New car seat guidelines from the AAp

[monkeybug]

Among the changes in AAP guidelines:
Children should ride rear-facing to age 2, or until they reach the maximum height and weight for their seat. (The old policy from 2002 cited age 12 months and 20 pounds as a minimum for when to turn a seat around.)
Children should use a booster seat until they have reached 4 feet 9 inches tall and are between 8 and 12 years old.
Children should ride in the rear of a vehicle until they are 13 years old.


My poor short skinny kids are going to be in their seats until they are 12!!

 

[wvjules]

Aren't a 2 year olds legs going to be too long to be in a rear facing seat?

I can't imagine a 12 year old in a booster seat either.

 

[Tinkermommy]

I am only 5' 1" pretty soon, I will supposed to be in a booster seat!

I agree with the WVJules about the 2 year olds legs being too long.

And no 12 year old would sit in a booster!

 

[Conservative Hippie]

My daughter rear-faced until she was 2 yrs anyway, and I will do the same with my son.

Rear-facing toddlers just fold their legs, it doesn't bother them at all.

Edit: DD rear-faced in a Britax Marathon until she was 2 years old (25.5 lbs, 34" tall).

 

[Music City Mama]

My state already has the 4'9" rule for booster seats (and has for several years). They also have to be at least 8 years old AND 4'9" (not one or the other, but both). I'm sure DS will be 10 before he can be out of the booster.

I turned my older DS around at 1 year old (24 lbs.), but with my younger one, it was becoming more widely known about the 2 years old or the maximum limits of the car seat -- so, he rear-faced until he was 2.

Now if they'd only address extended harnessing . . .

 

[kt_mom]

I have a friend that's only 4'11. She's lucky she grew those few extra inches or she would still need to be in a booster seat at 33.

My DD is 8 and has been out of a booster seat for a little over a year. She fits correctly into a seat with a seat belt. I'm not sure exactly what her height is but I think she's about 52 inches or so.

DS is still rear facing at 10 months, 22 pounds and almost 30 inches tall. I haven't decided yet whether I will turn him around at 12 months or not like I did with DD.

 

[RachelEllen]

Like others have said, they just fold their legs up. Yes, the risk of a broken leg is higher. But, the risk of spinal cord injury and death is lower with rear facing. My kid is happy at 2.5 rear facing and she's a good 10 pounds away from the upper limit. I don't see changing her any time soon.

 

[monkeybug]

Now if they'd only address extended harnessing . . .

I was sort of surprised that wasn't included in their new guidelines. We have my 5 year old in a Britax Frontier which has a 5 point harness that goes until 85lbs. (you can use it with just a seat belt too) I don't know if we will use the harness until 85lbs, but he weighs under 40, so he will be in it for quite a while!

 

[jellyd]

Folks..As a paramedic who has cut kids out of cars and also picked them up off the side of the road after being ejected through a sun roof, I would say listen to their guidelines...the longer you can keep them in a seat the better. I know it seems like a long time and that we are keeping our kids younger or more immature longer but safety has got to come first before anything....rear facing is key because the main forces are throwing our bodies forward and they are safer rear facing...,y 2 cents

 

[RadioNate]

My daughter rear-faced until she was 2 yrs anyway, and I will do the same with my son.

Rear-facing toddlers just fold their legs, it doesn't bother them at all.

Edit: DD rear-faced in a Britax Marathon until she was 2 years old (25.5 lbs, 34" tall).

Mine were both well over 2 also. The legs never bothered them. I'd rather not risk a spinal injury but that's me.

Safety experts have been recommend these guidelines for at least 10 years. Now we just need the car seat laws to catch up.

My nearly 10 year old is out of a booster in my car but not in his dad's. The seatbelt just fits him better w/the booster in the other car. He should be out of it soon. He prefers it so he doesn't have the seatbelt across his neck.

DD is 3 and is front facing now even though she is just 27lbs (the seat goes to 30 or 35 rear facing) because it is easier for school carpool.

I have no plans to take her out of a harnessed seat any time soon. DS was harnessed until kindergarten.

