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23rd April 2024
12:48pm BST
People are velcroing babies into the seats and while at first glance it can look like a bit of harmless fun, unsurprisingly it's not a good idea.
One of the videos gathering attention right now has more than 16 million views and sees the parent placing Velcro on both her child and an aeroplane seat in order to get the kid to stay put.
Some people have commented their love for the idea but experts say Velcro should never be used to restrain a child to any seat.
In another viral clip, a mother puts Velcro on the infant’s shirt and a sofa and the two play with a squishy cupcake toy for a bit.
After Velcro playtime, the mother removes the strips from the sofa and the baby. Listen, while parenting is undoubtedly difficult, sticking your child to furniture is dangerous and not the answer.
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Speaking to Parents, Kelly J. Moriarty, DNP, MSN, RN, the injury prevention coordinator with Novant Health PMC Trauma Services explained why you really shouldn't do this.
"Velcro is definitely not a safety-approved device to hold children," she explains adding that it might pull apart or their clothes could come off.
"If the child slides down, they can basically be hung by the shirt, [which] may or may not cause injury but is not a risk I would take," Moriarty says.
Additionally, the doctor says parents may gain a false sense of security about leaving an infant unattended, only increasing the potential risk of injury.
On top of the risk of serious injury or death, it can lead to issues in your child's development.
"Restricting a child's movement can hinder their physical and cognitive development," Dr Ganjian a board-certified paediatrician at Providence Saint John’s Health Center said
"They need freedom to explore and learn through movement."
Instead of using something typically found on children's shoes
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