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One of the most important jobs that we as parents should have is to keep our children safe when riding in a vehicle . Every year, thousands of children die or are injured in car accidents.
What is the baby seat in the car for
Car seats save lives, just like seat belts do. However, many parents end up frustrated with this safety device, as they find it difficult to install them or even find it unnecessary.
Incorrect Use
Worldwide, it is estimated that 3/4 of baby car seats are installed incorrectly, that is, they are loose in the seats or loose in the seat belts . Which allows the chair and the child in it to be thrown forward in an accident.
There is also the possibility that the device is not tilted correctly. Another common misuse of baby car seats is that the child is not properly adjusted . A loose belt may not hold the child, which means that the child is able to get out of the chair.
Up to what age to use
Children and babies need correctly installed seats because their bodies are different from adults . The rule of the National Traffic Council (Contran) is that children are in baby car seats or booster seats until the age of seven and a half, or when they reach 1.45 cm , which is the height of someone who can wear a belt of security.
Despite the recommendation, this stature occurs only when the child is around 10 to 12 years old, so do not take your child out of the safety device ahead of time!
How to Choose the Right Baby Car Seat?
The type of chair your child needs depends on a number of things, including their age, the size of the child and the type of vehicle they own. But, with so many different models on the market, many parents end up getting lost in the right choice. Basically, three types of baby car seats are available:
- Baby comfort;
- Reversible chairs;
- Booster seat.
Baby comfort
The comfort baby is recommended for babies from 0 to 13 kg , depending on the model. They are small and have carrying handles and usually come with a base that can be left in the car.
The seat clicks in and out of the base so it does not need to be reinstalled each time . Parents can purchase more than one base for additional vehicles. It should only be used for transportation in the car (do not sleep, feed or any other use outside the vehicle).
Reversible Chairs
This model of baby car seat is the one that generates more doubts, because for this model there are two types: those that serve from the newborn to the largest ones that weigh up to 25 kilos (depending on the model).
From 0 to 16, 18 or even 25 kilos
This model, because it is reversible, can be used facing backwards when you have a newborn and, later, converted forward for older children, when they exceed the weight limit, the length limit or both.
This means that the seat can be used much longer by your child. They are more bulky than baby comfort, however, and do not come with separate carrying handles or bases, they are designed to stay in the car.
Many have the upper limit, such as those weighing up to 25 kilograms. It has a 5-point belt that attaches to the shoulders, hips and between the legs. It should only be used for transportation in the car (do not sleep, feed or any other use outside the vehicle).
From 9 to 36 kilos
This chair model is for children over 9 kg and can be used until it reaches 36 kg. It is attached to the car only in the forward facing position . Usually, because it serves children of various sizes and ages, it comes with
reducers and adjustment items to ensure greater comfort and safety for the little ones: shoulder adjuster, reducing cushion for the back.
But because it caters for different ages it tends not to be 100% comfortable when the child is younger. Therefore, it is recommended to choose a model that comes with reducers and adjustment items.
Booster seat
These are much simpler models, they are seats whose purpose is to make the child taller and thus in the correct position to use the seat belt (to prevent the belt from injuring internal organs in the event of a collision and especially to avoid strangulation ).
They must be used after the child reaches the maximum weight of the model previously presented and until he / she turns 7 and a half years old. But experts indicate its use until the child reaches 1.45m in height, even if this is after the age stipulated by law.
Car seat installation tips
When using a comfort baby, keep the following tips in mind:
- Make sure the belt is tight (there should be no play between your fingers when testing the belt on the baby’s shoulders).
- Make sure that the comfort baby is properly installed in the vehicle, with the seat belt fastened. Do the test, if you can move the seat in the belt path more than 3 cm from side to side or from front to back, it is not sufficiently tight.
- Never place a comfort baby facing backwards in the front seat of a vehicle that has an active airbag on the passenger’s side. If the airbag inflates , it will hit the back of the safety device, exactly where the baby’s head is, and could cause serious injury or death.
- If you use a reversible baby car seat in the rearward position, make sure that the seat belt is going through the correct openings in the chair. Read the instruction manual for the device to be sure .
- Make sure the chair is at the correct angle so that the baby’s head does not tilt forward.
Seat belts and baby car seat
Seat belts are designed to fit adults . They block the impact so that passengers do not collide with each other, or in other parts of the vehicle, as well as, so that they are not thrown out .
Even at low speed, the impact of a collision is very great. Seat belts hold the body to their strongest points – the hips, shoulders and rib cage.
Seat belts do a phenomenal job of keeping adults trapped in an accident. But they are not so good at protecting children , however. A five-year-old child strapped in an adult seat belt definitely does not fit.
The shoulder belt is likely to pass over the child’s chin. When sitting on the bench, she is unable to bend her knees to reach the floor. In an accident, a seat belt over your child’s abdomen or neck can cause serious damage to your child’s vital organs.
The child could also slip under the seat belts. That is why it is so important that children travel in a baby car seat for their age and size .