 

[RadioNate]

Folks..As a paramedic who has cut kids out of cars and also picked them up off the side of the road after being ejected through a sun roof, I would say listen to their guidelines...the longer you can keep them in a seat the better. I know it seems like a long time and that we are keeping our kids younger or more immature longer but safety has got to come first before anything....rear facing is key because the main forces are throwing our bodies forward and they are safer rear facing...,y 2 cents

 

[kacaju]

WOW!! am not trying to start any agrument... I am all for keeping the kids safe. My dd 17 is only 5ft 1inch If she was any shorter, she'd need the booster!!
Being that she is 17...do you want to know when I turned her around?? 7 months!!

Seriously though... why do they not make anything to help protect petite drivers?

 

[justhat]

I was thrilled to read this last night. It's about time they made this "official".

Regarding kids legs, my older 2 were both RF till around 2yo (oldest was 22months, 2nd was 27 months) and they had absolutely no issues with their legs and neither of them were short for their age (in fact my oldest was always at least 75th percentile for height).

My youngest is small, under 25th percentile for height and not even on the charts for weight. So at 17lbs at 14 months, she'll be RF for a long time!

 

[lillygator]

what does "official" mean? Isn't it state by state?

 

[Darth Boeder]

Here is something you can watch (not for children)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8gU9zzCGA8

 

[Piecey]

My daughter rear-faced until she was 2 yrs anyway, and I will do the same with my son.

Rear-facing toddlers just fold their legs, it doesn't bother them at all.

Edit: DD rear-faced in a Britax Marathon until she was 2 years old (25.5 lbs, 34" tall).

My 6 month old is 23lbs. I just bought a Britax Boulevard because of the higher weight limits. He is almost out of his infant carrier.

I love the weight limits on the Britax, but wish they weren't the only ones with the higher weight limits for rear-facing.

My oldest forward-faced at 15 months because he hated rear facing (screamed and kicked his legs and squirmed constantly). My youngest will rear-face as long as possible, he's a much more mellow baby so I am optimistic.

what does "official" mean? Isn't it state by state?

I think she means that they've officially issued a statement that this is their opinion. I don't think they've officially endorsed rear-facing until 2 before this.

 

[2girlsmom]

I am all for safety, and my 1st was rear facing until about 18 months old (12 years ago), but younger child was rear facing until 2 as we were in CA and they were more particular about it by then. However, on the booster seats, my oldest is 13 and according to this "guideline" should STILL be in a booster seat. My mother in law, age 65, is just under 4'9", so would still be in a booster seat. I think this is a little extreme, especially as most modern vehicles have an adjustment on the shoulder belt so it can properly fit smaller people.

 

[jellyd]

this guideline is to place children and others I might add in the proper position for the proper seat belt function....children not in a booster are at increased risk for organ damage from the lap belt riding across the abdomen and not the pelvis and at elevated risked for head/neck trauma from improper placement of the shoulder belt.....also with the shoulder belt riding up on shorter folks necks they have a tendency to move the belt over their heads and depend on the lap belt only....if my wife/sister/mother/friend etc was shorter then 4'9" I would suggest some sort of device to place them or move the belt in to the proper positioning for the most protection...

 

[Conservative Hippie]

Mine were both well over 2 also. The legs never bothered them. I'd rather not risk a spinal injury but that's me.

Safety experts have been recommend these guidelines for at least 10 years. Now we just need the car seat laws to catch up.

My nearly 10 year old is out of a booster in my car but not in his dad's. The seatbelt just fits him better w/the booster in the other car. He should be out of it soon. He prefers it so he doesn't have the seatbelt across his neck.

DD is 3 and is front facing now even though she is just 27lbs (the seat goes to 30 or 35 rear facing) because it is easier for school carpool.

I have no plans to take her out of a harnessed seat any time soon. DS was harnessed until kindergarten.

My DD is 3 1/2, just under 30 lbs, and in a Britax Frontier. That seat harnesses to 85 lbs, but I'm not entirely sure if keep her harnessed that long (she's so petite she'll probably be 8 before she's 85 lbs!). My DS is in a Marathon and he'll stay rear-facing until he's 2, even though he's a chunky monkey at 20 lbs at 8 months!

 

[RadioNate]

My DD is 3 1/2, just under 30 lbs, and in a Britax Frontier. That seat harnesses to 85 lbs, but I'm not entirely sure if keep her harnessed that long (she's so petite she'll probably be 8 before she's 85 lbs!). My DS is in a Marathon and he'll stay rear-facing until he's 2, even though he's a chunky monkey at 20 lbs at 8 months!

Don't count on it, my nearly 10 year old isn't even 70lbs!