Child Seats and the Ages of Children

I recently posted a topic with regard to the law of children in their car seats. Many of the comments I have received require that I make this new posting.

Too many parents confuse the size and weight of their children as the determining factor of graduating them from rear facing to forward and from a seat into a booster or no seat at all.

Let's start with the rear facing child.

The American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends that children remain rear facing until 2 years of age. Just because you have a child in the 95th percentile does not mean that they can turn around safely. The reason for rear facing a child is to minimize the chance of spinal or neck injury for the child.

Muscular development of the neck does not take place for at least a year. That does not mean that at a year the muscles have developed. DO NOT TURN A CHILD AROUND AT A YEAR! You want to question the ability to keep your child rear facing until 2 years, that is fine, but you want to approach that age as close as you can get.

Pediatricians do make mistakes on this issue. Please, if they tell you that at one years old you can turn the child around, tell them that it is not the recommended age.

Now that we have turned the child around, we want to buy a convertible seat that can go above the 40 pound weight limit of most forward facing seats.

Children are reaching 40 pounds as early as 3 years old. A 3 year old is too young to go in a booster. Again size should not be the primary decision to change from a 5-point harness to a booster.

Again, it is the physical development of a child that should be considered. Also the mental development can come into play. Younger children play with their shoulder belt, moving it or sliding it away from their bodies. Also some younger children still sleep in the car and the booster seat cannot hold the child properly.

I have received some negative mail with regard to the 8 year age law, both mocking the law and myself in promoting the law. Understand that again, it is not the size of the child that comes into play. Unless the child is over 4'9" or above 100 pounds, there is no reason to not continue using the booster seat.

Again, it is muscular development and bone development that makes us want to keep a child in a booster. This physical development takes place at stages of a child's age, not size. In fact, the pelvic area does not fully develop until a child reaches maturity.

The size of a child comes onto play with the following 2 questions being answered in the affirmative. 1) Is the lap belt across the lap not on the stomach? Is the shoulder belt between the neck and the shoulder? This is not the case for most children under 8. But regardless, if the child is not over 4'9" you must use a booster seat for the child.

Re: Child Seats and the Ages of Children

just wanted to bump this

Re: Child Seats and the Ages of Children

Thanks!

Re: Child Seats and the Ages of Children

Thank you for this! I never understand why people rush things like turning the kid facing forward, or putting them into a booster seat before they are ready.

Re: Child Seats and the Ages of Children

timely post, as I'm currently shopping for another car seat for my oldest.

I want a seat that can convert to a booster down the line, but I want her in a 5pt harness as long as possible.

I've been looking at:
Britax Frontier
Safety 1st Summit
Graco Nautilus

any other recommendations?

(Since she's 3.5yrs, I'm thinking ahead. She still fits comfortably in her Roundabout in my car. The new seat will go in my husband's car and only be used occasionally until she outgrows the Roundabout).

Thanks!

Re: Child Seats and the Ages of Children

Thanks!

I plan on keeping them rear facing until they are 2 even though some people give me strange looks when I tell them this.

We have the Britax roundabout, which only goes to 40 lbs - but as of right now at 11 months, they are not even 20 lbs yet, so we'll see what happens.
If they wind up needing a convertible that goes higher than 40lbs, we'll buy another when the time comes.

Re: Child Seats and the Ages of Children

These are all good choices to consider, but let me give you some of my comments on each product

Re: Child Seats and the Ages of Children

Even before this new recommendation I had hoped to keep AJ rear facing as long as I could. I knew at 1yr & 20lbs Id have to ask my pediatrician if this was harmful. I guess now I don't.

She's 15mo and yes, she kicks the back seat and yes she sometimes HATES being back there, but tough cookie! Its not like she knows what's she's missing. I think she sometimes hates being strapped down period not really that she hates rear facing. *shrug* but what do I know.

Point is I think its a FANTASTIC idea that they've upped this recommendation! Its safer for everyone and at the end of the day its about the safety of our kids isnt it?

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Tho the 8yr/4.9ft/100lbs thing is hiliarious! I know adults that are under 4.9ft and less than 100lbs. Actually my little sister was under 4.9ft until 14. She's STILL under 100lbs today at 19!!!!

Re: Child Seats and the Ages of Children

Posted by Xelindrya

Tho the 8yr/4.9ft/100lbs thing is hiliarious! I know adults that are under 4.9ft and less than 100lbs. Actually my little sister was under 4.9ft until 14. She's STILL under 100lbs today at 19!!!!

Re: Child Seats and the Ages of Children

Posted by Xelindrya



Even before this new recommendation I had hoped to keep AJ rear facing as long as I could. I knew at 1yr & 20lbs Id have to ask my pediatrician if this was harmful. I guess now I don't.

She's 15mo and yes, she kicks the back seat and yes she sometimes HATES being back there, but tough cookie! Its not like she knows what's she's missing. I think she sometimes hates being strapped down period not really that she hates rear facing. *shrug* but what do I know.

Point is I think its a FANTASTIC idea that they've upped this recommendation! Its safer for everyone and at the end of the day its about the safety of our kids isnt it?

...

...

...

