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SALT LAKE CITY -- New safety guidelines for children's car seats have parents buzzing and phones ringing at pediatrician's offices.
Janet Brooks is the Child Advocacy Manager at Primary Children's Medical Center. "It's been a busy couple of days here with a lot of interaction, mostly good dialog with parents," she said.
Some parents are upset about the changes and don't think they are practical. One commenter on KSL's Facebook page said, "I wonder how much of a distraction a screaming toddler would be to a driver because their poor feet are jammed against the seat and they can't see forward."
Others are confused. Another commenter said, "I agree with safety, but when is too far too far?"
Under the old guidelines, it was recommended that children should face backward until they reach 1 year of age and 20 pounds. According to new guidelines released this week by the American Academy of Pediatrics, these children should still be facing backward at least until age 2, and perhaps longer depending on their weight.
"Two isn't necessarily a magical number," Brooks said. "They are recommending using your car seat for as long as the height and weight requirements will allow."
Stephanie Thacker's 22-month-old son Collin has been sitting facing forward in his car seat for nearly a year. When she first heard about the new guidelines, she was dubious.
"My question then is, if he fits so well, do I leave him in ‘til he hits 35 pounds?" Thacker asked Brooks.
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Brooks recommended she keep Collin facing backward, but the bottom line is the new guidelines are just that: guidelines, not law.
And they weren't arbitrary; they were altered after a five-year study. The conclusion was that rear-facing seats are much safer -- and the longer a child can fit in a car seat that way, the better.
20-month-old Tatum Johns has been facing forward in her car seat just after she turned 1 year old. Brooks recommends that Tatum go back to rear-facing because of her height and weight, but her parents have reservations. They say that because Tatum has gotten used to facing forward, they don't think she would react well to be turned around again. As of this point, they have yet decided whether to face her forward or backward.
For child safety seat installation inspection, call 801-662-CARS.
Since the guideline update came out Monday, Primary Children's Medical Center is getting a lot of questions and giving out plenty of advice.
Thacker, like many parents, is concerned about a child's legs resting high up on the back seat.
"My oldest daughter would lock her knees every time we drove somewhere," she said, and feared if they were in an accident her legs could be seriously injured.
Brooks said that injury would be unlikely and showed Thacker a number of ways Collin could rest his legs instead. "He can hang them over the edge of the car seat," she said, or cross his legs, fold them up or rest lower on the back of the seat.
Thacker also found another benefit to having Collin face backward again: His sisters, who face forward and sit on either side of him, can keep him entertained.
Other parents are still unsure. “I think the new recommendations are unrealistic!” Sherry Carpenter Bluemel wrote on KSL-TV’s Facebook page. “My son would have been 6 years old and still facing backward; he would have been sitting like a V. My 12-year-old makes the booster by 1 inch. I understand the safety of our children, but a 14-hour drive, sitting in that position just isn't going to work."
“I have an almost 3-year-old child who is not quite 35 lbs.,” wrote Alicia Eades Simper. “According to these guidelines, she would still need to be rear facing ... She has such long legs, she would have no place to put them. Primary Children’s Hospital is recommending that you let them hang their legs over the arms of the seat. I cannot imagine sitting like that for hours!”
Every child is different, of course. Some are taller for their age and vice-versa. So if you child is older than age 2 but is still quite small, it might make sense to keep then facing backward.
The AAP also recommends that most children use a booster seat until they are at least 80 pounds, have reached 4 feet 9 inches tall, and are between the ages of 8 and 12 years old, when regular seat belts are most likely to fit properly.
There's not a black and white answer here. Because of the many questions received, Primary Children's Medical Center has set up and Q & A section on its Facebook page.
Brooks said that parents should check with their pediatricians the help them decide which is the best position for their child to ride. She also recommends parents visit with a child passenger safety technician or visit an inspection station to make sure they are getting accurate information.
There is also a community check point scheduled for Friday, March 25 in West Valley City. It will be held at 3130 S. Redwood Road from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
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Story written by Keith McCord with contributions from Lindsay Maxfield.
