What Is Car Seats By Age And Why Is Everyone Talking About It?
Car Seats by Age
Each car seat is made to be suitable for a particular age group. Children should use their car seat until they are at the manufacturer's weight or height limits. Then, they can utilize a booster until the belts of their vehicle fit properly and they're usually between 10 and 12 years old or 4 feet 9 inches tall.
When you are looking for a new car seat, think about features such as fabric that can withstand stains, removable pieces that can be machine washed and accessories that can be cleaned.
Rear-facing
Rear-facing car seats are designed to hold infants and toddlers, protecting their delicate spines and necks in the event of a collision. They also offer greater safety, since they spread the force of impact over a greater area. This limits the chance of injury to the spinal cord.
Parents are often enticed by the thought of bringing their children to a forward-facing seat before they're ready. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics advises that you keep them rear-facing as long as you can. The manufacturer will inform you when your child is ready to go forward-facing.
The heads of children are huge relative to their bodies. They are also growing, which makes them particularly vulnerable in a crash. The head of a child is capable of generating up to 25 times their body weight in the event of a collision which is more than enough force to cause a fatal injury. This is why children are at the highest chance of suffering fatal head injuries when they sit in a front-facing car seat.
infant car seats best believe that their children have stronger necks and can make the transition to a car seat that faces forward faster. But it's important to remember that a 95th percentile baby isn't as strong as a 5th percentile kid, and no amount of push-ups for teens can change that. In the case of a car accident, a larger child's head is likely to be hit with greater force. This can lead to brain and spinal cord injury.
If your child is outgrowing their car seat for infants, you can switch to convertible cars that let children to remain rear-facing until they reach their maximum weight or height limit. In general, children will be the first to reach their height limit, so it's important to pay close attention to the instructions provided by the manufacturer of your car seat on when to change to forward-facing mode.
When your child is at the weight limit of their convertible car seat or maximum height, you will require them to be moved to the booster. The majority of booster seats come with a built-in angle indicator that tells you when the seat is properly installed and is ready to switch to forward-facing mode. It is recommended to use a booster seat on the back of your vehicle, and always with a lap belt (never a shoulder belt) to ensure the best protection for your child in case of crash.
Forward-facing
Many parents are enticed to turn their babies' car seats when they grow older, because it seems more convenient. However, they must remember that rear-facing is an option that is safer for children.
The fact that a child is facing forward in a car seat puts their necks at risk in a crash, because the head could be thrown back by force against the seat in front and could cause permanent injury to the spine. Even if the child's neck muscles are strong enough, it is still possible for them to experience whiplash. This is especially true for younger children like infants.
A child facing towards the front is more likely to hit his head on the dashboard, or even a window in the event of a crash. Depending on the nature of the crash and the speed at which the car is moving the head could be pushed backwards against the seat and may break the skull or the spinal cord.
Current safety standards require kids to remain rear-facing until both they weigh 20 pounds and one year old. The reason for this is that children younger than one year old do not have the neck strength to withstand a head-on collision, which is the most dangerous kind of car accident.
The harness and tether help keep the child's head steady which reduces neck strain. A child who is rear-facing will also be less likely to suffer head injuries, as the impact is cushioned by their seat.
If you have a child younger than one year old, and they are in a convertible seat or an all-in-one that can be turned from rear-facing to forward-facing at any time, you should read the instructions given by the manufacturer to determine when it's safe for them to face forward. The guidelines of the manufacturer will inform you whether or whether a tether is required and what the maximum weight and height are for that particular seat.
Once your child is at the maximum height or weight allowed by the car seat manufacturer, they can travel in a forward-facing car seat with a tether. Once they've surpassed this, it's time to move into the booster seat.
Booster seat
There is no magic age or size at which kids can safely stop using the booster seat. Kids should use it until their vehicle belt is properly fitted and that could happen anywhere from age 8 to 13.
A booster elevates a child's height so they can comfortably sit upright in the car. It also positions the shoulder part of the belt so that it is near but not over the chest. The lap portion of the belt should rest on the thighs, not the stomach. Booster seats have a built-in belt guide to help ensure the belt is positioned correctly.
Booster seats can be purchased with or without a backrest. The most popular model is a high-back booster which offers neck and head support for children. It is a great option for cars with low seat backs and no head rests. Backless boosters can be cheaper, but they do not provide neck or head support. Some all-in-one boosters allow users to switch between harness and booster modes, making them suitable for kids in harness mode until about 65 pounds, and later as a booster seat up to about 100 pounds.
Some boosters have a lower anchors system (LATCH) that hooks to the lower anchors of the vehicle and a tether when available. Others require the vehicle seat belt to keep them in their place. Review the instruction manual for your vehicle to see if you can use the lower anchors on your car, and also read the instructions for booster seats to learn how to use them.
Some parents might be enticed to let their 3 year old 30 pounds child take a straight booster seat because they're growing too tall for the harness car seat. It's risky to "graduate" children from to a harness. If the belt is too loose, children can be seriously injured or even killed in an accident.
Back seat
All children should sit in the back of a car for as long as is possible with a child safety seat or booster seat that is properly installed. Children who are too large for a rear-facing car seat, or have exceeded its height and weight limits should transition to a forward-facing child restraint with an appropriate harness until they're tall for this type of seat.
When your baby is no longer in an infant car seat they can be transferred to a convertible, or an all-in-one car seat that also has a rear-facing position. These seats can typically be used for up to two years, or until your child is over the seat's maximum height and weight limit. If you have a vehicle with a middle-seat, install the car safety seat in a way that it is secured in this location with the lower anchor system or seat belt.
When your child grows out of their rear-facing seat you can place them in a front-facing restraint that has a harness. These seats are typically used until the child reaches 57 inches in height or reaches the maximum weight and height recommendations for the seat. The manufacturer's instructions or a sticker on the car seat will tell you the height and weight it is able to support.
All older children should be in a booster seat or vehicle's lap belt, if possible. If not then they should use a back seat restraint in the middle of the back seat. Also, they should not sit in front if the airbag is activated. Children who sit in the front seats are more likely to suffer injuries in a collision because their bodies are smaller.
It's a good idea bring your child to a local car seat clinic or inspection station to assistance in choosing and installing the right child safety seat for them. You can also find out if your child's seat has been removed due to safety concerns or other flaws. You can then choose a seat that fits both your vehicle and child's height. If you're unable to try a seat, see if it has a refund policy.