OT Booster seat question

[mommyceratops]

I have been searching online for an hour and I thought the experts here might know!

I have a DS4 who is over 50 pounds 44 inches tall.

Is it ok to take the back off his booster? He is broad and the way the head rest comes down it squishes him.

I can not find the guidelines about that? I feel safer with the head rest and guard thing for side impact but he is not comfy.

Anyone know when it is ok to take the back off so he is in the booster only?

TIA

 

[becca011906]

whatkinda booster seat is it??? Can you look up the manual online to see what the guide lines are? Best resorce for any car seat or booster, ect info is car-seat .org tons of techs (including me) there to give ya some info. and you are very right that a hi back has much much much better results for side impact crashs. I will not let any of my kids (older two anyways) in a car in a no side impact air bags w/ out a ture side impact booter seat.

What is it that is squishing him??? the head rest should lock into place and stay above the sholders if it's not locking then likely it needs replaced...

 

[mommyceratops]

whatkinda booster seat is it??? Can you look up the manual online to see what the guide lines are? Best resorce for any car seat or booster, ect info is car-seat .org tons of techs (including me) there to give ya some info. and you are very right that a hi back has much much much better results for side impact crashs. I will not let any of my kids (older two anyways) in a car in a no side impact air bags w/ out a ture side impact booter seat.

What is it that is squishing him??? the head rest should lock into place and stay above the sholders if it's not locking then likely it needs replaced...

Thanks I will check that out!

It has the "wings" I want to call it. They come down and at the side he is squished. It is an Eddie Bauer.

We almost got hit on the side today, after I complicated taking the back off, and I decided I need to find out more.

 

[Clutterbug]

I think I understand what you mean. My DS's booster is adjustable. You pull up on the headrest and it will lock into the next slot. His is an Evenflo so it may be bit different, but check your owner's manual and I bet you will find that the seat can be adjusted to better fit your DS.

 

[becca011906]

A great booster seat for bigger kids is the parkway by britax b/c it doesn't have arm rest to squish them it still has the sides but thoes are what makes it such a safe booster seat check thoes out here... http://www.albeebaby.com/britax-booster-car-seats.html not the first row b/c it's the new modle and cost quite a bit more... but below are a little better. but parkways the back doesn't come off at all but first kids up to 60" tall which is great.
this is another good seat for bigger kids http://www.albeebaby.com/graicarse8gi.html

 

[mommyceratops]

A great booster seat for bigger kids is the parkway by britax b/c it doesn't have arm rest to squish them it still has the sides but thoes are what makes it such a safe booster seat check thoes out here... http://www.albeebaby.com/britax-booster-car-seats.html not the first row b/c it's the new modle and cost quite a bit more... but below are a little better. but parkways the back doesn't come off at all but first kids up to 60" tall which is great.
this is another good seat for bigger kids http://www.albeebaby.com/graicarse8gi.html

We have one of those and my older son was doing something and broke it so it does not adjust. That would be great for DS4 if it wasn't broken. I just didn't want to spend more....we have had owned 6 britax and I love them.

But I am such a freak about it I might end up doing that.

As best as I can tell the only difference in the back and no back is a safety issue with the parents deciding what they want.... I am over protective so I like the back on....

They do the same thing with the back or no back just protection? Did that type out right?

 

[becca011906]

I'm not sure i understand what you mean... they do SO MUCH MORE with a back on... in a crash the childs weight will all be pushed back into the seat then usally the body shifts to the side (window and door of the car) smashing the body into the car, in a hi back booster seat the body will impact and be much more protected by the walls of the booster vs the walls of the car. does that make since??? there are video somwhere online that show a no back booster vs a hi back booster and the differance made me keep my kids in a hi back as long as i possilbely can (hopefully till we purchase a new car with curtin air bags), currently he is turning 8 in march and of course all his friend are already out of or getting out of their no back boosters, here he is still in a parkway but he doesn't mind b/c he understands he is safer and that's all i care about! I know the parkways are being phased out so the prices are only going to be coming down over the next few months i'm pretty sure come feb. we are going to be seeing some great deals on them. that's when we plan to buy one for my 5 year old to use part time currenlty she's still harness sunshine kids radian seat, but she will probably out grow it in 1- 1 1/2 years... so i want to get a parkway before they are all gone!!!

 

[all4fun]

Here is an article i found a while ago that convinced me to keep my ds in a High Back Booster as long as possible after he graduates from his 5pt seats:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/09/050913083440.htm

"Effectiveness of High Back and Backless Belt-Positioning Booster Seats in Side impact crashes"

*Belt-positioning booster seats provided a 58 percent overall reduction in risk of injury to 4-to 8-year-olds in side-impact crashes as compared with seat belts alone. (These findings support prior PCPS research, which shows booster seats to be 59 percent effective in reducing injury risk to 4-to 8-year-olds in crashes of all impact directions.)

*The risk reduction provided by booster seats in side-impact crashes varied by booster seat type: 4-to 8-year-olds riding in high back booster seats were at a 70 percent reduction in injury risk, while those in backless boosters did not experience a statistically significant risk reduction as compared with seat belts alone.

*However, both types of booster seats provided significant protection from "seat belt syndrome" injuries to the internal abdominal organs and lumbar spine. Most of the injuries to children seated in backless booster seats were head injuries.

*Possible explanations for non-significant reduction in injury risk for backless booster seats are that parents may be less likely to use to use the shoulder belt- positioner that comes with backless booster seats and that high back boosters have a contoured back that may better contain the occupant in side-impact crashes.

