What’s the Best Car Seat for Your Child?
If you’re a new or expecting parent, you might be giving serious thought to things like car seats for the first time in your life. Car seats and booster seats are absolutely essential to children’s safety and wellbeing, and many people take them for granted. Although car seats seem simple enough, it’s important to understand what type your child needs, when to upgrade, and how to properly install and secure it. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that as much as 59% of car and/or booster seats are installed or used incorrectly, causing countless preventable injuries and deaths each year. Always triple check that you’ve correctly installed safety equipment like this, and always make sure that you’re using the appropriate one for your child’s age and size:
Rear-facing car seat
Until children reach the age of two, they should be secured in a rear-facing car seat any time they’re in a moving vehicle. However, depending on their size and growth rate, some children will need to continue to use this type of car seat up to age three. In the event of a crash, a rear-facing car seat is necessary to protect an infant’s fragile neck and spine. It also offers added support during ordinary car rides. Although an infant-only car seat (which is usually a fixed size and can only be rear-facing) can be convenient during the first year or so, many parents invest in an all-in-one or convertible car seat. These types of car seats can be adjusted so that your child can remain in a rear-facing position after infancy to accommodate more stages of a child’s growth. To ensure your child’s safety, keep them in a rear-facing seat/position until they reach the top height and/or weight limits listed on the seat you purchase.
Forward-facing car seat
Depending on a given child’s size, he or she may be ready to face forward at age two or older. Don’t be in a hurry to shed the rear-facing setup—your child is safest in this position, so again, keep him or her facing the rear until they’ve reached the height and/or weight limit listed on their car seat. Make sure you follow your product’s installation instructions to a tee, securing the seat with a harness you’ve installed in the back seat. The harness helps limit harm to children by distributing forces during a crash, and should be installed using the seat belt or lower anchors and a tether. Some children will use a car seat up to age seven.
Booster seat
Your child may be ready for a booster seat as early as age four, but as with the previously described implements, you should let your child’s size—and not necessarily their age—inform when you start using a booster seat for them. Keep them harnessed in a forward-facing car seat until they reach the height and/or weight limits listed on the product. A booster seat enhances a child’s height while sitting to make their seatbelt fits properly and safely. Some children will require a booster seat to safely wear a seatbelt until age 12.
Before you take away the booster seat and let your child use a seatbelt like the grownups, follow the NHTSA’s guidelines and make sure they can:
- keep their back against the vehicle seat without slouching,
- comfortably bend their knees over the edge of the seat,
- and keep their feet flat on the vehicle floor while sitting upright.
As of 2018, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises that children under 13 always be in the back seat while in a moving vehicle. However, it’s important to note that technology and knowledge change with time, so always stay abreast of the updated recommendations of organizations like the CDC and NHTSA.
Dr. Ray Deeb and Dr. Ashley Brown provide comprehensive healthcare for newborns and children up to the age of 18, and they’re currently accepting new patients. If you would like to learn more about our practice, contact Briarcliff Pediatrics to schedule an appointment or a complimentary meet-and-greet. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram to get the latest health tips and news in children’s healthcare, and check back often for new blogs.
