New car seat guidelines from the AAp

[LuLuO]

Most kids will reach the rear-facing weight limit for their seat before they reach the rear-facing height limit.

I turned DD when she was about 2y 7mo and she reached the weight limit of 33 pounds for rear-facing on her particular seat. She still had a lot of room to go for the height limit, though she was and is big for her age. I considered buying a new seat to keep her rear-facing longer, but she was constantly asking to turn and was complaining of her back hurting so I turned her.

DS2 is on the small side and is still rear-facing and probably will be for quite some time. He is only 24 pounds so I could totally see him making it at least to age 3 or maybe even age 4 before he hit’s the weight limit of 33 pounds for his seat.

 

[simba20]

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

No. They can fold them up. As I told my husband, better for DD to have a broken leg in an accident, than a broken neck or spinal injury.

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

See above comment.

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.

THIS! EXACTLY!

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?

They do. They are called pedal extenders. If you are sitting really close to your steering wheel, pedal extenders are the way to go. You are able to sit further back and still reach the pedals. They are not just for "little people." My dad had a set for me when I was learning how to drive. Now whenever I buy a car, I have a set distance of how far I want to be from the steering wheel. If I cannot reach the pedals, at that distance, then I do not choose that automobile. I would use pedal extenders now, in all honesty, but I have gotten taller since my "learning how to drive days" and the hubster has a long commute that causes him to switch between our vehicles every two or three days. Taking off the extenders and putting them on another car would be a hassle. Also, whenever we go out as a family, the hubster drives, so I don't need to worry. However, if I had a vehicle that was solely "mine" then I'd order some pedal extenders.

I've read in the past that the legs being bent and jammed up against the seat back isn't that bad for the kids...better to get a broken leg than a broken neck in an accident.

I practiced extended rear facing with DD. All the time my husband would ask, aren;t her legs cramped/tired/going to hurt, and I'd repeat to him "Better to have a broken leg in an accident, than a broken neck or spinal cord." I have a friend who has a 4 year old and 2 year old. She has the 4 year old in a seat booster (no back) using the car's seat belt and she has the 2 year old in a high back booster that also uses the car's seat belt. I shudder when I see her buckle her kids in the car, but it's her business.

I am getting ready to look into a buy a booster seat for my daughter, as she has a convertable car seat that I just hate, hate, HATE!!!! (did I mention how I hate it). I can never pull the straps tight enough, and they jam, and the seat is a pain to clean (you have to take the whole thing apart). My requirements are for it to be a high back harness booster that will last her until high school (as she is tiny and grows at a slow rate). Yes, I am 4'11" and happy to be a few inches shy of needing a booster seat myself (although, it wouldn''t hurt -- learning to drive I did use cushions and a phone book).

 

[Conservative Hippie]

I am getting ready to look into a buy a booster seat for my daughter, as she has a convertable car seat that I just hate, hate, HATE!!!! (did I mention how I hate it). I can never pull the straps tight enough, and they jam, and the seat is a pain to clean (you have to take the whole thing apart). My requirements are for it to be a high back harness booster that will last her until high school (as she is tiny and grows at a slow rate). Yes, I am 4'11" and happy to be a few inches shy of needing a booster seat myself (although, it wouldn''t hurt -- learning to drive I did use cushions and a phone book).

Britax Frontier 85 - harnesses to 85 lbs, high-back belt-positioning booster to 120 lbs. I just moved DD (3 1/2) to one of these about a month ago and it's a great seat.

 

[Diznygrl]

Soon everyone in the car will be in a carseat, and it will be recommended that only the driver face foward.

The mental image of this made me

Yeahhh...I vaguely remember this 4'9" "rule" being mentioned a couple years back but assumed there was some kind of exception for short ADULTS...if not I guess I've been breaking the law? I'm 4'3", going to be 30 years old in June. I don't know, sitting on a cushion and using pedal extenders to drive a car is one thing, but the thought of having to go to Babies R Us to buy myself a kiddie car seat is a bit much...not just for driving, but for riding too?? Please leave me with what little dignity I have left!

