Rear-facing car seat question

[5lilfish]

We have a Sunshine Radian 80SL Convertible car seat. It is rated to be rear-facing up to 45lbs. My twins are now nearing 3 yrs old. They are small....23lbs and 24lbs. They are still rear-facing. They problem is, their legs are getting squished now. I'm really torn on whether to turn them or not. It would make our lives much easier to turn them around (we have 5 kids and they older ones have to climb over the rear-facing seats and on long car trips it would be great if the toddlers could see the TV) and I know they would be more comfortable. On the other hand, I certainly want them to be safe and I've heard that it is now recommended to keep the kids backwards for longer than the old 1 yr/20lbs.

Opnions?

Jess

 

[zachnsamsmommy]

It is okay to keep them rear facing, even if their legs are getting longer. My DS, who is almost 3 (will be in May) just now got turned forward facing (we have a Britax Marathon). He just would always cross his legs...it never bothered him.

But...don't feel guilty, either, if you choose to go ahead and put them forward facing. Their neck and spine is much stronger at almost 3 than it was at 1, and they would still be very safe to go ahead and put forward facing. You've done really good to keep them rear facing this long.

I think either decision isn't a bad one at this point in time...

 

[dis-happy]

FWIW my child is about the same age and size and I've turned him around already.

 

[laughinplace199]

I think you have to go with what works best for your family Your little ones would be ok either way. My youngest DS is almost 3.5 and still rear-facing in his Marathon. He is nowhere near the weight limit for RFing, so he could stay that way for quite a while. However, we are going to turn him around soon. My older kids can't get out of the car on his side because of the RFing seat, which is getting to be a pain in the neck for drop off/pick up at school, dance, etc.

 

[vettechick99]

We turned DD around on her 1st birthday. All recommendations say they are safe after that point as long as they meet weight reqs. I think it would be fine to turn them around. In fact, I can't believe they haven't hounded you to death about it by now!

 

[5lilfish]

We turned DD around on her 1st birthday. All recommendations say they are safe after that point as long as they meet weight reqs. I think it would be fine to turn them around. In fact, I can't believe they haven't hounded you to death about it by now!

That's actually not true. All current guidelines say it is safest to keep a child rear-facing as long as possible. That is why many of the newer carseats are rated to be rear facing well past 30 lbs.

http://www.car-safety.org/rearface.html

That pretty much answers my own question. I should leave them backwards. I would not be able to handle it if I turned them for convenience and we got in an accident resulting in injury.

Jess

 

[golfgal]

I was told by the police officers that did the car seat install when our kids were small that as soon as their feet reached the seat of the car when they were rear facing that you should turn them around because the impact of a collision if their legs are against the seat could blow out their hips.

 

[smb6]

I've never heard of a 3 yr old rear facing. I would turn them around. Here, the local health departments will help you install car seats tightly so that they are ablsolutely as safe as possible. They are trained in doing so- and they assisted me in turning my ds seat around at a little over a year old, he was just under 25 pounds. I think it's more than safe for them to ride forward facing and I agree that there could be risks with their legs if they are rear facing. The whole idea behind rear facing is neck/spinal stability. Outside of a child with disabilities, a 3 yr old should be fine forward facing.

 

[locolala]

Keeping your child Rear-Facing longer than 1 year and 20 pounds.
Why should I keep my child RF past a year?

• A child between the ages of 1-2 is 70% less likely to be killed in a crash if they are RF.
• They are also 500% safer while RF.
• A RF car seat cradles a child in a crash, absorbing the crash forces for the child. If they are FF, all that force goes to their spine which isn't strong enough to handle that much force.

Some common misconceptions about ERF: If a child's feet touch the back seat, they have to go Forward Facing. A child's feet will touch the back of the seat long before they are big enough to be forward facing. Kids are very flexible and actually prefer to sit with their legs up. Think about how they sit on the couch- they curl their legs up under them. If they are RF, their legs will break in a crash. There are no reported cases of broken legs in RF children. However, one of the most common injuries of forward facing children is broken legs. If the crash forces are strong enough to break a RF child's legs, they strong enough to break a FF child's neck. My child gets car sick. I have to turn them FF. Turning them around rarely helps with motion sickness. You can try install their RF seat more upright. You can try benadryl or gravol (always ask your dr) to help, too. If I am rear-ended, my RF child will be injured. Frontal crashes make up about 72% of crashes, which is what RF car seats are best at protecting children from. Rear-end collisions only make up about 4% of crashes. Also, rear-end collisions usually happen at lower speeds. (ie you are stopped at a red light and someone rear-ends you) OK, show me some proof that it really is safer.

