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Posted for Guest: Special Needs Inquiry
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autumnlily
New member
I'm not Special Needs certified but can offer a little input.
Any 5 point harness seat WILL need to be installed and uninstalled and those installing will need to be well versed in how to do it. The Frontier 85 comes to mind - but the install can be tricky and your son may have outgrown the top harness slots (must be AT or Above). It only harnesses up to 85lb and then turns into a highback booster seat.
I'm not familiar with vest-style child restraints - but this might be a safe option. It does require some installation and hopefully others can elaborate further on the vehicle requirements and how involved an installation is. I think it is the only option to harness to 120lbs.
Any 5 point harness seat WILL need to be installed and uninstalled and those installing will need to be well versed in how to do it. The Frontier 85 comes to mind - but the install can be tricky and your son may have outgrown the top harness slots (must be AT or Above). It only harnesses up to 85lb and then turns into a highback booster seat.
I'm not familiar with vest-style child restraints - but this might be a safe option. It does require some installation and hopefully others can elaborate further on the vehicle requirements and how involved an installation is. I think it is the only option to harness to 120lbs.
Jennifer mom to my 7
Well-known member
Do we have a weight and height of the child? That will help tremendously.
There are vest-type restraints that are less bulky than a traditional car seat, but many of them have additional requirements for installation (especially over a certain weight) which means that they may require modification in some or all vehicles. More details on the particular needs of the child and what vehicles you ride in might help. Does he try to "escape" from a 5 point harness, or just not sit properly in a booster?
carseatcoach
Carseat Crankypants
Are his special needs such that insurance will pay for a special-needs style carseat (usually considered durable medical equipment)? You could get a special-needs harnessed seat for your car and a vest for others' cars.
What is his height and weight now? And forgive me if this is an inappropriate question, but is there reason to expect that at 120#, he will no longer need additional restraint beyond a seatbelt?
What is his height and weight now? And forgive me if this is an inappropriate question, but is there reason to expect that at 120#, he will no longer need additional restraint beyond a seatbelt?
capeKO71
New member
Actually - I believe the Recaro Start Plus is a 5 pt harness that you use simply as a positioning, and you actually use the car seat's belt like a booster over it...
http://www.homehealthpavilion.com/reha-partner-recaro-start-plus-pediatric-car-seat.html
BUT - it's a damn heavy seat, and only goes to 80lbs, and is more expensive then buying three frontiers...
Ohhh... just found this one - is this sunshine kids Monterey... with a positional harness? How cool! And reasonable! This may be your seat: http://www.adaptivemall.com/snsepispnebo.html
It is NOT installed like a carseat... you use the harness to position the child, and then you use the seat belt in front of them like a booster seat.
by the way... didn't realize recaro had this seat on the market... looks interesting for the special needs folks: http://www.adaptivemall.com/remoreadcars.html
http://www.homehealthpavilion.com/reha-partner-recaro-start-plus-pediatric-car-seat.html
BUT - it's a damn heavy seat, and only goes to 80lbs, and is more expensive then buying three frontiers...
Ohhh... just found this one - is this sunshine kids Monterey... with a positional harness? How cool! And reasonable! This may be your seat: http://www.adaptivemall.com/snsepispnebo.html
It is NOT installed like a carseat... you use the harness to position the child, and then you use the seat belt in front of them like a booster seat.
by the way... didn't realize recaro had this seat on the market... looks interesting for the special needs folks: http://www.adaptivemall.com/remoreadcars.html
I was thinking that if the child just needs support/some additional restraint to stay in position in the booster, and will not try to "escape" or unbuckle, and if all the vehicles have LATCH, the Churchill might be an appropriate choice. But not knowing those answers is why I can't make better recommendations... 
(Here is a video on the Churchill: http://eztether.com/Churchill_features_video.html I got to play with it in my recent training, and a tech who is a member on this board, a small adult woman, fit well in it. It is suitable to high height and weight limits, but does require LATCH, or a top tether and a vehicle seat style that can accept the lower adaptor kit they sell.)
