Around the same time last year, the tragic loss of a 14 week old in Glasgow had triggered warnings from parents all over social media on the big bow headbands.
The baby died when a headband with a bow slipped down her face and over her nose as she lay in her crib.
Leanne Wilson posted on Facebook on behalf of her friend, the mother of the baby.
The post says “Putting this warning out for all mums who have wee babies and use big bow headbands on them.
“My friend has sadly just lost her 14-week old daughter whilst she thought she was sleeping in her carry cot after a long walk.”
“When she came to check on her she had the bow headband down over her wee nose and mouth and wasn’t moving. She had passed away”.
“Postmortem revealed death due to suffocation asphyxiation. She wanted me to share for other new mums the dangers of these baby fashion accessories can have.”
Leanne added her friend was “utterly devastated”. The mother had left her baby Holly sleeping for “only 30 minutes whilst she showered and changed and forgot to remove the headband.”
Apart from headbands, it’s a very common practice in our region to make kids wear Amulets around their necks or those beaded black bands on the wrists. Both were major potential choking hazards.
Amulets can be a cause of strangulation or suffocation for the baby. Also, Children can easily swallow, inhale or choke on items left in their reach as they naturally grasp anything and put it in their mouths. Choking can happen if the jewelry breaks and a small bead enter the child’s throat or airway. Once in their mouth, they find it difficult to remove the item.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suffocation is the leading cause of death for babies under one year of age.
Parents can prevent the risk of choking and suffocation by ensuring that small objects or items are kept out of reach of children under the age of three.