• The American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends RF until a minimum of 2 years old, but RF until the limits of the car seat is even safer. What to consider when positioning carseats for toddlers -- O’Keefe 30 (4): 12 -- AAP News
• Here is the abstract that gives us the statistics of RF being 5x or 500% safer, and a RF child being 70% less likely to be killed when RF. Car safety seats for children: rear facing for best protection -- Henary et al. 13 (6): 398 -- Injury Prevention

More links about ERF: Rear-facing: Protecting the Gift CPSafety - Your online child passenger safety resource Rear-Facing Carseats and Safety Sacred Journeys | Childhood & Parenthood are Sacred Journeys <-- great pics http://www.carseatsite.com/rf.htm Car Seat Safety: Rear facing is safest Some videos about ERF: YouTube - The Importance of Rear-Facing: Version 2 YouTube - Rear facing is safer YouTube - Extended Rear Facing YouTube - Front facing or Rear facing? Car seat safety TRUE STORY crash test videos YouTube - Keep Kids Rear-Facing! Which car seats are best for ERF? In the US, we now have car seats that RF up to 40 or 45 pounds. They are: Graco My Ride 65: RF to 40lbs, FF to 65lbs. Safety 1st Complete Air: RF to 40lbs, FF to 50lbs. Sunshine Kids Radian 65, 80, 65SL: RF to 40lbs, FF to 65 or 80lbs. XT, XTSL, 80SL: RF to 45lbs, FF to 80lbs. Evenflo Triumph Advance: RF to 35lbs, FF to 50lbs. Learning Curve/First Years/Compass True Fit: RF to 35lbs, FF to 65lbs. Evenflo Symphony 65: RF to 35lbs, FF to 65lbs. The 1" Rule / How to tell if your RF seat is outgrown by height: How to tell if your RF seat is outgrown - Car Seat.Org - Carseat, Vehicle & Child Passenger Safety Forums

 

[locolala]

I was told by the police officers that did the car seat install when our kids were small that as soon as their feet reached the seat of the car when they were rear facing that you should turn them around because the impact of a collision if their legs are against the seat could blow out their hips.

It's possible, but there are tons of kids who break their necks when in an accident front facing. I would MUCH rather have a kid with broken legs/hips than a broken neck.

 

[zachnsamsmommy]

Keeping your child Rear-Facing longer than 1 year and 20 pounds.
Why should I keep my child RF past a year?

• A child between the ages of 1-2 is 70% less likely to be killed in a crash if they are RF.
• They are also 500% safer while RF.
• A RF car seat cradles a child in a crash, absorbing the crash forces for the child. If they are FF, all that force goes to their spine which isn't strong enough to handle that much force.

Some common misconceptions about ERF: If a child's feet touch the back seat, they have to go Forward Facing. A child's feet will touch the back of the seat long before they are big enough to be forward facing. Kids are very flexible and actually prefer to sit with their legs up. Think about how they sit on the couch- they curl their legs up under them. If they are RF, their legs will break in a crash. There are no reported cases of broken legs in RF children. However, one of the most common injuries of forward facing children is broken legs. If the crash forces are strong enough to break a RF child's legs, they strong enough to break a FF child's neck. My child gets car sick. I have to turn them FF. Turning them around rarely helps with motion sickness. You can try install their RF seat more upright. You can try benadryl or gravol (always ask your dr) to help, too. If I am rear-ended, my RF child will be injured. Frontal crashes make up about 72% of crashes, which is what RF car seats are best at protecting children from. Rear-end collisions only make up about 4% of crashes. Also, rear-end collisions usually happen at lower speeds. (ie you are stopped at a red light and someone rear-ends you) OK, show me some proof that it really is safer.

• The American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends RF until a minimum of 2 years old, but RF until the limits of the car seat is even safer. What to consider when positioning carseats for toddlers -- O’Keefe 30 (4): 12 -- AAP News
• Here is the abstract that gives us the statistics of RF being 5x or 500% safer, and a RF child being 70% less likely to be killed when RF. Car safety seats for children: rear facing for best protection -- Henary et al. 13 (6): 398 -- Injury Prevention