Tho the 8yr/4.9ft/100lbs thing is hiliarious! I know adults that are under 4.9ft and less than 100lbs. Actually my little sister was under 4.9ft until 14. She's STILL under 100lbs today at 19!!!!

Re: Child Seats and the Ages of Children

Posted by HeatherRose

Posted by Xelindrya



Even before this new recommendation I had hoped to keep AJ rear facing as long as I could. I knew at 1yr & 20lbs Id have to ask my pediatrician if this was harmful. I guess now I don't.

She's 15mo and yes, she kicks the back seat and yes she sometimes HATES being back there, but tough cookie! Its not like she knows what's she's missing. I think she sometimes hates being strapped down period not really that she hates rear facing. *shrug* but what do I know.

Point is I think its a FANTASTIC idea that they've upped this recommendation! Its safer for everyone and at the end of the day its about the safety of our kids isnt it?

...

...

...

Tho the 8yr/4.9ft/100lbs thing is hiliarious! I know adults that are under 4.9ft and less than 100lbs. Actually my little sister was under 4.9ft until 14. She's STILL under 100lbs today at 19!!!!

sorry to crash but I was thinking the same thing. I am under 100lbs and 28! and the lap belt does not cross my hips, it crosses my belly area. When I have kids I'm sure they will be in the same situation as well. do they have to reach 8 yrs old, 100lbs and 4ft 9 and then they can get out of a booster? or is it just one of those? I'm confused. I was actually talking to my cousin about this last night and his daughter is tiny. he was joking she will be bringing her booster seat to prom with the rules, if she has to reach all of them.

Re: Child Seats and the Ages of Children

Thank you so much for your post.

I get grilled constantly about why my 22 month old DD is still rear facing, and constantly told it's all hogwash. "Where are her legs? They'll break in an accident/she'll be uncomfortable! How can she interact with you? What if you get rear ended" etc etc etc. Blech.So many misconceptions out there!

I implore anyone who is considering turning their child forward facing to visit www.joelsjourney.org Joel was a big 18 month old boy who suffered a broken neck after his parents unwittingly followed the recommendation of 1 yr/20lbs and turned him forward facing. His grandfather started this site to spread the word about what happens to a child this young when they are forward facing and in an impact, and to push for changes in what the NHTSA and AAP recommend.

1 and 20 is a MINIMUM recommendation. 4 and 40 for a booster is a MINIMUM recommendation.

It really irks me that people view the next step in car seats as a milestone, and view car seat safety as unimportant and trivial yet spend a small fortune on baby gates for the stairways, outlet covers, organic foods etc.

Re: Child Seats and the Ages of Children

I'm sorry if this is an ignorant question, but...my DD is almost a year, and she's SO tall that her legs actually bend now when she's in the carseat--she can't stretch them out straight.

I had planned on putting her front-facing on her 1st birthday, if nothing more than to finally give her legs some space. I just don't see HOW I can keep her rear-facing any longer when her legs are ALREADY bent at about a 30-degree angle...

AND we have a large SUV, so I can't even blame the size of the car for the cramped space!

Re: Child Seats and the Ages of Children

Posted by MrsRivera

I'm sorry if this is an ignorant question, but...my DD is almost a year, and she's SO tall that her legs actually bend now when she's in the carseat--she can't stretch them out straight.

I had planned on putting her front-facing on her 1st birthday, if nothing more than to finally give her legs some space. I just don't see HOW I can keep her rear-facing any longer when her legs are ALREADY bent at about a 30-degree angle...

AND we have a large SUV, so I can't even blame the size of the car for the cramped space!

Re: Child Seats and the Ages of Children

Thank you for posting this. Since my kids are getting older, I have encountered a new concept which I find surprising. My oldest is 7 yrs old. He's about 55 lbs and is about 4 ft. 4 inches. He is still in a 5 point booster that is a 5 point till 65 lbs. I know people with kids the same age who aren't even using a backless booster anymore, some who are smaller than my DS. What I don't understand the rush to get them out of any kind of seat at all. I will continue to use this seat as my primary seat or a backless (which we use when he is in my DH's car or is going in a friend's car) until he is taller than the height measurements. I also refuse to drive any of his friends without boosters, regardless of whether they use one in their own car. I have 3 extra backless boosters so it's never been an issue if their parents don't have one. But I don't get why anyone would disregard the safety of their older child.

Re: Child Seats and the Ages of Children

My thoughts on the "my child is uncomfortable rear-facing" is that they'll be VERY uncomfortable for the rest of their lives if they break their neck....

DC's safety always comes before what they "want". They "want" a lot of things, but they can't because playing in traffic is not really a good idea. Eating rocks isn't either. Yes, that may look tasty, but it's poison, so you can't eat that....

Re: Child Seats and the Ages of Children

Just wanted to bump this back up so more can read the content - Have a wonderful Thanksgiving all!

Drive Carefully!!


I would like to add that if your child's leg is bent, there is also a chance the seat is not installed properly.

Call 516-571-5033 of 516-571-1893 to make an appointment in Nassau or if you want to make the trip to Mineola.

If anyine has a problem getting an appointment, FM and I will get you in the best I can.