The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a wide recall Wednesday of about 5.5 million roll-up and Roman window shades sold by such retailers as IKEA International AS, Williams-Sonoma Inc. (WSM) and Target Corp. (TGT) because of strangulation risks and deaths.

The voluntary recalls follow similar recalls earlier this year and last year and are part of the commission's review of voluntary safety standards for Roman shades and rollup blinds, a commission spokeswoman said.

About once a month, a child in the U.S. dies from a window cord strangulation, said spokeswoman Arlene Flecha. The commission is aware of 11 incidents since 2005 of children becoming entangled in the inner cord of a Roman shade, and three of those children died, according to a letter from the CPSC to the Window Covering Manufacturers Association posted on the CPSC Web site.

"These standards at the moment specifically for Roman shades and rollups are not adequate, so that's something the commission is going to be working on with the industry," Flecha said.

Of six separate recalls Wednesday, the largest was one urging consumers to stop using 4.2 million roll-up blinds imported by Lewis Hyman Inc. after two infant boys were strangled in the blinds' lift cord. The shades were sold exclusively at Target stores and on its Web site.

Another 763,000 shades imported from China and sold by Target were recalled because of a risk of strangulation.

The CPSC also recalled 120,000 Roman blinds distributed by Ikea and 85,000 Roman shades sold by Williams-Sonoma's Pottery Barn Kids after some near strangulations.

The CSPC also recalled some blinds made by Vertical Land Inc. and Virginia Iron and Metal Co.

Target shares were recently up 1.3% at $47.08. Williams-Sonoma rallied 12.5% to $17.40 after reporting a surprise profit for the latest quarter and boosting expectations for this quarter.

Target spokeswoman Sarah Bakken said the retailer has pulled all Roman shade products from its shelves, not just the two announced in the CPSC recall, until retrofit kits are available from the manufacturer. She wouldn't comment on how many products are involved or the financial impact.

Target expects to provide information shortly on its Web site regarding how consumers can get kits to retrofit the recalled products from the manufacturer. Consumers can also return the item to Target for a full refund, she said.

Representatives of Ikea and Williams-Sonoma couldn't be reached immediately for comment.

Most window blinds have been redesigned over the years to exclude loops in the pull cords, and the CPSC and window coverings manufacturers have ongoing educational programs to retrofit or remove older blinds.

But Roman shades and roll-up blinds have been the focus of the recent recalls. Both Roman shades and roll-up blinds typically have lifting loops that help raise the blind as a cord is pulled. The CPSC's Web site has warnings specifically about those lifting loops.

"It can even be a strangulation hazard when it's in the complete down position," said another CPSC spokesman, Scott Wolfson. "The issue is (the lifting loop) is tucked behind the shade and may not be fully recognized by the parent as still being a strangulation hazard if the child gets behind the Roman shade."

Falling prices of Roman shades and roll-up blinds in recent years have made them extremely popular, though Wolfson had no statistics on how many have been produced or sold in recent years. The risk is mainly for children younger than three, he added.

Ralph Vasami, executive director of the Window Covering Manufacturers Association, referred a query on the recalls to the Window Covering Safety Council, which works with manufacturers, importers and retailers to retrofit shades, educate consumers and provide input on revising the standards.

Council President Michael Cienian said in an interview that one issue under study in the revision of the voluntary manufacturing standards is how much of a cord poses a risk and what warnings should be on the product. Meanwhile, manufacturers are developing new products, he said.

"Over the last few years, there's been more and more cordless products that are available," he said. The bottom line, though, he said, is "Corded products don't belong in children's rooms."

-By Mary Ellen Lloyd, Dow Jones Newswires; 704-371-4033; maryellen.lloyd@dowjones.com

(Joan E. Solsman contributed to this report.)