More links about ERF: Rear-facing: Protecting the Gift CPSafety - Your online child passenger safety resource Rear-Facing Carseats and Safety Sacred Journeys | Childhood & Parenthood are Sacred Journeys <-- great pics http://www.carseatsite.com/rf.htm Car Seat Safety: Rear facing is safest Some videos about ERF: YouTube - The Importance of Rear-Facing: Version 2 YouTube - Rear facing is safer YouTube - Extended Rear Facing YouTube - Front facing or Rear facing? Car seat safety TRUE STORY crash test videos YouTube - Keep Kids Rear-Facing! Which car seats are best for ERF? In the US, we now have car seats that RF up to 40 or 45 pounds. They are: Graco My Ride 65: RF to 40lbs, FF to 65lbs. Safety 1st Complete Air: RF to 40lbs, FF to 50lbs. Sunshine Kids Radian 65, 80, 65SL: RF to 40lbs, FF to 65 or 80lbs. XT, XTSL, 80SL: RF to 45lbs, FF to 80lbs. Evenflo Triumph Advance: RF to 35lbs, FF to 50lbs. Learning Curve/First Years/Compass True Fit: RF to 35lbs, FF to 65lbs. Evenflo Symphony 65: RF to 35lbs, FF to 65lbs. The 1" Rule / How to tell if your RF seat is outgrown by height: How to tell if your RF seat is outgrown - Car Seat.Org - Carseat, Vehicle & Child Passenger Safety Forums

Great informational post...that is why my DS was RF until last week. We only just turned him around b/c we will be keeping my niece parttime, and all 3 seats wouldn't fit with him RFing.

OP...I'm glad you feel good about keeping your kids RFing. Mine would still be as well if not for other circumstances!

 

[BellePrincessBelle]

I was told by the police officers that did the car seat install when our kids were small that as soon as their feet reached the seat of the car when they were rear facing that you should turn them around because the impact of a collision if their legs are against the seat could blow out their hips.

Completly false information. Worst case they break a leg. FF worst case is death. Pick your poison.

 

[Mrs. Charming]

I was told by the police officers that did the car seat install when our kids were small that as soon as their feet reached the seat of the car when they were rear facing that you should turn them around because the impact of a collision if their legs are against the seat could blow out their hips.

I've always wondered about that, I've seen some BIG kids smooshed into rear-facing, and I couldn't help but think if they got into an accident, what would happen to their legs??

 

[bumbershoot]

I was told by the police officers that did the car seat install when our kids were small that as soon as their feet reached the seat of the car when they were rear facing that you should turn them around because the impact of a collision if their legs are against the seat could blow out their hips.

Those police officers weren't talking about something they knew. They should get more information.

Legs have joints that bend. The point of keeping them rear-facing is to protect their spines.

DS was rear-facing until around 3.5...DS was just about to reach the weight limit of his seat for rf, and DH requested that DS be turned, I gave in...then DS hovered right around the weight limit for nearly 6 months... Augh. I let him be less safe for all that time. Grr.

He is rather tall and he just crossed his legs and was very comfy. Once he was turned, his legs were much *less* comfortable, as they were dangling down with no support.

 

[locolala]

I've always wondered about that, I've seen some BIG kids smooshed into rear-facing, and I couldn't help but think if they got into an accident, what would happen to their legs??

Go on youtube and search for rear facing car seats or something along those lines, they have some videos of crashtest dummies in rear facing seats. If they sit crosslegged, they're perfectly safe.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

I've always wondered about that, I've seen some BIG kids smooshed into rear-facing, and I couldn't help but think if they got into an accident, what would happen to their legs??

They might end up with broken legs and intact spines, which, all things considered, is a whole lot better than the other way round.

 

[golfgal]

Well, when our kids were little, you turned them around at a year, they were out of car seats at 4 and booster seats were more dangerous then the regular seat in the car. Kids were also supposed to be put to bed on their stomachs, then their side, given solid food at 4 months.....

 

[BellePrincessBelle]

Well, when our kids were little, you turned them around at a year, they were out of car seats at 4 and booster seats were more dangerous then the regular seat in the car. Kids were also supposed to be put to bed on their stomachs, then their side, given solid food at 4 months.....

And your point is? Oh wait I know, I know. They all turned out fine, right? Well not ALL kids turned out fine under those suggestions. Improving the safety of our children is an ongoing learning process and as experts learn better ways less children die because of SIDS & car crashes etc.

 

[golfgal]

And your point is? Oh wait I know, I know. They all turned out fine, right? Well not ALL kids turned out fine under those suggestions. Improving the safety of our children is an ongoing learning process and as experts learn better ways less children die because of SIDS & car crashes etc.

The point is, these things change by the week. Next week they will come out with conflicting information--like the SIDS example-there is data out that shows that it was bedding, not sleeping position that was causing the increased incidence in SIDS cases. What if in a year they come out with that car seats actually cause more injuries then regular seatbelts, are you going to stop using car seats all of the sudden?