Question Rear facing toddler turning head to watch screen?

Si & Ash's Mom · Jun 1, 2010

Hi all,
I would love your advice and wisdom... my 17 month old son (34" tall and 26 lbs) is rear facing in a 2009 Radian XT (35 lb rf limit). I know we're "supposed" to turn them forward at 32" tall but I was wanting to keep him rf. This was all fine and good until he recently started to crank his head around to watch the tv screen in the ceiling of our van (2003 Honda Odyssey). I can't help but thinking that if we crashed with his head turned it would be VERY bad. I know we could just turn the tv off but I have 2 very active kids and it's really hard to drive ANYWHERE if they don't have a show on (I know I sound like a great parent, hey

). I have a mirror in front of him but he still turns to see the screen... Is it worth keeping him rf or is it time to turn him? Thanks for your help!
Erin

Wiggles · Jun 1, 2010

At 17 months, there's no way I'd be turning him yet, provided he fits the seat properly rear facing. I take it that, even though he's over the standing height limit, his shoulders are even with or slightly above the harness slots without pulling the harness off his shoulders and that he has more than one inch of hard shell above his head? If he fits those requirements, there is NO way I'd turn a 17 month old. I'd turn off the tv and find something else for him to do. Though I'm not sure how much damage having his head turned would do in a crash--someone else would have to weigh in on that.

Carrie_R · Jun 1, 2010

I'd pick RF with a turned head over FF with a straight head any day of the week, for a 17month old. The minimum we like to see FFing is two years, but around here we prefer children to stay RFing until three or four years old.

How old are your other two kids, and what do they ride in?

urchin_grey · Jun 1, 2010

As long as his harness is tight enough and his body is in position, I don't see how having his head out of position would make a difference. In the event of a crash, the seat is going to down and back anyway.

And yeah, I agree with the PP, I wouldn't turn a 17mo FF'ing. How much shell does he have over his head? DS is 34in and has TONS of space over his head in the Radian, so if your DS has outgrown it, he's got to have one hell of a torso and head.

KrisM · Jun 1, 2010

My 22 month old did that this weekend to see the screen. I am not that worried, because he's always looking somewhere, not sitting with his head perfectly in the seat. He moves it forward and cranes it around the head wings (Britax Wizard) to see out the window, etc. I think that since his body and shoulders are in the right spot he'll be fine in a crash.

Mae · Jun 1, 2010

Si & Ash's Mom said:
my 17 month old son (34" tall and 26 lbs) is rear facing in a 2009 Radian XT (35 lb rf limit). I know we're "supposed" to turn them forward at 32" tall but I was wanting to keep him rf.

Wiggles said:
I take it that, even though he's over the standing height limit, his shoulders are even with or slightly above the harness slots without pulling the harness off his shoulders and that he has more than one inch of hard shell above his head? If he fits those requirements, there is NO way I'd turn a 17 month old.

To pick more on this, Sunshine Kids is required to post a height limit, as do all other car seat manufacturers. While we generally don't recommend going against the car seat manual, when it's regarding height, there are different rules. Since all kids grow differently, all kids will outgrow their seat at a different age. While Child A & Child B both might be 32" tall, Child A may have shorter legs and a longer torso, while Child B may have longer legs and a shorter torso. This means that the harness height will lay differently on each child.

When RFing, a car seat is outgrown when either A.) The weight limit is reached, or B.) When there is less than one inch of hard shell above the child's head. When checking to see how much space is left, make sure you always smoosh down the fabric.

If you're interested, Click Here to see a great example of how to tell when your RF seat is outgrown.

Si & Ash's Mom · Jun 1, 2010

Yeah, he still has lots of shell above him so that's why I was keeping him rf in the first place (even though they say turn at 32" in the manual). I just wasn't sure how dangerous it was to have his head turned like that. My husband thinks I'm crazy that he's still rf in the first place because everyone else we know turns them forward at 22 lbs :thumbsdown:. I'll show him this though and that will hopefully help my argument

FYI I only have one other child and he's 3 1/2 years old (44 lbs and 43" tall) in a Graco Nautilus.

