success story RE: rear facing on a school bus

bethng · Apr 22, 2010

I just got a new little boy in my class. He is 3 years old. Has down syndrome among other issues. He is about 20lbs and the size of a 8 or 9 month old. They had him riding in a safeguard seat that they have on all their buses. This poor little tiny boy was just hanging there in the seat with his head down (no head control) and leaning to either side (no trunk control). So after several emails and phone calls to the transportation dept ("whats a convertable car seat? You mean an infant seat? Oh we dont have any convertables") I finally was able to convince them to buy a scenera at walmart so he can rear face on his bus ride. Now the next issue is .....can the bus drivers install this correctly? We will find out when he arrives at school monday morning. I am putting my money on "NO." It wont be installed correctly. But I will fix it if need be. Will bring some pool noodles just in case. Just grateful that he wont be in the safeguard seat anymore. Poor little guy. Will post a pic next week

Judi · Apr 23, 2010

Poor kiddo. I vote no on the correct install too.

Kaede's_Mom · Apr 23, 2010

Poor thing. I bet that was so uncomfortable

Glad you were able to get them to do a new seat. I am better it isn't in right either, or worse in FF.

bethng · Apr 23, 2010

Kaede's_Mom said:
Poor thing. I bet that was so uncomfortable

Glad you were able to get them to do a new seat. I am better it isn't in right either, or worse in FF.

It will not be forward facing. I wrote in his IEP today that he must ride rear facing. They can not forward face him and go against the IEP....tehehehe. But the bus drivers do not know how to install it. I am just waiting for monday when he arrives in the seat. Lord only knows how its going to be installed.

bethng · May 6, 2010

Well after a day of phone calls and arguing with the director of special transportation....I finally won! The seat arrived rear facing and with the belt through the forward facing path. Fixed that right away. But the buckle stalk was way too long and was getting in the way of the belt path plus making it almost impossible to get the seat in tight. So I twisted the belt stalk 3 times and bingo....rock solid install. Well head of transportation came unglued! "you cant do that!" I told her that I could show her my manual from safekids that says you can and she says "I cant take the word of some random organization that you can do something like that" Safekids a "random" organization? whatever lady. Finally got my instructor involved and in the end I won. So all 22 pounds of 3 year old little "T" are happily rear facing on the bus in his scenera. crappy cell phone pic but I had to be fast. Driver was already late because I was messing with his seat for so long lol!

babycat124 · May 6, 2010

Great Job!!!!!!!!! :thumbsup:

Maedze · May 6, 2010

Nicely done :thumbsup:

Random organization, my big white butt

Did you shove your SafeKids manual up hers?

bethng · May 6, 2010

Maedze said:
Nicely done :thumbsup:

Random organization, my big white butt Did you shove your SafeKids manual up hers?

lol no. I shoulda though. It was enough just to have my instructor email her a 2 page letter of information with references to back everything up. And she did address the "some random organization" comment too.

The brilliant director of transportation's answer to my question "where do you get your training regarding car seats, their use on buses and how to install them?" was "OSPI" huh? The superintendent of public education is a CPST? I think not.

success story RE: rear facing on a school bus

bethng

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