How Do I Know When to Change My Child’s Car Seat?
From the day you take your baby home from the hospital they should be in a properly attached car seat. The difference between a car seat and a booster seat is that a car seat is the means of protection for the child. A booster seat simply boosts the child to fit properly in the car’s preexisting restraint system.
Children from birth to age one should ride in a rear facing car seat. 
The minimum age to turn a child around to a forward facing car seat is one year and 20 pounds. However, your childshould stay rear facing as long as the seat allows, usually up to around 30 pounds. Rear facing is the safest position for a child.
There are two main types of rear facing seats. The first is infant-only seats which allow the seat to be removed without disturbing a sleeping child. They include a mount that remains firmly secured in the car and a carrier that snaps in an out. Often, the carrier attaches to a stroller for optimal mobility.
The second kind is a convertible model. These are able to hold the child from birth to about age four or five by converting from a rear facing infant seat to a front facing toddler seat.
Once again, the child should not be transferred to the front facing position until he/she reaches the maximum weight for the rear facing position. The plus for these models is that they can be used for a long time, but the down side is that it is difficult to remove a sleeping infant without waking them.
Whether you are using a convertible model or a uniquely front-facing model, a child should move to this model only once he outgrows the rear facing model, usually around 30 pounds and at least one year of age.
I’ll post more later this week. Post a comment to let me know what your experiences have been with these kinds of seats.
Which Car Seat Is Right for My Child?
I don’t mean to sound old, but things sure have changed since you and I were children, haven’t they? The way things were when we were kids often doesn’t apply anymore — not to mention the extraordinary technological advancements.
Sure, we had seatbelts and car seats in our cars when we were kids, but how many times did you double buckle with your friends or siblings or ride backwards in the back of the station wagon? Attempts to reduce the number of preventable highway deaths have prompted authorities to pass more stringent guidelines on the safety measures required for children riding in automobiles.
These guidelines are based on the height, weight, and age of the child in order to best secure the child in case of a collision. However, all of these new rules can be confusing.
• When do I use the next sized seat?
• How long does my child have to ride in the back seat?
• What is the difference between the different types of seats and belts?
Although you have to work at finding them, there are fairly clear guidelines about which type of seat you should use for your child based on their age, height and weight. Here are a few tips to get you started.
•• The first step is a rear-facing, 5-point harness child safety seat for newborns and infants.
•• At about one year of age, your child will “age up” to forward-facing child safety seats. These maintain the 5-point harness, but allow the child to sit in an upright position. These are the two safest seats and children should stay in them as long as possible.
•• School age children should use booster seats to position them correctly in the seat belt until they reach a height of 4’9”.
We’ll explore each stage in the process of moving your child from one seat to another in more depth, because each one has slight nuances that can be confusing. I’ll publish several more postings with additional information in the next few days. In the meantime, I’d love to hear from anyone who has experiences, good or bad, with buying, installing and using car seats for their children.
Toys That Can Hurt Your Child – Resources
ToySafety.mobi – Good, clear summaries of a variety of child hazards. Many are divided by age range – choking dangers for infants and noise injuries for music-listening adolescents.
Keeping Your Child Safe in Your Car – Resources
Car Information
Car Safety Seats Information – Detailed guidelines for children based on age and weight with illustrations sponsored by Healthychildren.org
Kids And Cars –This website helps prevent accidental vehicular injuries by offering educational information, technological devices, and a breadth of news stories.
Child Burn Injuries – Resources
Burn Resources
International Society for Burn Injuries – hosts conferences and supports organizations in burn research
Camp Susquehanna – A camp for survivors of burn injuries of all ages in Lancaster, PA
Burn Resource Centre – Provides information and links to resources for burn survivors
American Burn Association – Information about advocacy, prevention and other aspects of burn injuries and survival
Child Abuse Prevention – Resources
Child Abuse Prevention
Childhelp USA: (800)-4-A-CHILD A hotline provides crisis counseling and literature about child abuse.
National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse: 800-Children This organization provides information and referrals about child abuse.
National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome, 1-888-273-007 The National Center for Shaken Baby Syndrome is a private, nonprofit organization that provides information to professionals and parents about SBS.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides general information about health and safety issues, including links to child abuse information and topics.
Keeping Your Child Safe – Resources
Injury Prevention
Lead Poisoning Information from the Center for Disease Control – An all encompassing website on lead poisoning in children. Covers all topics from prevention to advocacy to making your sure your home is safe.
Home and Recreational Safety Information from the Center for Disease Control – Information and Fact Sheets on a variety of dangers in the home including falls, playground safety, poisoning, etc.
National Program for Playground Safety – Playground safety information for all age groups and playground locations including early childhood, home playset safety, and school safety.
Injury Free Coalition for Kids – An information hub on a variety of injury prevention topics
Day Care Safety Resources
Day Care Safety
Virginia Star Quality Initiative – A voluntary rating system for day care facilities in Virginia. Includes a list of the highest rated establishments.
State by State codes for child care administration – This site lays out the rules and regulations for day care facilities by state.
National resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education – National organization that helps parents monitor the safety of child care institutions.
Snowmobiling
It’s winter, and lots of folks take to the outdoors for snowmobiling. While Virginia isn’t usually known for its large amounts of snow, our neighbors to the north and west often have plenty of snow for Virginians to enjoy.
Snowmobiling can be an exciting and invigorating activity. It also is a sport with potential for serious injury. In May 2003, the Journal of Pediatric Surgery reported on its study of data from 1991 to 2000 that found that the mean age of children who were admitted to hospital with snowmobile-related injuries was 12 years and that most of them were boys who had been driving the vehicle. Most of the accidents had been collisions with fixed objects, and the most common injury site was the head (even though most of the children had been wearing helmets). The most common cause of death was head injury.
As with all sports, there are some safety rules that need to be followed:
*Take a safety course – always.
* Use the right helmet – always.
*Never go alone – always have a “buddy” with you.
*Stay on established trails.
*Stay off unknown water. You don’t know how thick the ice is.
*Take a GPS with you.
But, what if your child did all the right things and was still injured in a snowmobile accident? Look further. The accident could have been caused by a mechanical or design defect in the snowmobile that you did not know about.
For instance, if your son reports that he lost control of the vehicle, have it checked out — there may be a defect in the steering mechanism caused by a manufacturer that chose not to do a safety inspection before putting the snowmobile on the market. Did the brakes fail? Was the suspension correctly assembled? Did wiring or fuel leaks cause the snowmobile to catch on fire and explode?
If your child is injured, it’s a good idea to consult with a lawyer to get as much information as you can about what may have caused the accident and who, if anyone, should be held accountable for the injury. Call me at 703-273-9500 or send me an email at srohrstaff@WRSattorneys.com. I will be happy to answer your questions.
Strangulation Danger – Roman and Roll-Up Shades
My daughter-in-law and I were talking the other day about how to set up the coming babies’ room — where to put the cribs, were to put the changing table, etc. The room has a window that gets lots of light, so it needs some sort of covering.
Because she’s read so much about the dangers of strangulation injury and death from the cords on Roman shades and roll up blinds, she’s already thinking about arranging the furniture so the cribs are nowhere near the window.
Most of the shades and blinds have recently been recalled for repair. Here’s the link to the Consumer Product Safety Commission recall article. Check out your child’s caregiver’s house, too. The Window Covering Safety Council is offering a free repair kit to retrofit shades or blinds with clips.You can either go to the website or call 800-506-4636 to get the kit.
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