Babies under the age of two still have a soft bone structure that cannot withstand the forces of a car accident. In particular, their necks are not strong enough to maintain the weight of their heads, as they are pushed forward in an accident.
The only way to keep babies safe in the face of an accident is to get them to travel in a rear-facing car seat. This allows the baby’s comfort to absorb the shock energy and spread it proportionally throughout the body.
Despite the indication by the National Traffic Council that children from 1 year old can be turned forward, experts recommend that children remain turned back until they are at least two years old.
Uso de Isofix
ISOFIX is a system of hooks for baby car seats . The lower hooks can be used instead of the seat belt to install the seat, and many parents find it easier to use.
The top fitting improves the safety provided by the seat and it is important to use for all forward facing seats, even those installed using the vehicle’s seat belt. The seat belt and the ISOFIX system are equally safe, but in some cases it may be easier to install the car seat using one or the other.
In Brazil only a few vehicles have this system because of the high cost, but as of 2018 all cars manufactured will be required to have this system as a safety item. In the USA, the system is called LATCH and has been in use since 2002.
Vehicles with the ISOFIX system have their hooks welded to the floor of the car and the material used is the same as that used to fasten the vehicle’s seat belts. These hooks are located on the rear seat, where the seat cushions meet and are marked .
The extra fixing hook is located on the back of the seat. And it is on these hooks that the rails of the baby car seats equipped with this system are fitted.
Baby chair frequently asked questions
What if my baby’s feet touch the back of the vehicle seat?
This is a very common concern for parents, but it should not cause concern. Children can easily bend their legs and will be comfortable in a rear-facing seat. Leg injuries are very rare for children in this position.
What do I do if my baby falls forward or sideways in the car seat?
It is possible to use containment accessories that are easily found for sale or, if you cannot wait, you can try to place a tightly wrapped blanket on both sides of your baby. Do not place the pad under or behind the baby.
Why can’t I put thick clothes on my child before I put him in the car seat?
Varied clothing, including winter jackets, can compress in an accident and loosen the belt to restrain the baby, leading to an increased risk of injury. The ideal is to dress the baby in comfortable clothes and then put a blanket or blanket around and over the seat belt, if necessary you can fold them.
How long can I use my child’s seat?
Every car seat is different, so always read the user’s guide to find out the seat’s expiration date and other important information. Most baby car seats last between five and nine years after they are manufactured (not necessarily after purchase).
That is why it is important to check the user guide. Most baby car seats are the same. It is also possible to find the expiration date molded on the device seat or printed on the plastic, along with the labels that list contact information and other necessary safety information.
Why do baby car seats expire?
Security standards change over time as the most secure technology is developed. Expiration dates not only alert you to the possibility that your car seat may be worn out, but they also offer an opportunity for you to buy a new seat that is safer for your child.
What makes a baby car seat last longer than another?
The type of material used in a car seat can be more resistant in one than in the other. What it will affect in its duration, and how the seat will work in a fall or wear and tear over time. Depending on the design, how it was installed and the materials used to make the baby car seat, it is possible to know that it will be safe in an accident.
Can I borrow or buy a used baby car seat?
Borrowing or buying a second-hand baby car seat is not recommended unless you can undoubtedly answer these four crucial questions:
- Has this car seat ever been in an accident?
- Does this car seat still have all the original parts?
- Are all labels for proper use still attached to the baby car seat?
- Has this car seat been repaired yet?
If you cannot find the answer to any of these questions, or if in any of them the answer is negative, then do not use or buy the seat.
How important is the instruction manual?
The instruction manual is very important! Always keep it in hand or download it from the manufacturer’s website. It informs about the expiration date, the recommended cleaning options, the correct way to put the belts and how to replace, the correct installation and use, as well as suitable disposal methods.
If my baby car seat is involved in an accident, can I still use it?
If it has occurred in a moderate to severe shock, you should discard it. You can keep it if the accident is mild. But first you must meet ALL of the following criteria:
- The vehicle was able to be removed from the accident site.
- The vehicle door closest to the child was undamaged.
- There were no injuries to any of the vehicle’s occupants.
- The airbags (if the car has one) did not inflate.
- There is no visible damage to the car seat.
How do I know when to retire my baby car seat?
Baby car seats must be destroyed after the expiration date or if they have missing or broken parts. The reason for destroying, rather than just throwing it away, is so that it is not misused by an unknown third party who could put a child’s safety at risk.
How do I dispose of my baby car seat?
Before throwing the chair in the trash, you must remove all the upholstery, cut the seat belts, remove or scrape all the labels with the serial number and the date of manufacture and write “trash, do not use” on the bag that surrounds the chair from baby to car.
Are baby car seats recyclable?
Some parts of them cannot be recycled, like polyurethane foam and fabric, but plastic and metal parts can. We need to do more to protect our children. Therefore, it is important to inform yourself as much as possible.
See also: School Transportation – Care Before Hiring
My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.
Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.