TechnoGranola · Jun 1, 2010

Ya, the mirrors aren't helpful for a RF child to see the DVD player. I tried one with DD and it sucked. Take a look in it yourself and you'll see that the DVD player looks super tiny (it isn't anywhere near the full size of the mirror), it will have some distortion and as you drive the mirror bounces opposite to the vehicle bouncing which makes it super hard to watch. If the mirror isn't doing your child any good, I'd just get rid of it. Someone here had a pic of a broken one and that plastic is SHARP, not something I'd want cutting into my child's head in an accident.

We avoid the use of the DVD player as much as we can but sometimes my RFer asks for a movie (she's a few months away from 4) and then she's craning her neck and eyes to see it. I wish vehicle manufacturers would put in a 2nd screen for RFers!

selinajean · Jun 1, 2010

I agree with everything above and just wanted to offer a possible quick solution for you. I bought I-Pix video players at WalMart for my boys. They were $20 each and a little finicky to set up and get loaded at first but they are so worth it. You get credits with your purchase for 2 free shows and then you can buy more if you wish. They have Max & Ruby, Franklin and Miss Spider for upload onto the player. Then your son can have his own little movie player to hold in his hands.

Kat_Shoshin · Jun 1, 2010

Strap him down nice and tight... I cannot imagine my RFing guy getting his head out around the wings... But I agree that I would never FF a 17 MO if there was another option.

Also, thanks for the advice on the I-Pix Selina... Totally going to check that out.

babyherder · Jun 1, 2010

Aren't movie players projectiles? Or is that a risk some people choose to take? Can you find light weight ones?

selinajean · Jun 1, 2010

babyherder said:
Aren't movie players projectiles? Or is that a risk some people choose to take? Can you find light weight ones?

I think the movie player in the OP is fixed to the ceiling. Our little hand-held players are definitely projectiles. But on a 13 hour drive with 2 kids and me being the only adult, yup I'm willing to take that risk. LOL. We don't use them in town or on short drives. Just on those insanely long drives where I need them to be occupied so that I can drive and drive and drive.

TechnoGranola · Jun 1, 2010

Kat_Shoshin said:
Strap him down nice and tight... I cannot imagine my RFing guy getting his head out around the wings...

She didn't say the child was getting their head around the wings?

I assumed she meant turning the head back towards the DVD player and tilting it up at an awkward angle to see the screen. At least that's what my DD does.

babyherder · Jun 2, 2010

selinajean said:
I think the movie player in the OP is fixed to the ceiling. Our little hand-held players are definitely projectiles. But on a 13 hour drive with 2 kids and me being the only adult, yup I'm willing to take that risk. LOL. We don't use them in town or on short drives. Just on those insanely long drives where I need them to be occupied so that I can drive and drive and drive.

I was referring to the hand held ones but that's a risk I totally understand taking!

Kat_Shoshin · Jun 2, 2010

Oh - in that case, if their head is still contained in the restraint - I wouldn't have a problem with it.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kat_Shoshin View Post
Strap him down nice and tight... I cannot imagine my RFing guy getting his head out around the wings...
She didn't say the child was getting their head around the wings? I assumed she meant turning the head back towards the DVD player and tilting it up at an awkward angle to see the screen. At least that's what my DD does.

Si & Ash's Mom · Jun 2, 2010

Thanks for the suggestion of the I-Pix - I'll have to look into that... I think it would be worth the risk if it allows me to focus on driving

. No, he doesn't get his head around the wings, just does what TechnoGranola said - he turns it and looks up at the screen. It just seems like a precarious position for his head to be in but it seems like I have my answer. Thanks everyone. Now I feel really confident about keeping him RF! :thumbsup:

Question Rear facing toddler turning head to watch screen?

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