Recaro Monza Reha

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lovemysalr

New member

• Feb 23, 2011

• #1

My daughter is 82 pounds, 51 inches and 7 years old. She is post-stroke, with mild CP and autism. We just got the Recaro Monza Rhea w/isoFIX. (Thank you insurance, thank you!) However, no one seems to know much about it, even the place we bought it from. She seems very comfortable, and I'm pretty sure we have everything set right. (Strap height, belt rides low and also hits right at her shoulder)

Since this is really a booster with positioning harness, is it okay to add a chest clip? She starts out fine in the seat, but within a few miles, she wiggles one or both the straps off her shoulder. Then she freaks out yelling "I'm not safe and cozy!!!!"

I have included two pictures, one of her right as we start out, and one showing how the strap ends up. (Did I load them right??)

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Untitled by Allyson244, on Flickr[/IMG]


Untitled by Allyson244, on Flickr

 

Last edited: Feb 23, 2011

Pixels

New member

• Feb 23, 2011

• #2

I'm not really familiar with this seat and haven't read the manual, so I'm shooting from the hip here. Does it adjust up any higher? If the positioning harness was moved up higher, it probably would stay on her shoulder better.

 

L

lovemysalr

New member

• Feb 23, 2011

• #3

I does adjust higher. I will try that when she gets home from school. I was just concerned that raising it any higher might put the shoulder strap too close to her neck.

 

mish

New member

• Feb 23, 2011

• #4

I'm not familiar with the seat either, but my first instinct would be to say no, you can't add a chest clip. Hopefully someone with more experience can help you out.

 

Pixels

New member

• Feb 23, 2011

• #5

I say try it and see if moving it up puts the shoulder belt uncomfortably close to her neck. The biggest risk with the shoulder belt touching the neck is that the child is uncomfortable, and then does something like put the shoulder belt behind her back or under her arm to get it off her neck. It seems like your daughter is pretty safety-conscious in regards to how she should be in the car, so hopefully this won't be an issue for her.

I can't see where the belt guides are in relation to her shoulder, but it seems like they are right at her shoulder right now, or even slightly below. They need to stay at or above her shoulder, so you would likely have to move them up soon anyway.

 

L

lovemysalr

New member

• Feb 23, 2011

• #6

One of our biggest problem seems to be that no one near us is familiar with this seat or even this type of seat. We can't even get a definitive answer on if we are supposed to buckle to positioning harness first, then the car seat belt, or if we do the seatbelt first then the positioning harness.

The "positioning harness" is about 1" above her shoulder when seated, and the car seat belt hits the seat belt guide at about 1 1/2' above her shoulder.

 

twinsmom

New member

• Feb 23, 2011

• #7

Can you contact Recaro?

 

L

lovemysalr

New member

• Feb 23, 2011

• #8

I have an email in to Thomashilfen, who is the US distributer for the Recaro. Hope to hear back soon.

 

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants

• Feb 23, 2011

• #9

I'm going from memory here and we all know how reliable that is, but it seems to me that in other pictures I have seen, the harness is fastened first and the seatbelt buckled over that. That might keep her from messing with the belts.

 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician

• Feb 23, 2011

• #10

chickabiddy said:

I'm going from memory here and we all know how reliable that is, but it seems to me that in other pictures I have seen, the harness is fastened first and the seatbelt buckled over that. That might keep her from messing with the belts.

Click to expand...

That's what I recall seeing, too.

 

Pixels

New member

• Feb 23, 2011

• #11

The instruction manual is lacking quite a bit.

 

L

lovemysalr

New member

• Feb 23, 2011

• #12

So are the "instruction" videos that are offered. It has been very frustrating trying to find proper information on this seat.

 

J

joyride

Member

• Feb 26, 2011

• #13

I "think" to have read first position harness, then car belt.
In my opinion, because it is only a position harness, you can add a chest clip (if it doesn't interfere with the car belt).
Joy

 

Louisa

CPST Instructor

• Feb 26, 2011

• #14

i believe positioning harness goes under the seat belt
but my strong sugestion is to make an appointment with a special needs technician in your area who can help you

http://www.preventinjury.org/SNTtrainedPpl.asp

select your area and it will give you a list

 

L

lovemysalr

New member

• Feb 26, 2011

• #15

Here is the response I got to my question regarding the harness/seat belt order:

"Thank you for your inquiry. In the future, please feel free to contact either me or anyone at ExoMotion, we are the US distributor for ThomasHilfen products (the Recaro Monza is a special needs adaptation which ThomasHilfen provides). When placing your child in the Recaro Monza, please buckle the built in five point positioning harness first then route the car’s three point safety belt over the positioning harness.

Please let me know if you have additional questions, we are here to help."

When I get an answer re: chest clip I will post that also.

 

V

vamom

New member

• Feb 27, 2011

• #16

I have been looking at this seat, the snugseat pilot, and the columbia 2400 which is a 5pt harness seat. Snugseat came to my house with a sales rep for a fitting. The columbia rep is coming next. Not much help from teh recaro distributor and no help from merritt. The slipping of the strap is what I was concerned about with the positioning harnesses.

Thanks for the pics. I was really looking for something like this. I posted pics in my thread on special needs seats of the snugseat pilot. My kid is 52.75" 64 # and 8.

 

L

lovemysalr

New member

• Feb 27, 2011

• #17

vamom said:

I have been looking at this seat, the snugseat pilot, and the columbia 2400 which is a 5pt harness seat. Snugseat came to my house with a sales rep for a fitting. The columbia rep is coming next. Not much help from teh recaro distributor and no help from merritt. The slipping of the strap is what I was concerned about with the positioning harnesses.

Thanks for the pics. I was really looking for something like this. I posted pics in my thread on special needs seats of the snugseat pilot. My kid is 52.75" 64 # and 8.

Click to expand...

She has been very comfortable in this seat and really likes it....except when the strap slips off her shoulder. It is very plush and very cushioned. She really enjoys the speakers in the head rest also. It is smaller than I anticipated and i'm not sure it will last us to max weight. Our Monza was the very first one ordered by our DME so it has been a learning process for us.

For the time being I have made the parental decision to add a chest clip. We purchased the SK ones. Since it is going on the positioning straps, and not interfering with the seat belt restraint, I am comfortable with this choice.