(Here is a video on the Churchill: http://eztether.com/Churchill_features_video.html I got to play with it in my recent training, and a tech who is a member on this board, a small adult woman, fit well in it. It is suitable to high height and weight limits, but does require LATCH, or a top tether and a vehicle seat style that can accept the lower adaptor kit they sell.)
carseatcoach
Carseat Crankypants
Is he 120# currently, or are you hoping to harness to 120# in the future? How much does he weigh now?
If he can unbuckle a seatbelt, it's only a matter of time before he can unbuckle a harness, most likely. In which case, a back-fastening vest from EZ-On is probably the best long-term solution, but if he is able to unbuckle the vest, he would need a floor mount-- which will need to be installed in every vehicle he rides in. And a tether anchor is required for all the EZ-On vests.
It seems likely to me that there is no product that will restrain a child who diligently tries to "escape" vehicle restraints for the long-term that is also extremely portable and can be used in all vehicles without any modification, unfortunately.
It seems likely to me that there is no product that will restrain a child who diligently tries to "escape" vehicle restraints for the long-term that is also extremely portable and can be used in all vehicles without any modification, unfortunately.
I do not know much about them but would a besi harness work? http://www.besi-inc.com/securements/securement-vests link to more info about them. From what i saw there is only 1 kind of mounting strap and it does not req bolting it down.
Besi vests, as far as I know, are only for use on school buses, and are not suitable for use in family vehicles (they attach with a cam-wrap system to the bus seat.) EZ-On makes similar vests for use in vehicles, but they require tether anchors and, if not using the seatbelt, that a floor mount system be installed.
no, the EZ-on vests with cam wraps are only for use on school buses. A school bus is the only place you can use a cam wrap.
EZ on makes vests for vehicles that can be installed several ways. One is with seatbelt and tether. One is with floor mount and tether.
If they are unwilling or unable to retrofit tether anchors in each vehicle that needs it, most special needs seats, including vests, cannot be used. If the child unbuckles seatbelts in a booster, it's quite likely that the child will also unbuckle a seatbelt in a vest, and probably soon a harness in a harnessed seat. Therefore the only safe option would be a vest with floor mount. If they are unwilling or unable to install floor mounts in each vehicle that he rides in, and the child unbuckles the seatbelt-installation style vest and/or harnesses, then there is no safe way to transport the child that I can think of.
EZ on makes vests for vehicles that can be installed several ways. One is with seatbelt and tether. One is with floor mount and tether.
If they are unwilling or unable to retrofit tether anchors in each vehicle that needs it, most special needs seats, including vests, cannot be used. If the child unbuckles seatbelts in a booster, it's quite likely that the child will also unbuckle a seatbelt in a vest, and probably soon a harness in a harnessed seat. Therefore the only safe option would be a vest with floor mount. If they are unwilling or unable to install floor mounts in each vehicle that he rides in, and the child unbuckles the seatbelt-installation style vest and/or harnesses, then there is no safe way to transport the child that I can think of.
Evolily
New member
If he's 120#'s the Merritt Churchill may be an option
http://www.eztether.com/
It is expensive, but insurance may cover it or you may be able to arrange for a discount.
My only other thought would be to find a special needs technician who can help you.
http://www.eztether.com/
It is expensive, but insurance may cover it or you may be able to arrange for a discount.
My only other thought would be to find a special needs technician who can help you.
The Churchill requires LATCH (or top tether and a seat bight that you can pass an object all the way through, plus a retrofit kit) which they have said is unavailable. And, he unbuckles belts apparently.
IF he unbuckles belts but not harnesses, the Roosevelt might be an option (with the Ez-tether and long belt path) but only if the vehicles without tether anchors have a long enough belt to use long belt path, and he is under the weight limit.
IF he unbuckles belts but not harnesses, the Roosevelt might be an option (with the Ez-tether and long belt path) but only if the vehicles without tether anchors have a long enough belt to use long belt path, and he is under the weight limit.
http://www.childharness.ca/ this lady make harnesses with a Lead as a Tie-Down so the mother could put it on him and since it would buckle behind the seat she could use that and a seat belt also i would look at getting a http://www.cplqld.org.au/business/ets/car/buckleguards this is a buckle guard that needs a key or a coin to unlock.
ame0312
New member
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