DD2 chews on the adjuster strap

purplemama

New member
DD2 (29 months) chews on the snap on the end of the adjuster strap of the Recaro Proride she rides in. I have no clue what to do about it. If I cut off the end it will fray apart as she continues to chew on it. I don't want the snap coming off and her swallowing it. And if I remove the snap there will be a hole that will also fray apart as she continues to chew on it.
She is delayed so trying to tell/teach her not to isn't working. I snap it and tuck it out of sight every trip and she still gets it. And yes the harness is tight on her.
She has things to chew on (chewy tube, baby spoon) but she wants that adjuster strap.
I tried to put her in DD1's seat but then they both throw a huge screaming fit because DD1 wants "her" seat and DD2 wants to chew on her snap on the end of the adjuster strap.
I'm seriously considering selling the Proride and getting a different seat!!
 
ADS

aept

New member
Ugh, how frustrating! Do you need to be able to adjust the harness on a regular basis or do you usually leave it be? (I tend to get the harness set and then leave it.)
 

purplemama

New member
Ugh, how frustrating! Do you need to be able to adjust the harness on a regular basis or do you usually leave it be? (I tend to get the harness set and then leave it.)

I usually leave it be. I'm going to see if I can hide it under the cover but I bet she still gets it. The headwings are becoming an issue also, she pulls on them when throwing a fit.
 

1mommy

New member
Note : Not a Tech- but have you considered a bitter apple spray or nail polish (only on the very end where she chews) I know you're not supposed to put anything on teh straps as to not weaken them, but a little spray on the end I wouldnt think would hurt the intergity for the rest of the strap. If your comfortable with that I would try that before selling the seat- what if she does the same thing on the next seat?

Also if you can find a free or cheap seat on craigslist and cut off a peice of harness and after washing it, let her chew on that?
 

purplemama

New member
Note : Not a Tech- but have you considered a bitter apple spray or nail polish (only on the very end where she chews) I know you're not supposed to put anything on teh straps as to not weaken them, but a little spray on the end I wouldnt think would hurt the intergity for the rest of the strap. If your comfortable with that I would try that before selling the seat- what if she does the same thing on the next seat?

Also if you can find a free or cheap seat on craigslist and cut off a peice of harness and after washing it, let her chew on that?

I don't know if that would work, she eats all kinds of weird stuff that's gross. Taking her outside to play is real fun, she tries to eat everything.

It's mostly the snap on the end of the strap I'm concerned about, if it was just the end of a strap I'd be okay with that. Recaro's have a snap at the end of the strap so you can snap it into a loop.
 

aept

New member
I was going to suggest installing the seat on top of the strap (if it reaches down that far to be "trapped" under the seat.)
Or maybe using a safety pin to attach the end of the strap to something down low in the car so she can't get at it?
I realize these aren't "proper use" and would be a parental decision but are ideas I might try myself.
 

1mommy

New member
Hmm yea, re-reading your post more carefully I see your also concerend about a choking hazzard :(

Is their anything that you can use to distract her in the car like a favorite stuffed animal you can convince her she has to hold with 2 hands the entire ride?

Or mittens on her hands? LOL. If you put big bulky mittens on her I would think she couldnt get the strap especially if it was tucked away- but oh at 29 months she could probably get them off...

Ok thinking outloud here- I havent used an FF seats personally yet so I'm not 100% sure on my assumptions. But the front of the seat is on flush down on the seat, could you lift it up just enough to tuck the strap underneath the seat, then I would think the bump of the snap would keep it from being able to be pulled out but you could still tighten and loosen the harness? Especially with the weight of the child in the seat?
 

henrietta

Well-known member
My 10 month old does this, too, in her rear facing Cocorro. It also has a snap. It hadn't yet occurred to me she could get the snap off and choke! But I'm sure with enough time (and more teeth!), she could.

I've been tucking it out of her way, where she can't reach.

What about getting an old strap--I'm sure someone here would send you an old harness or adjuster strap--and letting her have that one instead and tucking the one she's chewing under the seat. If you're really savvy, you could attach it to something else that keeps it in her reach and view AND attach something else to it that she could chew as well. ;) She probably likes that it's easily available all the time, every ride, and she likes the texture.

I personally wouldn't have a problem w/the safety pin idea or something along those lines. Yes, it could weaken that end of the strap, but it's past the point of where it goes into the seat and it used. And the button that's on it has already done that in a way, too. And it's approved. I couldn't tell you to do that, and I wouldn't. But if I personally couldn't find another solution, I would give that a try.
 

leighi123

Active member
Can the snap be pried off and removed so it won't be a hazard?

Ds chews his strap too (and he is 7, he shouldn't be but he chews everything still). I stuff it up under the cover so he is sitting on it when buckled, he can still get it, but at least its harder to do.
 

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