 

[merbobear]

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.

The Sunshine Kids Radian XTSL actually has the highest rear facing weight limit on the US market (45 lbs) and is FF harnessed until 80 lbs. It also has a steel alloy frame (Britax has steel bars that go up the sides of the seat, not a full frame). If you are in the market for a convertible seat, you might want to look into it!
http://www.skjp.com/en-US/product/97556/195XX/_/RadianXTSL%26%23174%3B

 

[merbobear]

I don't know any 12 year old in a booster. My 8 year old already complains that she's the only one in her class still in a booster. And she's still in a booster because she's the youngest and the shortest in her class. I think she has a few inches left.



Right, when they CHOOSE to sit that way. I do not understand how it's OK to force them to sit that way. Make the car seats to accommodate the longer legs, not the other way around. Forcing my child to sit in a position like that for an extended period of time seems harmful.

It is fine to force a child to sit whichever way is the safest. The safest way is rear facing. Did you know that a child is 75% more likely to DIE in a car crash if they are forward facing instead of rear facing? IMO it is worth discomfort to provide safety - although that point is moot, because the typical child will not be in any discomfort by sitting with their legs crossed or propped up on the back of the seat while rear facing.

I just can't understand why anyone would find fault with the idea of someone doing whatever they can to keep their child safe - and those that use the minimum requirements as a stopping point just baffle me. The bare minimum will never be good enough wehn it comes to the safety of any child of mine.

Just my opinion, of course, but I am very glad that the AAP and NHSTA are now officially recommending extended rear facing, along with the booster seat guidelines. I hope they soon will include more information about the benefits of keeping kids in a 5 point harness longer.

 

[merbobear]

These giant carseats that 5 point harness to 100lbs are like thrones! Now I want my kids to be safe but where on earth are you going to put more than one or two of those in a car? They won't even fit! At what point are we going too far with it?
Like I said, safety is of course the most important issue but I also think we need to be reasonable about it.

The Sunshine Kids car seat that I referenced in an earlier post is actually known for being the most narrow car seat you can get. It goes up to 80lbs harnessed and you can fit 3 across in the back seat of a car.

 

[MistressMerryweather]

Children who are rear-facing past the previously recommended 1yo and 20lbs don't know any better. *You* may be annoyed at their leg position, but they are not. When they get in their seat, this is where they sit. They don't know anything different.
None of my children have had their "knees in their face" or were "squished". Not at all.
The guidelines are not made lightly. If it was more unhealthy to have them rear-facing because of their legs, they wouldn't have changed the recs.

As far as the height and age recommendations for older children vs. adults. An 8-12yo doesn't have the same muscle maturity, etc that a 5 foot, 25yo adult has.
So, they are much safer in a seat that accommodates their muscle and spinal immaturity.

 

[MistressMerryweather]

Right, when they CHOOSE to sit that way. I do not understand how it's OK to force them to sit that way. Make the car seats to accommodate the longer legs, not the other way around. Forcing my child to sit in a position like that for an extended period of time seems harmful.

Forcing a child to sit with their legs "dangling" for hours isn't exactly comfy either. You force them to sit in a car seat. You force them to sit in a booster. You force them to sit in the car period. What is the difference? I choose safety over making excuses. I could care less if I have the only nearly 8yo still in a harnessed seat. I'd rather him be slightly annoyed than dead.
He, btw, doesn't care at all. Race car drivers are in 5-point harnesses. It's safest. He has two cousins who are the same age and they think it's cool that he "gets" to sit in a seat like a "race car driver".

 

[Mouse House Mama]

It is fine to force a child to sit whichever way is the safest. The safest way is rear facing. Did you know that a child is 75% more likely to DIE in a car crash if they are forward facing instead of rear facing? IMO it is worth discomfort to provide safety - although that point is moot, because the typical child will not be in any discomfort by sitting with their legs crossed or propped up on the back of the seat while rear facing.

