Help with an Autistic child outgrowning the radian

Stats:

9 years old
65 lbs
54" tall

Shoulders are 1.5" over the top slot.

Car: 1998 Dodge Neon. 3 across radians. No extra space.

Child is not ready for a booster. I am thinking an Ez On vest.

http://www.ezonpro.com/products/familyVehicle/adjustableVest/203.shtml

Ideas please!

I vest is probably the best option.

Do they have vehicle head support? If not, they may need to get the 86Y and a compatible booster.

If they do have adequate vehicle head support, they could go w/ the 103Z or similar (the one you linked to maxes out at 65#, so that wouldn't work for him).

Either way, they're going to need a heavy duty top tether anchor installed as well.


Another possibility would be one of the SN boosters with a positioning harness.

Shoot, I didn't check weight limits! Trying to stay away from booster stuff do the the lack of space. The vehicle does not have head rests. Even in the radian, he is below the top of the vehicle seat.

Gabe can work on HDTA, so that is not an issue

I did think of boosters with harness, but the Churchill will be too wide. I played with it before it hit the market. Do they still make the Start with harness? I think that would fit.

I always worry about SN seats that require special equipment. If the vehicle breaks down or someone else needs to transport the child, they're SOL.

My friend has that problem now. When the lift modified van is in the shop, she looses the little independence she has because her power chair is not an option. Not to mention that fact that she's almost 13 and not getting any easier to transfer.

In a Neon, I think the vest would be the best option. There isn't much room in that back seat.

Even the vest will need special stuff. I don't like that either. I told mom that yesterday.

I'm not sure about the Ez-on, but the RSTV has a dual tether you can get for heavier kids... so that may be a possibility for other cars (as you could just tether to two TAs in a newer vehicle).

Hi Judi,

Judi said:

Even the vest will need special stuff. I don't like that.

Click to expand...

Judi said:

Stats:

65 lbs...

...3 across radians. No extra space.

Click to expand...

We use the E-Z-On Vest (203 & 103Z models) and are very happy with them. From reading the original post, you might not need any special equipment to install and use the vest.

I make the assumption that as you have three Radians situated in a three across, you also have three tethers available (my apologies if this is not the case!).

The heavy duty tether anchor, which is usually required for the use of most E-Z-On products, does not need to be installed until the weight of the occupant exceeds that to which the vehicle factory installed tether anchor is rated. For example, if the vehicle factory installed tether anchor is rated to 80lbs, then a heavy duty anchor is only required for occupants 81lbs and above. As the child in question is only 65 lbs, if the current factory installed anchor is rated to 80lbs (I recall some are not), then the E-Z-On Vest could be used with the current factory installed anchor until the child exceeds 80lbs.

If this is possible, then you will need to order the vest with the tether mount rather than the floor mount. That way the child will be secured through use of the lap-shoulder/lap belt and E-Z-On tether mount.

The tether mount can be seen here: E-Z-On Tether Mount

Should you decide to go with the vest and the child reaches a weight at which the E-Z-On Heavy Duty Tether Anchors are required, then installing the anchors is not a difficult job. When I installed them in our family car, I recorded the process which I then posted in this thread.

I hope this helps. If you have any questions about the vests please let me know and I’ll do my best to help with any questions.

Good luck with finding a solution.

Gary.

He is over the tether limit already. Tethers still need to be installed. I am working with mom to get tethers installed for the younger two, and the HDTA will be put in by my husband. He has done a few for families.

If you can't get the vest to work, is it possible to move one of the children to the front? Obviously, not an ideal situation, but if he's out of the RN and a vest ends up not working, I'm not sure what other options there are in that vehicle.

I could see how a vest might work really well for some SN children and not.well.at.all for others, KWIM?