Kind of a dumb question

JMacSanDiego

New member

• Apr 9, 2011

• #1

I was wondering why it's important to turn the carseat forward facing once the child's head is almost as high as the carseat's shell. My son is in the SK Radian XTSL and he still has another 4 or 5 inches before his head reaches the top of the seat's shell. As much as I want him to rearface until he hits the 45 pound limit, he may be too tall to do that. He weighs about 33 pounds and is 37 inches tall. He's growing more in height than in weight. Anyhow I was just wondering why that it's important (or safer). Thanks.

 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor

Staff member

• Apr 9, 2011

• #2

Because everything moves toward the point of impact. Assuming a frontal impact, he'll ramp up the seat. If his head is too high then when his head goes up it'll go up and over the seat and he'll get whiplash on the initial impact. For a child with an immature and possibly not yet fully ossified skeleton that could be very very bad. Adults who get whiplash get it on the rebound, not the initial impact, and we have full formed and strengthened skeletons.

Wendy

 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician

• Apr 9, 2011

• #3

Very important.

In a crash, the car seat will likely rotate forward and/or downward toward the front of the car. The taller and heavier the kid, the farther it's likely to rotate. That causes kids to ramp up in the seat, hence why there needs to be some "buffer zone." The less room there is, the greater the chance that a kid's head will contact something in the car, which is never a good thing.

 

tarynsmum

Senior Community Member

• Apr 10, 2011

• #4

:yeahthat: very important.

Honestly, the weight change from 40 to 45 lbs didn't sway me very much in purchasing (if I had heavier kids, then yeah). I love that the weight limit is higher for other families, but I knew going in that I would never use it on my XTSL. My DD was the same weight as your DS at that age (she officially turned FF at 40months; we had older Radians at the time and the retro-weight up hadn't come down yet). Two full years later, she weighs... two lbs more. Sh would technically still fit in the XT both by height and weight (though DS is riding in it) and would for at least a year or more.

What I'm trying (ramblingly) to say is that DD would probably not outgrow the Radian RF until around 6 or possibly 7 (depending on how much she grows torso wise) given the height and weight limits. DS will mostly follow the same growth pattern.

 

JMacSanDiego

New member

• Apr 11, 2011

• #5

Ok, thanks. So I should turn him forward facing when his head is about an inch from the top of the shell? Is that right?

 

SignCuer

New member

• Apr 11, 2011

• #6

yes he outgrow RF when their heads are 1 inch from the top of the shell... FF is when their top of ears touches the top of shell or weight.

 

JMacSanDiego

New member

• Apr 11, 2011

• #7

I think he's going to start FF before he hits 45 pounds, with the rate he's growing at. However I will still be nervous to turn him FF.

 

Last edited: Apr 15, 2011

M

mumof2

New member

• Apr 11, 2011

• #8

JMacSanDiego said:

I think he's going to start FF before he hits 45 pounds, with the rate he's growing at. However I will still be nervous to turn him FF. I hope his little neck is strong by then.

Click to expand...

your son (looking at your ticker) is about the same age as my DD..she is currently 37lbs and I don think she wil get to 45lbs either before I have to FF.

remember most children wont get to the maximum weight of a carseat RF the idea (at least this is my understanding) of having the high weights is so that parents are not turning their child too soon.ie before 2 years. the average child might outgrow a radian by height when they hit say 35-40lbs so your average 3-4 year old?

and yeah I too am not looking forward to having to turn my girl FF either

 

scariestone

New member

• Apr 11, 2011

• #9

You've got plenty of time. My DS is 44" tall and still has several inches above his head in the radian and his torso isn't exactly short. He's one of those rare kids that weights out of seats as he's about 44lbs now, of pure muscle. If you wanted to stay RF until 5 or so I don't think you's have a problem doing so.

 

JMacSanDiego

New member

• Apr 11, 2011

• #10

Thank you all. This picture was taken today, and this is how far his head is from the top of the shell:

 

Last edited: Apr 15, 2011

JMacSanDiego

New member

• Apr 16, 2011

• #11

So I guess he has a few more inches or so. Maybe?

 

Judi

CPST/Firefighter

• Apr 16, 2011

• #12

You have lots of time still.

 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor

Staff member

• Apr 16, 2011

• #13

I'd guess between six months and a year.

Wendy

 

A

armywife12

New member

• Apr 16, 2011

• #14

I'd say at least a yr if not longer. His chest clip looks really high in the picture.

 

JMacSanDiego

New member

• Apr 17, 2011

• #15

armywife12 said:

I'd say at least a yr if not longer. His chest clip looks really high in the picture.

Click to expand...

Yeah he pushes it up sometimes, and then I'll lower it. He can't keep his hands off of anything.

 

M

mumof2

New member

• Apr 17, 2011

• #16

he looks to have more room than my girl (who is a week younger) I am hoping we will make it to 4

 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob

Staff member

• Apr 17, 2011

• #17

At his age it's quite possible he'll have a growth spurt or two but still slow down dramatically from, say, how he grew last year. I'd bet on at least a year, I think you'll make it to 4 for sure. Most probably much further, 4 1/2 or 5 if you want to.

 

JMacSanDiego

New member

• Apr 18, 2011

• #18

ketchupqueen said:

At his age it's quite possible he'll have a growth spurt or two but still slow down dramatically from, say, how he grew last year. I'd bet on at least a year, I think you'll make it to 4 for sure. Most probably much further, 4 1/2 or 5 if you want to.

Click to expand...

Yeah that's possible. He was born two months premature, so he was officially three years old back in January (even though he was born on November 16th). I should have his age on the ticker at a younger age, silly me.