I just can't understand why anyone would find fault with the idea of someone doing whatever they can to keep their child safe - and those that use the minimum requirements as a stopping point just baffle me. The bare minimum will never be good enough wehn it comes to the safety of any child of mine.

Seriously? Why make such a rude statement? Just because someone does something different for reasons you do not know is no reason to throw a backhanded comment out there. Why not also say that Mom's who formula feed are doing the bare minimum, or parents who feed their kids peanut butter before whatever magical age is reccomended now are doing the bare minimum (as examples- not my feelings)?

Just my opinion, of course, but I am very glad that the AAP and NHSTA are now officially recommending extended rear facing, along with the booster seat guidelines. I hope they soon will include more information about the benefits of keeping kids in a 5 point harness longer.

Children who are rear-facing past the previously recommended 1yo and 20lbs don't know any better. *You* may be annoyed at their leg position, but they are not. When they get in their seat, this is where they sit. They don't know anything different.
None of my children have had their "knees in their face" or were "squished". Not at all.

My kids know the difference. 5 of them sit in the car at various ages. They can see each other. I will agree though that that is not a reason to change their seats but I wanted to point out that they do know.
The guidelines are not made lightly. If it was more unhealthy to have them rear-facing because of their legs, they wouldn't have changed the recs.

As far as the height and age recommendations for older children vs. adults. An 8-12yo doesn't have the same muscle maturity, etc that a 5 foot, 25yo adult has.
So, they are much safer in a seat that accommodates their muscle and spinal immaturity.

Forcing a child to sit with their legs "dangling" for hours isn't exactly comfy either. You force them to sit in a car seat. You force them to sit in a booster. You force them to sit in the car period. What is the difference? I choose safety over making excuses.

Yes, the rest of us who do things differently simply strap the kid to the hood of the car like a hood ornament or tie them to the luggage rack. Again, why the need to insult? If you feel so strongly about your position you would simply state the facts and not make insults to justify it.
I could care less if I have the only nearly 8yo still in a harnessed seat. I'd rather him be slightly annoyed than dead.
He, btw, doesn't care at all. Race car drivers are in 5-point harnesses. It's safest. He has two cousins who are the same age and they think it's cool that he "gets" to sit in a seat like a "race car driver".

Carseats aren't a one size fits all solution. Body types are different etc. I am all for safety and do my best to keep my kids as safe as possible but I do think that there are variables involved in everything.

 

[funhouse8]

My daugher is 4'10 and 25 years old. Soon she will need a booster seat to drive.

 

[tiggger1]

Children who are rear-facing past the previously recommended 1yo and 20lbs don't know any better. *You* may be annoyed at their leg position, but they are not. When they get in their seat, this is where they sit. They don't know anything different.
None of my children have had their "knees in their face" or were "squished". Not at all.
The guidelines are not made lightly. If it was more unhealthy to have them rear-facing because of their legs, they wouldn't have changed the recs.

As far as the height and age recommendations for older children vs. adults. An 8-12yo doesn't have the same muscle maturity, etc that a 5 foot, 25yo adult has.
So, they are much safer in a seat that accommodates their muscle and spinal immaturity.

My daughter is very tall. She was so tall at 11 months that she was getting severe leg cramps whenever she was in her rear facing carseat. I took her to a ton of doctors thinking it was something really bad with her legs and every single doctor, including her ortho and a neurologist told me the same thing. It was from her rear facing seat. The ortho told me that while it was ok for infants to have their legs crouched like that for 10 minutes, here and there anything longer could cause muscle cramping and fatigue.

A friend of mine said something interesting on facebook yesterday, so I am going to "borrow" it for here

she said the point is the impact could still cause spinal problems if the legs are not inside the seat properly. Say your child is long enough that they are having to put their feet into the back of the vehicle seat. Then you are in a crash. ...The force that would be put on the spine from the legs being pushed could also cause damage. That is why before jumping the gun and saying it is a one size fits all RF after age 1 they need to test in these positions. Now if your child (general your child by the way) is small enough to not have this issue and their entire body is inside the seat while RF of course it is the best option provided there aren't any other factors in play.

