as locking mechanisms to stop the child from falling out
Remember that a heavy hit on your wallet is not always the best indicator of quality, safety and performance.