Not sure which EB booster you own but if it's one of their seats that converts from a 5pt to a booster seat then those typically don't adjust tall enough to last a child until they are ready for just the seatbelt. If it's this one HERE then I've read those aren't the best booster seats anyway (something about the way the seat holds the shoulder belt on the child when in HB mode).

You might also find this booster fit page helpful: http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/Boosterfit.aspx
It shows a 10yr old in several different boosters and gives you an idea how they fit kids differently. Boosters are definitely not "one size fits all"!

eta: also check the booster you have - it might require a tall vehicle seatback behind it, as many of the Dorel boosters do not have reinforced backs. If you do use it as a backless, the vehicle seat needs to be tall enough to give your child whiplash protection anyway (tips of ears below top of seatback or headrest).

hth!

 

[all4fun]

there are video somwhere online that show a no back booster vs a hi back booster

Crash-test video: Video of High Back Booster with deap side wings:
http://www.oeamtc.at/netautor/html_s...ordliftpro.mpg

Crash-test video: Video of high back booster with shallow side wings
http://www.oeamtc.at/netautor/html_s.../htsbesafe.mpg

Crash-test video: Video of a no back booster
http://www.oeamtc.at/netautor/html_s...g_P3_vorne.mpg

these are european seats I believe, but they give you an idea. And the first one would be comparible to a Parkway.

there's a lot of videos linked on this thread here:http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=26293

hth

 

[tanyaandallie]

Since 4 years old AND 40 lbs is the bare minimum recommendation to even move to a booster, I would highly recommend you at least keep your child in a high back booster. It provides far more protection in a crash than a backless. There are so many options out there for boosters. If the one you have now is not working well for your child, I'd find a new one.

THe parkway has been discontinued so is being clearanced at some places. I got one as a spare for my dd at The Right STart for $50 but it looks like they are now all gone (at least online).

 

[mommyceratops]

Thank you everyone! I will keep DS4 in a high back (and DS7).

What point do you take them out? DS7 is only 42 pounds but about 46 inches tall. So he will be in one until he is over 8....

I just needed confirmation the highbacks are safer, common sense told me that but I did car line at school the other day and none of the kids were in one so it made me second guess it.

Guess I am going to have to buy another britax.......

 

[becca011906]

Yep the pick up lines are school make me SICK really disturbing the number of kids the just jump into the front seat of thier parents care, we live in a very rual area in a small town but still car crashes happen EVERYWHERE, even if you are just driving 2 blocks...
as for when they can be out of the seat... go by the 5 step test if you do a search for it online it shoudl bring it up... taking the kids to school now i'll post it later when i have time to type it out!

 

[Clutterbug]

Thank you everyone! I will keep DS4 in a high back (and DS7).

What point do you take them out? DS7 is only 42 pounds but about 46 inches tall. So he will be in one until he is over 8....

I just needed confirmation the highbacks are safer, common sense told me that but I did car line at school the other day and none of the kids were in one so it made me second guess it.

Guess I am going to have to buy another britax.......

You may want to go to a local dealer and check out all your options. I'm quite sure that the Graco boosters are very well rated and not nearly as expensive as the Britax.

 

[JenH1969]

My dd stayed in a booster till very recently and she is twelve- she just reached 70lbs and is 54inches- if we go on the highway she still goes in the booster- she doesn't pariculary like it but I told her that if it were her child- wouldn't she pick the safest option availabe- and she said yes- so our comprimise was not using it around town (where her friends are more apt to see and we and other cars are 35m hour or lower) ) but to use it on the highway-

My ds 6 is still in a five point harness- but soon ready for a booster- safety is first and foremost-

Nice to know others feel the same

Jen

 

[all4fun]

Thank you everyone! I will keep DS4 in a high back (and DS7).

What point do you take them out? DS7 is only 42 pounds but about 46 inches tall. So he will be in one until he is over 8....

I just needed confirmation the highbacks are safer, common sense told me that but I did car line at school the other day and none of the kids were in one so it made me second guess it.

Guess I am going to have to buy another britax.......

Just google "5 step booster test" and you'll come up w/numerous sites that give the criteria for moving out of a booster seat into just the seatbelt. Here is one:http://www.southflorida.com/sfparenting/sfe-sfp-booster-seat-test,0,1919402.story

So how do you know when your child is ready to safely ride in the car without a booster seat? Luckily, there is an easy test to help you make this decision.


With your child buckled into a seat belt only, without a car seat or booster seat, answer the following questions:
1) Does your child sit all the way back against the auto seat? Specifically, is the entire length of his or her back against the seat?


2) With the child sitting so that his or her back is against the back of the seat, do the child's knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?


3) Does the shoulder belt cross your child's shoulder between the neck and arm? If higher, your child could suffer muscle or nerve damage to the neck during an accident.


4) Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs? If the lap belt is crossing your child at the abdomen, there is a higher risk for injury to the internal organs during an accident. Physicians even refer to these types of abdominal injuries as "Seat Belt Syndrome."


5) Can your child stay seated like this for the whole trip?


If you answered "no" to any of these questions, your child should continue to use a booster seat.

 

[mommy2aprincess4]

my dd is 4, 44" tall and 42 lbs, she is still in a 5 pt harness http://www.albeebaby.com/brreyocarsei3.html
After seeing a video a while back of a 4 year old getting thrown out of his booster in a rear impact crash and through the front windshield we invested in a 5pt harness car seat that will last her a while. I don't feel safe with a booster, not until she's taller and heavier at any rate.

 

[flynnmnstr]

BUT I have a very big for his age 6 year old and we use the Compass Booster seat-- its definitely wide enough and adjustable height. Really good reviews. I have only found it to purchase online.