Question Which height limit/rule do you use?

Which height rule do you use?

  • 1 inch rule (head one in from the top of the shell for RF) or available harness height is left

    Votes: 9 32.1%
  • Exact height limit specified for the seat RF or FF, even if there is harness/head room left

    Votes: 5 17.9%
  • It depends on the seat.

    Votes: 14 50.0%

  • Total voters
    28

P1ally

New member
Which height limit or rule do you go by? The 1 inch rule or specific height limit? (Like the 36in height limit in the CCO) Poll to follow.
 
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canadiangie

New member
Numerical.

There are so many seat choices these days that I can't think of a reason why I'd have to exceed a rf height limit.

Five years ago it was a very different story up here, and to keep kids rf past the bare mins (or close to) we focused more on the 1 inch rule.
 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician
I go by the limit stated in the manual unless a company's CPST rep has provided (in writing) permission to use a different limit.
 

P1ally

New member
Ok 2 scenarios.

1. 2yo in a CCO. (Height limit is 36" I believe) She's 36 inches tall, 23lbs, and still has 4 inches above her head. She's all legs. (If these proportions are insane, forgive me, haven't had a 2yo in forever). Wwyd? New seat?

2. 6yo, 45lbs, 53 inches in a nautilus, using the harness. (Height limit for the harness is 52in). Still has one full harness slot left. Is it outgrown or not?
 

Brigala

CPST Instructor
I voted for the stated height limit, however I'm not a real stickler. If I have a 36" kid with 4 inches above her head in a Coccoro, I would consider that "at" the limit and not "above" the limit. I'm not going to measure her every day, but I'm going to move her to a different seat as soon as I know for sure that she's above 36". And depending on the age of the child, if I didn't have another seat available I might consider making a different choice, weighing the real risks of forward facing too young vs. the theoretical risks of ignoring a standing height limit when there's plenty of "room" for rear facing in the seat.
 

April

Well-known member
I voted for the stated height limit, however I'm not a real stickler. If I have a 36" kid with 4 inches above her head in a Coccoro, I would consider that "at" the limit and not "above" the limit. I'm not going to measure her every day, but I'm going to move her to a different seat as soon as I know for sure that she's above 36". And depending on the age of the child, if I didn't have another seat available I might consider making a different choice, weighing the real risks of forward facing too young vs. the theoretical risks of ignoring a standing height limit when there's plenty of "room" for rear facing in the seat.

Exactly this, although I voted depends on the seat. For me it also depends on if we are talking about my choices for my own kids vs what I would tell someone as a tech.
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Brianna

New member
Stated height limit for RF, shoulders below harness for FF and good belt fit for booster. I've read discussions on stated height limits for RF, but I can't think of a good reason to follow them for FF.
 

tiggercat

New member
I follow manufacturer's directions. So for a Radian, I will turn my son at 44in, or 1.5in from top, whichever comes first.

I used to be ok exceeding them, but now that manufacturers seem to be strictly enforcing them, and there are a variety of options for taller kids, I can't see a reason to go against the manufacturer's directions.

However, I rarely measure my own kids heights, and I am not concerned about slightly exceeding them.

If a parent comes into a clinic with a child over the numerical limit but under the 1in rule, I educate and they make the choice. For example, I've had 34in kids come in in RF old style marathons (32in limit). I am cool with a parent chosing to exceed that limit, kwim?

For forward facing seats, I typically go by shoulders/ears because my kids are long torsoed and will never hit a standing height limit first.

For boosters, I go by belt fit.

Sent from my iPod touch using Car-Seat.Org
 

tiggercat

New member
Ok 2 scenarios.

1. 2yo in a CCO. (Height limit is 36" I believe) She's 36 inches tall, 23lbs, and still has 4 inches above her head. She's all legs. (If these proportions are insane, forgive me, haven't had a 2yo in forever). Wwyd? New seat?

2. 6yo, 45lbs, 53 inches in a nautilus, using the harness. (Height limit for the harness is 52in). Still has one full harness slot left. Is it outgrown or not?

That would be one ridiculously short torsoed kid in the Nauti, no? My 7yo is 52in and her shoulders are quite a bit above the THS of a Frontier.

Sent from my iPod touch using Car-Seat.Org
 

Genevieve

CPST Instructor
That would be one ridiculously short torsoed kid in the Nauti, no? My 7yo is 52in and her shoulders are quite a bit above the THS of a Frontier.

Sent from my iPod touch using Car-Seat.Org

My 6y/o is 45lbs and still has one harness slot to go in the nauti (he's on the third from the bottom). He's no where near 52". And his torso is shorter than average.
 

christineka

New member
That would be one ridiculously short torsoed kid in the Nauti, no? My 7yo is 52in and her shoulders are quite a bit above the THS of a Frontier.

My son is 10 and around 55 inches tall. He fits height-wise in the Headwise, so he should fit in the nautilus as well. He also outgrew the cosco hbb harness by weight with .5 inch to go in harness height.
 

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