One thing is sure, if you have a toddler in your home, there is a high chair waiting around the corner. Or, if you are an expecting parent, high chairs are probably at the top of your baby essentials shopping list.
High chairs bring a lot of convenience to parenting. Besides mealtimes, you can use them for your kid’s other activities. In this article, we’ll help you find the best high chair for your little ones and share some safety tips to prevent high chair-related accidents and injuries.
Common High Chair Injuries and Statistics
The biggest risk of injury in a high chair is falling, and 90% of related incidents concern high chair falls. According to recent studies, almost 18,000 high chair-related injuries happen every year. That is roughly 50 little kids in a day who fall victim to faulty chairs or a slight inattention from parents.
Some of the injuries that your kids can sustain in falls are:
- Neck injuries
- Broken bones and teeth
- Concussions
- Cuts and bruises
However, fall injuries are not the only ones you should be concerned about. Some injuries associated with the high chair include:
- Choking on items within reach.
- Accidentally burning themselves on hot food and objects near them.
- Cutting themselves on sharp objects within their reach.
- Getting their fingers and arms pinched in between chair joints.
International Standards for High Chairs
Whether you want a portable high chair or a traditional high chair for your kids, there are international standards you should consider to guarantee that their toddler chair is safe to use. Here are some of them.
Performance Requirements of High Chair Parts
- Food front tray: The food tray should easily slide in and out of position and withstand significant force when it’s pulled or dropped from a certain height.
- Static load: Different parts of a high chair, such as the seat, tray, steps, and footrest should hold a significant amount of weight. It should hold more than a child’s average weight and withstand overloading.
- Stability: A high chair should not tip over when pulled forwards, backward, or sideways. This ensures that your kids stay upright when they lean in different directions.
- Restraint system: It is a standard for every high chair to have an active restraint system. The restraints system should include a waist and crotch belt to keep your kids in place. It should also withstand force when pulled to ensure the locks will not unbuckle in any situation.
- Structural integrity: Choose a high chair that withstood a cycle of dynamic testing. Tests involve dropping weights on seats or angling seats to their limits.
- Labels and warnings: The product should have proper labels and warnings pertaining to content and product requirements.
- Detailed instructional material: Product instructions are essential. When buying a high chair, always look for an instruction manual. It should be easy to read and understand and contain all instructions for the product’s assembly and use.
4 Safety Tips for Infant High Chair Use
Whether you have a wooden high chair, convertible high chair, or booster seats, following safety practices will guarantee the safety of your kids. Take note of the following tips, parents!
Proper Assembly
Instruction manuals come with the product for a reason. The safe use of the product greatly depends on how you assemble it. Build the high chair according to the specifications and use the proper tools needed to ensure its proper assembly.
Some high chairs need bolts and specialty tools. Stores where you buy them can offer to assemble the product for free. Take advantage of this service to ensure the high chair is well assembled.
Some toddler booster seats are easier to assemble. Snap assemblies are more common in plastic toddler seats. Make sure to put the correct pieces together and always test if the connecting parts are stable and not loose.
Proper and Stable Placement
High chairs allow your kids to dine with you and experience eating around the family table. Since your kids eat in their removable trays, you don’t need to place their high chairs near the dining table. Where you place your kid’s infant booster is crucial for their safety.
There is a possibility that your kids will kick themselves against the table, causing the chair to topple over. This practice goes the same with walls or any other vertical surface your kids can kick themselves against.
Another thing to remember is to place the high chair on an even surface. If you use their high chair outdoors, don’t position them in inclined places. Sudden movements can make the chair unstable, which can cause the chair to fall.
Secure the Safety Straps
Never leave your kids in their seats without securing the safety straps. Even if their high chair has a crotch post, eventually, they will learn how to get out of their seat. A five-point harness is the safest option for safety straps. It will keep your kids in place, and it will be harder for them to learn how to unbuckle.
A pro tip for parents is that when your kids can unbuckle the safety straps, it is time to let them use dining chairs. The more they try to get out of their chair, the higher the chance of getting into accidents.
Set Boundaries
Set ground rules when using the high chair. For example, make it perfectly clear that standing is not allowed on the high chair. For safety purposes, mainly use the baby chair for eating. Your children can do other activities like practicing their fine motor skills through drawing or colouring, but anything more mobile should be off the high chair.
Also, teaching your kids never to climb high chairs on their own is essential. Always be the one to settle them in their seat. If you have multiple children, don’t let your kids climb the chair while their sibling is still seated to prevent accidents.
Is Your Kid Ready for a High Chair?
Seeing your kids eat in their high chairs is a milestone. But before you get too excited to put your kids in a feeding chair for babies, you should consider if they are ready. Here are signs to look out for.
- Your kids should master neck control. They should be able to keep their neck and head upright to avoid choking.
- Do a test to see if your kids will stay still in the high chair. Some kids don’t like being strapped too long in one place. You can spend some time training them to sit on it so they can get used to using it.
- Observe if your kids are showing interest in solid food. If you plan to transition them, doing it on an infant high chair will make the process easier.
Generally, kids can start using an infant high chair at six months old. If you are getting a full-sized high chair, make sure to invest in one with height adjustments so your kids can use it until they are three.
Ashtonbee’s Wooden High Chair for Babies and Toddlers
Stop wasting hundreds of dollars on high chairs that won’t last. If you’re looking for a high-quality baby chair for eating, then Ashtonbee’s wooden high chair for toddlers and babies is definitely worth your money. Check out the fantastic features of our baby high chair.
- The high chair has a minimalist modern design, so the chair blends in perfectly in your house.
- The seat and removable tray are made from a food-grade polypropylene material which is durable, stain-resistant, and easy to clean.
- The back legs are made from tough beech wood. It is shock-absorbing and can withstand a significant amount of force and weight.
- The infant chair has an adjustable footrest so you can use it up to toddler years.
- The high chair costs $159.99, which is more affordable than other chairs. Plus, we guarantee that it’s of premium quality.
Choosing a high chair for your kids requires a lot of research. We hope this set of standards helps you choose the best high chair for your little one. For more parenting tips and safety practices, subscribe to our blogs.
If you are looking for premium baby gear, don’t forget to check out Ashtonbee’s extensive collection of baby essentials, from feeding gadgets, pillows, and baby bikes, to safety accessories. Shop with us today!
