Troubles w/ my Britax Traveller Plus/Regent is my only option a new seat

Hi, its been a while since I have been on this board and in need of advice or carseat options. I current drive a 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited and my daughter is 7 she weighs 60-65 pounds (her heaviest weigh in right now is 65 but her weight fluctuates) I can't give you an exact height as she is currently wheelchair bound so I don't have accurate measurements I would roughly say she is any where between 30 and 37 inches at the most. She is mostly legs and in her current seat which is the traveler plus (this seat is identical to the regent just for special needs the only difference is a few accessories and some foam inserts and about 500 dollars more) I have the recline bar and I also have the front piece for the carseat which never seems to stay on. My previous vehicle was a 2003 nissan altima and since the transmission went out we were left in a hurry to buy another vehicle we purchased the jeep from a friend and while at the time is was heaven sent since I don't have to go through the troubles of take apart a wheel chair it has left me issues w/ our carseat and dd whines every time she is in it especially for long periods. She has low tone and the biggest thing is that she feels like she is hanging from what I can tell since she can't exactly communicate w/ me what is bothering this is my main assumption since we didn't have this problem in the altima. She has plenty of room in the seat she still has another shoulder strap slot to go and even the buckle in the crotch area she is on the inside slot and has plenty of wiggle room. Since the rear seat in the altima has more of a natural recline we didn't have this problem but the jeep is a smaller seat and no recline which leaves her hanging and I have found this to be in my dad's expedition, my MIL's MB ML350, and my FIL's Dodge Ram. I have tried different configurations w/ the seat in all of these vehicles and nothing seems to work now I put her in a convertible seat and she didn't whine but the problem is she is too big for them. I have considered the high back booster but w/ her low tone I am afraid to put her in them and while part of me wants to just go out and buy a marathon even w/ the weight increase she could out grow it by next year. Please don't mention the Graco Nautilus I have looked at them and the school bus she rides uses them and she does NOT fit in the 5pt harness plus she is at the weight limit. I still have life in my britax but I need a solution for her to feel like she is not dangling if I can't make it work is there another seat on the market right now that could or would provide her w/ the comfort of a convertible but still be appropriate for her height and weight. I looked at the frontier in BRU recently but the seat still has that same downward slope. I am sorry this is so long I am trying to get everything in I hope this isn't confusing if it is please point things out so I can correct myself thank you for reading if you made it this far and thank you for any help.

M

Would something under her feet holding them up prevent the falling and dangling feeling she has?

Also, 30-37" sounds awfully tiny, especially if she's got a 17" torso or more (for instance, my 50" child has a 19" torso). My 16 month old is over 30" and is 21 pounds, so I'm guessing your seven year old is of a more average height.

Wendy

Ok, I went to sneak a peak at her in bed w/ my measuring tape,lol, her torso area from the bottom of her butt to her should is 17inches. I can't give a def on her legs right now. The 30-37 inches was based on the measurements from her nutritionist in Nov, since she can't stand up I don't have accurate measurements for her full height. I think the nutritionist said she was 34 inches but I was thinking that was a bit short for her however she did just go through a grow spurt and I am not sure the nutritionist had her torso fully extended or if she was slouching in her wheelchair when she took her measurements and I was afraid to say more than 37 inches.

I didn't think about putting something under her feet since she has low tone and is not able to re adjust herself so the thought never really crossed my mind. I think I will try the small step stool that i have and see if she initiates trying to push up. it can't hurt to try thanks Wendy.

Also, since she is a special needs child I don't know if this thread needs to be moved or if it can I just noticed there is a section for special needs.

Laine gets measured for height laying down. Maybe you could do that, but her overall height isn't so important, just torso here.

I hadn't thought of the fact that she couldn't push against a support. I'll move this to special needs, with a redirect. That may get the attention of a SN certified tech.

Wendy

well I just came across this seat it's the Recaro Monza Reha Car Seat on a special needs equipment site and it actually comes w/ a foot rest well for and extra 300, lol, it does. I need to chat w/ her therapist and doctors about the seat we have and this other seat. Really I think for the most part they feel I should buy a van and leave her harnessed into her wheelchair but I still feel like as long as I can get her in a carseat you better believe I will be doing it.


this is the link to the seat and you can see in the accessories the footrest its kind of neat.
http://www.adaptivemall.com/remoreadcars.html

Would putting a rolled towel in from of the crotch strap and under her knees help with the falling sensation? I'd try that along with a step stool and see if it helps. Or call Britax and see what suggestions they have about the positioners not staying in place.