is this too harsh?

The mom is the kind that "needs a healthy dose of fear, if you know what I mean. Her 9 mo is FFing in a SCenera, with terribly loose install, same DD currently has a broken collar bone from falling off the dining room table.... here is what I wrote... the video I added is the recent youtube RF is safer video.

Hey- I really dont want to be pushy and I know that you have your reasons but if I didnt say something and anything happened I would feel responsible.

Emma is not safely or legally restrained in her carseat the way that you have been using it, Forward facing. The federal law is 1yr old AND 20lbs, at a MINIMUM. The carseat manufacturer states that a child MUST be a MINIMUM of 22lbs AND 34 INCHES tall. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children continue to rear face in their convertible carseats to at LEAST 2yrs old or 35lbs. I urge you to please consider installing her seat rear facing. You could be placing your child at risk for major spinal injuries including but not limited to a broken neck, internal decapitation, paralysis and even death. Children under the age of 4 are at risk for these injuries because their spines are still mostly cartilidge and thier skull is not fully connected to their spine. Most CPST's (Child Passenger Safety Technicians, such as myself) recommend that children remain rear facing to age 3 or 4, but AT LEAST the minimum AAP recommendation of 2yrs old. Here is a video explaining why rear facing is so important.

I also wanted to mention that while we were all at my dads last week you mentioned that you had trouble installing the Cosco Scenera carseat that you have for Emma. I did (descreetly) check the install in Donnies car and while I know you meant you had trouble with it rear facinf, it was also installed improperly for forward facing as well. There should be less than 1 inch of movement at the beltpath( where the seatbelt goes thru the carseat), there was easily upwards of 8-10 inches of movement. This could be fatal in a car accident. Please give me a call. I'm trained and certified to educate parents on how to properly and most imporantly SAFELY install and restrain their children while in the car. I am incredible passionate about carseat safety and while some people think so, it really is NOT as easy as it looks.

I really hope that I havent offended you. Please let me know if you have any questions. My email is NOT to offend or anything, simply an offer to help and educate. I hope that I hear from you soon.

I think it was very tactful. I hope she contacts you for help.

I agree, very tactful. I hope she is receptive.

No, and if she takes offense it's her problem.

I couldn't see that and not say anything either.

Your letter is fine. Polite, tactful, informative. :thumbsup:

Good I was hoping the whole internal decapitation thing wasn't going overboard. I normally try to stay away from such blunt, scare tactics but this girl is, well she argued about MY 2.5 yo being RFing because she COULD be turned at 1yr and 20. Like I should WANT her FFing, just because she could, despite the fact that I said she was safer....Thanks everyone~!

The AAP part is wrong. They recommend rear facing until the limits of the seat, nothing about 2 years old or 35 lbs or whatever. Also, I do not believe 1 and 20 is federal law.

I think it's too harsh. I think she will read it and tune it out. All it will succeed in is venting your frustration. Something like "I'm concerned about your daughters safety in the car. Please take a minute to watch these videos. *insert URL for the nice, polished Norwegian rear facing video and maybe another RFing video of your choice*. If you need help installing your seat or using it I am certified to do so more than willing to help, if you want to see someone else you can find another child passenger safety technician at *insert safekids URL*"

Also, my goal would be to have her turn her back RFing to at least 1 and 20 (and whatever limits her seat imposes), and then if she wants to RF longer great, but that wouldn't be my goal. My primary goal would be for her to properly use and install the seat 100% of the time, even if she chooses to FF at 1 and 20.

I agree, a minumu at 1yr and 20. At this point the child is 9mo and 15lbs FFing for moms convienence.

MS does not have a law for rearfacing, only that children under 4 must be in a carseat. I understand the problems with stating that as a federal law. Unfortuntly she isnt even goign to check it so it really doesnt matter. I could have said her head was on fire for all she cares.

I thought the AAP recommendaton was to the limits of a convertible seat.. or at least 2yo. Thats where I got the 2yo and other than the CS (and maybe 1 other?) the lowest RF limit, and in this case, her seat, is 35lbs.

IIRC, the AAP recommends RFing to the limits of the convertible, but *also* to at least two years.

Mae said:

IIRC, the AAP recommends RFing to the limits of the convertible, but *also* to at least two years.

Click to expand...

That was a rumor started with an article published in the AAP's journal.

http://www.healthychildren.org/Engl...fety-Seats-Information-for-Families-2010.aspx

They have a minimum and a recommendation. The minimum hasn't changed. In fact, the recommendation hasn't changed, however they do focus specifically on keeping kids with convertible seats RFing.

Can you link me to the direct recommendation?

NicoleCPST said:

Can you link me to the direct recommendation?

Click to expand...

I did. Is the link not working?

Did you fix the typos before you sent it? If so, it was fine. It's not a federal law to rear face to a year. While she may not check it, it does put you in doubt as to what else you don't know if she does check it.

The AAP does specifically say two years minimum and as long as possible, so that's fine.

Wendy

No I only see the healthy children article link...

I did fix the typos I'm the worst typist on earth! lol

wendytthomas said:

The AAP does specifically say two years minimum and as long as possible, so that's fine.

Click to expand...

Where do they say it? There was an article published in the AAP's journal written by an individual member, but they still stand by the 2002 recommendations and haven't made a policy change.

http://www.aap.org/healthtopics/carseatsafety.cfm
Which links to http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;109/3/550 under professional policies appears to be the most recent professional recommendation. The parents and family recommendations I linked to above.

Healthy children website is the parent education website created by the american academy of pediatrics. The AAP site links to it, and it carries it's logo.

It's true, as an organization the AAP has an official policy of 1 and 20, but they've recommended since 2002 to the maximum limits, and they've recommended since 2008 or 2009 two years minimum. (2002: http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;109/3/550 2009: http://aapnews.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/30/4/12-a)

Wendy

This http://aapnews.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/30/4/12-a was an article they published in their newsmagazine, not a change in policy.

I'm not saying I disagree that it shouldn't be 2 years old, but I do believe advocates and CPST's need to provide facts that aren't easily discounted.

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/extract/121/3/619 as well.

No, neither was an official policy change. However, I don't think it's too much of a stretch to say in either instance to say that "the AAP recommends", rather than "it's the AAP's policy." It is true that it's a recommendation, and has been since 2002.

Wendy

I don't think it's too harsh, but I think it's a little too wordy. I would just say something about how the baby isn't safe forward facing (with one or two sentences of "fear", perhaps), the seat's not installed properly (& could be fatal), and you'd be happy to install it correctly. And link the video.

I dont think it's too harsh. It's pretty darn close to what I would have written.

I hope she's receptive.