High chair safety

You can help prevent falls from high chairs by:¹

• Using a high chair that has a wide base. This feature makes the chair less likely to tip over if it is accidentally bumped.
• Inspecting a folding high chair before each use to make sure it is locked in the upright position.
• Using the safety straps to secure your child.
• Keeping the high chair away from hard surfaces. The high chair can tip over if your child is able to push hard against a table, counter, or other objects that provide leverage.
• Not using booster seats that attach to a table as a substitute for a high chair. These hook-on models are more likely to cause injury. A table will tip over if it does not support the weight of the child. The seat can also come off the table if a child is able to push against a table leg or other support.
• Making sure your child is properly supervised while he or she is in a high chair. Do not allow older children to play on or near the high chair. Keep pets away from your child while he or she sits in the high chair.

Citations

1. American Academy of Pediatrics (2004). Keeping your child safe. In SP Shevlov, RE Hannemann, eds., Caring for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5, 4th ed., pp. 423–470. New York: Bantam.