 

[kt_mom]

I am getting ready to look into a buy a booster seat for my daughter, as she has a convertable car seat that I just hate, hate, HATE!!!! (did I mention how I hate it). I can never pull the straps tight enough, and they jam, and the seat is a pain to clean (you have to take the whole thing apart). My requirements are for it to be a high back harness booster that will last her until high school (as she is tiny and grows at a slow rate). Yes, I am 4'11" and happy to be a few inches shy of needing a booster seat myself (although, it wouldn''t hurt -- learning to drive I did use cushions and a phone book).

I'm sorry, I don't mean to call anyone out and to be honest I should know better than to get into this debate as these threads can get nasty and no one ever changes their mind.

But I'm just baffled sometimes by what I read. You want to buy a "high back harness booster" that will last your child until HIGHSCHOOL

At what point are we going too far? I'm all for safety. But there is no way in this world I would put my middle school age child in a booster seat. At some point you have to take into account their happiness. I know that is taboo on here when its weighed against safety. But I can't imagine subjecting my child to the ridicule they might encounter in middle school for being in what amounts to a car seat. You can call it a booster seat all you want but a high back harness booster seat is essentially a car seat.

I don't mean to be snarky but I don't think people realize sometimes what they are really saying. And the affects this could have on their child emotionally or socially.

Like I said, my DD just turned 8. She has been out of the booster seat for about a year. And it was a no back booster that she moved into when she was about 4 1/2 I guess. She has always been fairly tall and the seat belt fits her fine. We even occasionally let her ride up front

In our area you don't see too many kids over 8 in a booster and most kids over 5 or so are in a no back booster seat.

 

[marcyinPA]

Why not...for kids nowadays it is "normal" to be in a carseat, harness, booster seat, whatever much longer than when I was a kid. When I was 12 if my mother put me in a booster I would have put up a fight because "no one else was doing it", but today...its the "norm", so why would my 8-12 yo think that there was anything unusual about sitting in a booster.




Very happy the recommendations are official and hopefully states will be on top of this and change their laws

My DS11 isn't anywhere near 4'9"...I think he's 4'6"...

Anyway, I don't know one child at his middle school, or in his circle of friends, who ride in a booster seat. Not one. He rode in one until he was 8, and even then, none of his friends used one. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, but it is NOT the norm for middle school kids to use a booster seat.

 

[Mrs.Malone]

My children are all past two now but if they were under two I would follow this recommendation.

I do start to wonder where you stop, though. I'm sure that if all children were strapped in with all NASCAR safety devices and wearing full crash helmets, they would be safer in a crash. This would be uncomfortable and very expensive. But threads like these always say "how can I not do it when it makes my child safer?" There has to be a line drawn somewhere. But where?

 

[monkeybug]

My DS11 isn't anywhere near 4'9"...I think he's 4'6"...

Anyway, I don't know one child at his middle school, or in his circle of friends, who ride in a booster seat. Not one. He rode in one until he was 8, and even then, none of his friends used one. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, but it is NOT the norm for middle school kids to use a booster seat.

It's not the norm for an 11 year old today, but for the kids who are 8 now it might very well be the norm by the time they are 11.

It used to not be the norm to have kids in car seats at all, to wear seat belts, or for kids to only sit in the back seat. We learn more and things change, that's the way it's always been.
I imagine that every step of the way someone was throwing up their hands saying how ridiculous it all was, because that's the way it's always been too. ( I'm not saying your doing that though!)

 

[simba20]

I'm sorry, I don't mean to call anyone out and to be honest I should know better than to get into this debate as these threads can get nasty and no one ever changes their mind.

