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Infant in a high chair

A high chair is a category of seating mainly used by infants. It is designed to support or prevent the child from harm while they are lifted off the ground. It typically consists of a frame, back support, harness, feeding tray (which for some models are detachable), and leg rest.

Purpose

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Most high chairs are used for feeding children of varying ages, typically those who cannot feed themselves yet. The seat base portion is typically situated at the same height of an average adult so that the latter can comfortably spoon-feed the child. Food can be placed on the tray for the child’s self-feeding or play.

High chairs are not just used for feeding. It can also be used to secure the infant under the supervision of guardian(s) while the latter work on other activities.

High chairs are offered in most public establishments, such as restaurants, for the ease of the guardian and infant while they are away from home.

History

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A Windsor chair with a writing arm (1760-90)

It is unclear where the first high chair originated from. However, its history in America can be traced back to Windsor chairs.[1] In the 1760's, Windsor chairs sold in Philadelphia were advertised to be "fit for piazzas or gardens, childrens dining and low chairs."[2] Early high chairs resemble the writing-arm category of Windsor chairs: the cut-out silhouette and attached bracket arm were deemed useful for securing an infant.[1]

Design and construction

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High chairs can vary in size and style. They often have a wide base to increase stability. The frame of high chairs is usually constructed of metal (typically steel) or plastic tubing, or wood. The chair portion is measured and carved to situate an infant body. Cushion can be added to increase the infant’s comfort. The seat cover is made of a type of fabric, depending on the user's preference. Most harnesses are made of nylon. The front tray is normally made of plastic or wood. Some components of the high chair are not machine washable.

Often accompanying the seat is a booster chair. It is meant to be used with a regular chair to boost the height of a child sufficiently. Some boosters are a simple monolithic piece of plastic. Others are more complex and are designed to fold up and include a detachable tray.

There are models of high chairs that include a breaking and locking mechanism which may include wheel locks[3]. Recent models of high chairs are foldable for ease of transport and storage.

Notable examples

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Tripp Trapp

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The Tripp Trapp designed by Peter Opsvik

The Tripp Trapp was invented by designer Peter Opsvik in 1972.[4] Today, the chairs are manufactured and sold by Stokke. The high chair is constructed of wood available in different shades. It is composed of a slanted frame (resembling an upside-down number seven). A curved back rest is attached to the two legs of the Tripp Trapp at the topmost portion. The base is widen and reinforced by wooden bars and metal cross bars. There are grooves along the legs of the high chair allowing for customized seat and footrest placements. Additional features to the Tripp Trapp are the seat padding (named the 'Baby Set' by Stokke), storage tray, and five-point harness system.[5]

The attraction of the Tripp Trapp, according to Stokke, is in its height-adjustable features which allow the high chair to adapt to users of varying ages: from infancy to adulthood.[5]

ANTILOP

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The ANTILOP high chair was developed by engineer John Forsén for IKEA.[6] Its primary structure consists of four wide-angled, steel legs (resembling an antelope, hence the name) which are connected to a plastic seat and tray. A three-point harness and center seat post are included with the high chair as safety measures. The parts of the ANTILOP high chair are detachable.[6]

Potential accidents

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High chairs can result in child-related accidents.[7][8] These accidents have occurred due to the high chair being knocked over, malfunctioning, or the user becoming entangled in the chair.[9] The result of accidents associated with high chairs are usually head injury or in severe cases, death.

Notable recalls

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United States

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Most high chairs recalled in the U.S. are mandated by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

  • Over 700,000 different models of Evenflo high chairs were recalled in 2009 due to product malfunction resulting in injuries.[10]
  • Approximately 24,000 Fisher-Price 3-in-1 High Chairs were recalled by the company in 2009 due to posing injury risk.[11]
  • Over 700 Stokke AS Clikk high chairs were recalled in April 2022 due to seat malfunction.[12]

Safety measures

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Restraints

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Standard high chairs include a harness system to secure the infant throughout the duration of use. A five-point harness, consisting of five straps, are typically employed to maximize the child's safety. In the five-point system, two straps are placed over the child's shoulders, two secure their hips while the remaining strap cover the child's crotch. These straps all connect to a buckle which can be pressed to release the harness.

Five-point harnesses are also used for car seats and booster chairs. In an event of a head-on collision, the five-point harness reduces the damage to the child's body by distributing the collision force across a broader surface area. Furthermore, the harness system prevents the child's neck and shoulders from being entangled in the straps in a crash.[13]

Variations such as the two-point, three-point, four-point and six-point harnesses also exist. These harnesses are often made of nylon and plastic.

