car seat for child in leg casts

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FL Rita

New member

• Apr 20, 2013

• #1

Hi we are in the process of adopting a little girl with Bilateral Club feet. She'll be 5 years old when we adopt her. Part of the treatment for BCF is toe to torso or toe to groin casts. (with a bend at the knees) she's super tiny, only 30" tall and 32lbs. so what kind of car seat would be best for a child that will spend a year or more in casts and then in leg braces? I know she'll have to be in a 5 pt as she's so small.

another parent of a BCF child said there was some kind called Ronadin?? that allowed the kids to hang their legs over the side? not sure what she meant by that.

thanks so much for any help or advice you can give.

Rita

 

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DaniannieB

Ambassador - CPS Technician

• Apr 20, 2013

• #2

Perhaps your friend was referring to the Diono Radian... It isn't a special needs seat, but sides are low, which allows many kids in spica casts or similar to still fit in the seat. It has a decent harness height, so it should fit her for quite a while (depending on her casts she technically could probably fit RF in the seat, too).

 

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FL Rita

New member

• Apr 21, 2013

• #3

thanks for the info. that must have been the seat she mentioned. so is that what i should be looking for? a carseat with a low profile? and sorry i'm just learning here but what is RF (as in sit RF in the seat?)

how can i find out other carseat brands and models that would have the lowest profile?

many thanks!!!!

Rita

 

Judi

CPST/Firefighter

• Apr 21, 2013

• #4

Low sides are good. Also, putting soft fluffy stuff on the floor, to take the pressure off.

 

T4K

Well-known member

• Apr 21, 2013

• #5

The Recaro ProSport is also low profile and will last longer than a radian. My little girl only had one foot to thigh cast and liked that seat very much. Easy to load her in and out of.



My daughter is about 28 pounds and I think on the first setting of the ProSport, so a long lasting seat. She is back to rearfacing now.

 

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FL Rita

New member

• Apr 21, 2013

• #6

I just found this car seat when i googled special needs casts

Hippo Special Needs Car Seat by Snug Seat

it's kinda pricey at $450 vs. $300 for the Recaro Pro Sport. has anyone used one of these? are they worth the extra money? they said total casted weight is 65 lbs, which is not very much.

thank you!
Rita

 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician

• Apr 21, 2013

• #7

FL Rita said:

I just found this car seat when i googled special needs casts

Hippo Special Needs Car Seat by Snug Seat

it's kinda pricey at $450 vs. $300 for the Recaro Pro Sport. has anyone used one of these? are they worth the extra money? they said total casted weight is 65 lbs, which is not very much.

thank you!
Rita

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The weight of her casts will be 33 lbs? My gosh, I had no idea they were that heavy!

If that's accurate, keep in mind that the ProSport doesn't allow tethering past 52 (53?) pounds.

The Hippo would likely work, but it's much more expensive than a Radian, which would likely serve the same purpose. Usually it's best to try conventional seats first, as they often do the job more inexpensively than a special needs seat.

Have you asked your hospital if they have any special needs seats available? Sometimes they have things like the Hippo available to loan out.

 

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FL Rita

New member

• Apr 21, 2013

• #8

great idea about the loaner! and i was wondering if i should start with a Britax like we used for my other kids. I might just do that.

and what i meant to say is total weigh (the weight of the child and the casts) cant' exceed 65 lbs, not that the casts were 65 lbs' yikes that would be awful!!!

Rita

 

BrookysMommy

New member

• Apr 22, 2013

• #9

RF means rear-facing. FF is forward-facing. Sometimes us car-seat geeks forget that not everyone knows the abbriviations (I know I do!)

 

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cheerbop

New member

• Apr 22, 2013

• #10

My situation was a little different but....

My suggestion is to see if the Hospital will loan you one. My almost 4 year old broke his leg severely and was in a Spica Cast for 5 weeks. His cast did not have bends in his knees and went up above his waist.
They tried him in a Hippo seat, but he couldn't bend enough to sit. He ended up with a strappy vest to wear and buckle into the backseat of our van. I hated having him lay there like that every time we went anywhere.

Anyway, the Hippo seat would have been free for our use during the time he had on the cast.

 

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FL Rita

New member

• Apr 24, 2013

• #11

I won't be able to get a loaner car seat, as we'll be taking my daughter to the Shriners Hospital in St Louis, (we live in Florida) so i'll have to buy one. Eliminating the Hippo because of costs, of the two other ones suggested Radian and the Britax Pro Sport, which is the better choice? She has muscle strength, so i don't need to worry about something that will keep her upright. She will be in the casts for a while and then in leg braces for even a longer while (thinking years ) so i need something that will grow with her (she's currently 30 lbs) but will also allow her to sit comfortably in the car.

maybe off topic, but we'll have to fly to St Louis WEEKLY while she's being treated. i never used a car seat on a flight with my two kids, do i need to worry about that with a SN child?

many thanks!

Rita

 

T4K

Well-known member

• Apr 24, 2013

• #12

If flying weekly, I'd buy a travel seat and an everyday seat if your budget allows. I use a Diono Radian on a luggage cart through the airport.

ETA: The Evenflo Maestro is really light and would make a great travel seat. The ProSport is much bigger and wouldn't be as nice to travel with.

 

Last edited: Apr 24, 2013

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FL Rita

New member

• Apr 24, 2013

• #13

thanks for the info. i like the idea of having something i can cart around so i don't have to rent a wheelchair for the airport runs : ( so a smaller lightweight one will work great.

I found a really cute (cause that's what matters right?) Radian on sale at TRU. is it considered a better, safer carseat than the Recaro? It will stay in my SUV, so i don't have to worry about lugging it about. and we have to buy two car seats (my car, hubby's car) so the fact that this is on sale is nice)

I'd love to hear your thoughts on these.

Rita

 

T4K

Well-known member

• Apr 24, 2013

• #14

FL Rita said:

thanks for the info. i like the idea of having something i can cart around so i don't have to rent a wheelchair for the airport runs : ( so a smaller lightweight one will work great.

I found a really cute (cause that's what matters right?) Radian on sale at TRU. is it considered a better, safer carseat than the Recaro? It will stay in my SUV, so i don't have to worry about lugging it about. and we have to buy two car seats (my car, hubby's car) so the fact that this is on sale is nice)

I'd love to hear your thoughts on these.

Rita

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They both pass the same safety tests so its really a matter of personal preference. I have both and like them for different reasons. The Radian is narrow and can fit in small places well (like an airplane seat). The Recaro ProSport has a ton of side impact protection which I like. It's also longer lasting by height. Neither seat is lightweight or budget friendly.

ETA: have you thought about a nice stroller? I don't know what her casts will be like but at 30 lbs, she can probably be comfy in a stroller.

 

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FL Rita

New member

• Apr 24, 2013

• #15

her casts won't be 30 lbs. that was a misunderstanding earlier in the posts. thank god huh?!!! no they are a few pounds at most. I was told to look into a jogging stroller that that would work well. anything that doesn't have the center bar. that's next on my shopping list! lots to buy for this special little one!

thanks for the advice on the two car seats. i think i'll grab the radian now (since it's cute AND on sale)

Rita