car seat question

[fallon]

OK Trina I need your expert opinion here as I am upset w/ my in-laws choice to put a towel or blanket under the kids car seats....Is this safe?

and while I have you here, when is OK to take the back off a booster seat? (this is also been a hot debate among the family)

[Kaytee]

the towel is fine usaully. Sometimes you needs to use a rolled towel to balance the seat properly. A lot of people will use a pool noodle as well. That is talked about in the Britax manual at least.

As far as the back of the booster, I don't know, but I will see if I can find anything.

Of course Trina probably already knows, but just in case she isn't around today

[Kaytee]

Use a high back booster seat if your car does not have adjustable head restraints or high seat backs in the back seat. It protects your child's head and neck.
If your car has adjustable head restraints or high seat backs, you can choose a no back booster seat.

[fallon]

thanks

[Trina]

Actually, it's not a good idea to put anything under car seats. The only time we (CPS Techs) put anything under a car seat is in the case of leather vehicle seats (a very thin rubber shelf liner), but now there is talk of even that not being a good idea.

A rolled towel or pool noodle can be used to help the recline of a rear facing car seat, but that's not under the entire base. It's placed just under the front foot of the base at the bite of the vehicle seat. A rolled towel or pool noodle should never be used with a forward facing car seat.

Full back boosters offer side impact protection and sleep support. Backless boosters don't. For these reasons, full back boosters are generally safer than backless boosters. Although I do use backless boosters when car pooling, etc. for convenience sake, my kids ride mainly in full back boosters. Well, DS (11) recently graduated out of a booster, but DD (9) still rides primarily in a full back booster. She's safer and more comfortable that way. That said, boosters that do have removable backs usually have weight limits before doing so, and Kaytee is correct that backless boosters must be used in a vehicle seating position that has a lap and shoulder belt and a head rest or high seat back.

While we're on the topic... Kids are safest in boosters until at least 4'9" and can pass the 5 Step Test, even if they can legally ride without one.
http://www.carseat.org/Boosters/630.pdf

More info here:
http://www.parentingforums.org/local_links.php?catid=32

HTH

[fallon]

thank you soooo much Trina...I love being right...lol

[Trina]

Originally Posted by fallon

thank you soooo much Trina...I love being right...lol

LOL!

BTW, your state has lousy child restraint laws.
http://www.iihs.org/laws/ChildRestraint.aspx

As you can see, they vary A LOT from state to state. Just because something is "legal" doesn't mean it's "safe". It's not about laws, it's about lives. The laws of physics over ride the laws of man.

[Kaytee]

thanks Trina!! Thats an interesting thing where it lists the actual laws.
Texas does not have a law for rar facing infants weird!

[fallon]

Originally Posted by Trina

LOL!

BTW, your state has lousy child restraint laws.
http://www.iihs.org/laws/ChildRestraint.aspx

As you can see, they vary A LOT from state to state. Just because something is "legal" doesn't mean it's "safe". It's not about laws, it's about lives. The laws of physics over ride the laws of man.

yes they do

[Trina]

Originally Posted by Kaytee

thanks Trina!! Thats an interesting thing where it lists the actual laws.
Texas does not have a law for rar facing infants weird!

I know. That's the point I was trying to make. Many people assume their kids are safe out of car seats/boosters if their kids can legally ride without them. Well, look at how different the laws are from state to state. How can something be considered safe in one state but not another? The laws are slowly changing and getting better, but they are all politics. Kids are safest if parents follow current recommendations put out by safety experts.