Base

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A wide-base wooden high chair with cross bars

In order to maximize security for the child, most high chairs are constructed to have a wide base. This is done to prevent the child from toppling the high chair over should they move or climb out of the restraints and seat. Some high chairs are designed to include wide-angled legs (often four) which are further reinforced by cross bars.

Wheel locks

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An example of a caster with a wheel lock

High chairs that include wheels often come with a locking system to prevent unintended movement. These mechanism typically come in the forms of brakes and wheel locks. The methods to use these locking mechanism vary from model to model, depending on the manufacturer's instructions. Some models require the caregiver to slide a button to lock the wheels while for others, pushing and pulling on a handle is necessary to lock and unlock the brakes respectively.[14] The guardian is expected to inspect these features for malfunction prior to placing the infant in the high chair.

Wheel lock features are also employed for wheelchairs.



Safety standards

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The EU standard EN 14988:2017 A1:2020 has been published in 2020 by the European Committee for Standardization.[15]

Updated requirements to ensure safety standards in high chair has been mandated in 2019 by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.[16]

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  • A child's high chair (ca. 1650) at the Metropolitan Museum of Art[17]
    A child's high chair (ca. 1650) at the Metropolitan Museum of Art[17]
  • Different styles of high chairs
    Different styles of high chairs
  • A tower of high chairs at a fast food establishment
    A tower of high chairs at a fast food establishment
  • Plastic high chairs in a restaurant
    Plastic high chairs in a restaurant

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Stokes, J. Stogdell (1925). "The American Windsor Chair". Bulletin of the Pennsylvania Museum. 21 (98): 47–58. doi:10.2307/3794262. ISSN 0891-3609.
  2. ^ Gillingham, Harrold E. (1931). "The Philadelphia Windsor Chair and Its Journeyings". The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography. 55 (4): 301–332. ISSN 0031-4587.
  3. ^ Renno, Shadi (2022-10-22). "Braking and locking system for caster wheels". Google Patents.
  4. ^ Amdam, Rolv Petter; Bjarnar, Ove (2015). "Globalization and the Development of Industrial Clusters: Comparing Two Norwegian Clusters, 1900-2010". The Business History Review. 89 (4): 693–716. ISSN 0007-6805.
  5. ^ a b "Tripp Trapp®". www.stokke.com. Retrieved 2022-10-22.
  6. ^ a b "ANTILOP High chair with tray, white/silver color". IKEA. Retrieved 2022-10-22.
  7. ^ Powell, Elizabeth C.; Jovtis, Edward; Tanz, Robert R. (2002-07-01). "Incidence and Description of High Chair-Related Injuries to Children". Ambulatory Pediatrics. 2 (4): 276–278. doi:10.1367/1539-4409(2002)002<0276:IADOHC>2.0.CO;2. ISSN 1530-1567.
  8. ^ Mayr, J. M.; Seebacher, U.; Schimpl, G.; Fiala, F. (1999). "Highchair accidents". Acta Paediatrica. 88 (3): 319–322. doi:10.1111/j.1651-2227.1999.tb01104.x. ISSN 1651-2227.
  9. ^ Mechcatie, Elizabeth. "Most High-Chair Injuries caused by Falling". Pediatric News. 35 (10): 37 – via Gale Academic Onefile.
  10. ^ Hitti, Miranda (2022-10-10). "Evenflo Recalls 733,000 Envision, Majestic High Chairs". WebMD.
  11. ^ Hitti, Miranda (2022-10-10). "Fisher-Price High Chairs Recalled on Fall Hazard". WebMD.
  12. ^ "Stokke Recalls Clikk High Chairs Due to Fall and Injury Hazards". U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Retrieved 2022-10-10.
  13. ^ Langino, Adam J.; Kroeger, Leslie M. (2018). "BLINDS SPOTS: IN BOOSTER SEATS". Trial. 54 (1): 40 . Retrieved 2022-10-22 – via Gale Academic OneFile.
  14. ^ Handtschoewercker, Geoffrey (2017-06-14). "Peg Perego High Chair Siesta - Wheel lock stuck". YouTube. Retrieved 2022-10-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  15. ^ "Children's high chairs - Requirements and test methods". European Committee for Standardization. 2020-02-19. Retrieved 2022-05-01.
  16. ^ "CPSC Approves New Federal Safety Standard for High Chairs". U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. 2018-06-12. Retrieved 2022-10-10.
  17. ^ "Child's high chair". MET Museum. 2022-10-22. Retrieved 2022-10-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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