What is the norm for a child to be turned FF in the US?

A

~April~

Guest

• Jun 11, 2013

• #1

I am writing a persuasive speech and I have been trying to find this info, but I am not have any luck. I am hoping that someone on here can help. On average what age does babies in the US get turned around? I can leave this bit out, but the speech would be more powerful if I had this information in there.

I know the recommendations, and I practice ERFing myself. My 6 year old was RF until she was 3 and my 2.5 year old is still RFing.

Thanks!

 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician

• Jun 12, 2013

• #2

I'm not sure there's exact data, but I imagine most are turned on their first birthday.

 

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EmmaGrace'sMom

New member

• Jun 12, 2013

• #3

I would say 10 years ago it was 10 months, before higher weight limits...and because they were "close enough" to a year. Now, it's probably in the 12-14 month range because 12 months was drilled for so long, and people are gradually getting on the ERF wagon.

 

Baylor

New member

• Jun 12, 2013

• #4

Im not sure. At one point I would have said 1 year because that was what was drummed into us for years, But I have a neighbor across the street rfing her 15 month old and my neighbor to the left has her 18 month old dd rfing in a Marathon... So I don't know anymore..

I still see the occasional early ffer but as a rule I am seeing more and more erf, ( over a year)

 

bree

Car-Seat.Org Ambassador

• Jun 12, 2013

• #5

A couple of years ago, there was a poll conducted by the The University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health. I remembered starting a thread about it (http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=192271). You may be able to use the info in the thread to find the source article, and see if it's been updated since then or if the results of that poll could be helpful to you. You could also look into the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, because they do a lot of research into child safety.

 

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hgpswimmer4

New member

• Aug 8, 2013

• #6

I think it's definitely between 12 and 18 months. The lady who works at my fave coffee shop in town has her son who will be 2 in Sept. he is still RFing. The oldest RF-er I've seen in person was 2 years. I've never seen a 3 or 4yo rear-facing in person.

 

Phineasmama

New member

• Aug 8, 2013

• #7

All the people I'm friends with on facebook from high school (small, midwestern town, very limited education opportunities, nothing to do, etc) turn their kids forward facing on their first birthday at the latest. Usually I see them in boosters around 3-4 years old too.

 

C

carseatmama007

New member

• Aug 8, 2013

• #8

In my group of friends/family/etc, it's usually somewhere around 10-18 months. People that RF to 18 months are considered the "overprotective" ones. Imagine how they all felt when they saw my daughter RFing at 4.5 yo

 

Ali

New member

• Aug 8, 2013

• #9

Most people I know turn their child FF around their 1st birthday. A few that I had convinced to RF until DC met the RF limits turned their child at 2 because of the new APA recommendations! :doh:

My DD RF until she was 3 1/2.

I try very hard to call it RF to the limits of the seat and NOT extended RF because I have found some people interpret "extended" as strange or abnormal.

 

VoodooChile

New member

• Aug 8, 2013

• #10

At the seat check my moms club worked this spring, I only saw one 1-year old leave ff.

 

tiggercat

New member

• Aug 8, 2013

• #11

I think it depends on what demographic you are looking at.
If I look at my close friends (many of whom I've brought over to the dark side to becoming CRST's), most rearface to around 2-3 years old.
If I look at acquaintances and colleagues, I'd say most turn around 12m.
If I look at parents attending carseat clinics, many parents come to clinics for help flipping their children around 12-15m, and leave still rearfacing after some education.

Sent from my iPod touch using Car-Seat.Org

 

Kac

Ambassador - CPS Technician

• Aug 8, 2013

• #12

I find it to be anywhere between 12 and 24 months. I'm always thrilled to see 2yos RFing!

 

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YinzerMama

New member

• Aug 9, 2013

• #13

I feel like most of the people I know irl seem to change at a year or a little later.

 

tam_shops

New member

• Aug 9, 2013

• #14

Kac said:

I find it to be anywhere between 12 and 24 months. I'm always thrilled to see 2yos RFing!

Click to expand...

I think it's got to be more like this b/c while *most* people may still turn at around a year, *some* people turn at 18mth when they outgrow those bigger 30# buckets and a *few* people turn at 2yo+ and a very select few people turn at 2yo+++.

So, if you are after an *average*, you've got to include those longer ones (and probably few <1yo) into the mathematical mix...

Best of luck! It's a great question, wonder if BBC has done a poll that you could use a little more officially?

tam

 

Last edited: Aug 9, 2013

S

Stelvis

New member

• Aug 9, 2013

• #15

I'm noticing on my FB feed that over the past year or two there are many, many more RF one year olds than there were 4 years ago.

 

katymyers

Active member

• Aug 9, 2013

• #16

I see more parents waiting instead of just automatically doing it on their child's first birthday. I think the new AAP guidelines helped but I really think bigger infant seats with higher weight and height limits have helped even more, most people I meet don't even realize you can use a convertible rear facing and I think most people in my area forward face when the infant seat is outgrown.