What is the age that the skeletal system is mature?

What is the age that the bones are considered mature? KWIM?

With Elliots constitutional growth delay I am making sure to keep him RF (as I would anyway) as long as possible since his body age is younger than his actual age. More info at link for those interested. All that I have found is that they are considered to be the closest in age to the age that they fall at the 50th% for weight/length. Well, we all know that kids come in many different sizes for age, so that really isn't a good way to determine. I plan to ask his Dr to order the wrist xray which will give us his actual body age. Elliot isn't even on the charts at all but has gotten closer to the 5th%. Just trying to figure out what 'bone age' to aim for to keep him RF

http://www.magicfoundation.org/www/docs/10.1066
 
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safeinthecar

Moderator - CPS Technician
I think the wrist dray will give you the most info about his bone age, but from a carseat standpoint I'd just keep him rfing until it is impossible. His growth bone maturity may not progress at a a predictable rate. He may be 3 years behind at age 4, 2 yeats behind at 4.5, and 4 years behind at age 5.5 for example, if he grows in spurts. I wouldn't want to just keep exposing him to repeated xrays when there is a fairly easy way to just give him his best chance either way.
 
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He'd only have the one xray unless his Dr ordered another. It is common for kids with this to have this xray done. It'd be nice to gauge his growth. He doesn't have any growth spurts just slow and steady unless he drops %tiles.

I thought there was something about 6yrs old though, maybe it related to moving to boosters though.
 

Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician
I think what you're looking for is the statistic repeated around here that the spinal column ossifies between 4 & 6 (I've also read 3 & 6.) I don't have a source, though, just what I've read here on the boards.

ETA: I do agree with Kimberly, I would RF him until you can't anymore. I am very conservative in my turning kids FFing, though -- usually okay with age 4 but my nanny charge is still RF at 5 because I have similar questions, albeit due to a different condition.
 

Dorothy

New member
Carrie_R said:
I think what you're looking for is the statistic repeated around here that the spinal column ossifies between 4 & 6 (I've also read 3 & 6.) I don't have a source, though, just what I've read here on the boards.

I was just posting this quote:
Carrie_R said:
From a scientific standpoint, we know that ossification begins at 1 year of age and finishes between ages 4 & 6. That's why 1 was established as the legal minimum for FFing... and why most on the board consider it the "gold standard." My personal feeling is that if your child is petite enough to remain RF and there's no compelling reason to turn them (ie, they aren't in discomfort, there's no carsickness, you're not contorting into a pretzel to squeeze them into odd locations in the vehicle) then they may as well stay RF...

from this thread: http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=217045

;-)

Sent from my phone using the app :)
 
Yes, that is it Carrie! Thanks!

I would be ERF him as long as possible (can't we just say ALAP? lol) anyway even if he didn't have this disorder. I am so nervous to turn him if he is 5 but only has a bone age of 2 for example, and we have run out of RF options.

I know that's a few years out, but I'm a planner and like to do research and know what I'm dealing with as far as his bone age.

If I used the 50th % advice, he is in the 50th% for the weight of a 14mo, and height of a 18mo. He is 33mo.
 

jnamommy

New member
I would wait until you get his bone age and go from there. But like a pp, I have also read on here that the spine ossifies between 3/4 and 6.
 
Great, thanks for the quote!

I kept my 10yo dd ERF way back before it was 'cool' lol. You should have seen the looks I'd get. It was just common sense to me. She had an AOE (which she lasted in until 4yo! The old style with short top slots) and since she could RF past the 22lb FF minimum I did. It didn't make sense to me to flip her. She was a petite little thing too. We had 2 accidents, one 2 days before she turned 2 (replaced seat) then another just several weeks later.

Here's a link to an album I made for my daycare clients about ERF:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.257933044299664.57967.100739846685652&type=3
 

jubgulia

Active member
What about OI? DS3 has type 4, a matter of improperly formed collagen, so even if he had a normal bone density he could still break. Then how do I know when his skeleton is mature enough? He gets infusions every 8 weeks to increase his bone density and hasn't broken in over a year. He's <5% for height and weight and 98% for head size. I'm really considering the Foonf for the 40% force reduction thing for FF. Is that really going to make a difference for him or will the Foonf be overkill/unnecessary because of his size? Thoughts?
 

mommaon112903

New member
My son has a 2yr bone age growth delay but when we finally figured that out (ped wasn't concerned and our GI is the one whom ordered the x-ray) he was already too long thru the torso for any RFing seat on the U.S. market. In the past year he has grown an amazing :p 1/2". We will not have another x-ray either and I wish we could to see where he stands now. I wish he could RF again but I tell myself that even though his bone age is 2yrs delayed, that makes his bones approx 6yrs old and his spine should be fused by now.
 

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