But I'm just baffled sometimes by what I read. You want to buy a "high back harness booster" that will last your child until HIGHSCHOOL

Sarcasm my dear. My daughter is tiny. She's 3, and just last night as we were getting our taxes done, our tax person, who also has a daughter who just turned three (our daughter is really 3.5) was amazed that our daughter wears a 2T in pants. Her daughter wears a 5/5T (her daughter is not huge by any means as by the recent pic on her desk) and another lady at the office mentioned her 3 year old is in a 4T. Our daughter is just so small, that the hubster and I always joke that she'll be in a booster seat until high school and we'll be using her stroller at WDW until she's in middle school (the stroller is a Graco IPO unbrella stroller that will hold a child up to 50 lbs). Our daughter is around 38 inches tall, but only weighs 32 lbs, and she just made the 32 a few months back. And, you know your child is tiny, when you celebrate things like she finally reached 30 lbs.

No, honestly, I wouldn't have her in booster seat and pull up at the local high school. I'm just saying that when I do buy a booster seat for her (lookign into it). I want it to be:
1) high back
2) 5 point harness, but later can be used with the car seat belt
3) will last FORVEVER -- and knowing how little the darling girl is -- (sarcasm)will likely last her until high school (/sarcasm)

Also, I just got a bunch of free Spring/Summer clothes for her. Wanna know how. I wne tthrough last year's Spring/Summer clothes bin and found out (after trying stuff on her Sunday afternoon) that over half of the clothes still fit her. That's when you know she's tiny, a smost of my friends who have toddler/pre-schoolers let me know how lucky I am. One of my friends has a tall skinny 4 year old, who is in a girl's size 7, and will likely be in an 8 or 10 by Fall.

 

[marcyinPA]

It's not the norm for an 11 year old today, but for the kids who are 8 now it might very well be the norm by the time they are 11.

It used to not be the norm to have kids in car seats at all, to wear seat belts, or for kids to only sit in the back seat. We learn more and things change, that's the way it's always been.
I imagine that every step of the way someone was throwing up their hands saying how ridiculous it all was, because that's the way it's always been too. ( I'm not saying your doing that though!)

I totally get what you are saying. For us, though, it is too late. Certainly, I could go out and buy a booster and force him to sit in it. But, after almost 3 1/2 years of being without one, I don't think it's going to happen. Question about the recommendations though...it says 12 year olds should be in booster seats...does this mean up until the age of 12, or is it any child under 4'9" regardless of age. (So, if my DS is still under 4'9" when he is 13, he should still be in a booster?) I need clarity on that! Thanks!

 

[marcyinPA]

Also, I just got a bunch of free Spring/Summer clothes for her. Wanna know how. I wne tthrough last year's Spring/Summer clothes bin and found out (after trying stuff on her Sunday afternoon) that over half of the clothes still fit her. That's when you know she's tiny, a smost of my friends who have toddler/pre-schoolers let me know how lucky I am. One of my friends has a tall skinny 4 year old, who is in a girl's size 7, and will likely be in an 8 or 10 by Fall.

My DS11 is the same way. He has been wearing a size 10 for three years now. He grows sooo slowly. I can't wait until his well visit...I am kind of getting concerned about his growth rate. He's in 6th grade, and everyone always thinks he's in 3rd or 4th grade. It's starting to upset him...he HATES being the smallest kid in his class.

 

[monkeybug]

I totally get what you are saying. For us, though, it is too late. Certainly, I could go out and buy a booster and force him to sit in it. But, after almost 3 1/2 years of being without one, I don't think it's going to happen. Question about the recommendations though...it says 12 year olds should be in booster seats...does this mean up until the age of 12, or is it any child under 4'9" regardless of age. (So, if my DS is still under 4'9" when he is 13, he should still be in a booster?) I need clarity on that! Thanks!

Oh I totally understand not putting him in a booster if he's been out of one that long and none of his friends are in one either! I think it will be easier for us parents who still have kids used to being in a booster.
I don't know for sure, but I think it's 4'9'' or 12. Meaning that at age 12 even if they are shorter it's ok to take them out of the booster. I'm not sure though...I have 4 years before I have to worry about that, so I haven't really looked into it!
Maybe car manufacturers will begin making seats that address this issue? It seems like if it's not safe for a 4'8" 11 year old, it wouldn't be for a 4'8" 12 year old, or even 30 year old either.