EZon harness with a HBB? (moved to Child Restraints for Special Needs)

superdupermama

New member
My 8 year old twins are about to outgrow their 5pt harness seats, but aren't yet ready to be out of a harness. They aren't able to pass the safety requirements for a booster since they are both on the autism spectrum. One of them will lean and wiggle, and the other requires a full harness to feel safe and not have an anxiety reaction. We have no issues at all with them unclipping themselves.
I want to purchase EZon model 203, but would like to use it with a high back booster so they still have the side impact protection and can see out the window, and I think it will also help them stay in proper position. I like the Clek Oobr since it's less toxic than most seats, but don't have a local place for the kids to test sit and see if it's comfortable for them. I also don't know if the Oobr would be compatible with the EZon.
I was hoping that someone here has had experience with a combination like this, or something similar and can give me some advice.
Thanks!
 
ADS

Dillipop

Well-known member
What 5 point harness seats are they growing out of? Depending on the seat, there may be another one out there that will give you a couple more years or possibly getting a prescription fr a special needs seat.

I don't know if any boosters approve using the ez-on vest. However, I do know that the clek oobr is not really that tall as a booster. I'd suggest researching if the Diono boosters or britax booster allow use with the harness .
 

superdupermama

New member
Re: EZon harness with a HBB? (moved to Child Restrains for Special Needs)

Thanks for moving this to the special needs section :)

What 5 point harness seats are they growing out of? Depending on the seat, there may be another one out there that will give you a couple more years or possibly getting a prescription fr a special needs seat.

They are currently in Graco Nautilus seats. I am able to get a script for special needs seats, but since the kids don't have any physical issues it seems like overkill. My son isn't ready at this point to sit properly in a belt positioning booster on it's own, but I'm guessing that within the next two years or so, he should be. It seems more appropriate to get a vest type harness than a full car seat. I suppose I could just use the harness and skip the booster, but I'd really like the side impact protection.
If I can get her past the need to have a tight harness, my daughter would probably be able to pass the 5 step test now and just continue to use the Nautilus as a BPB. That will take some time though, since at this point she's terrified to try.
I saw that there was a booster that was approved with the EZon vest, but that was in a post from 2008. The recommended booster is no longer available.
I feel like I'm looking for a magical unicorn.
 
Last edited:

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
Re: EZon harness with a HBB? (moved to Child Restrains for Special Needs)

The Frontier 90 would give you about two inches growth room, usually two to four years growth at this age, and makes a booster later too... The ez-on 86-y is not technically approved of by most boosters and at certain weights requires addition of the heavy duty tether anchor it comes with, so when there is an option with integrated harness that can be used in other vehicles without modification, I'd tend to recommend that first.
 

safeinthecar

Moderator - CPS Technician
Re: EZon harness with a HBB? (moved to Child Restrains for Special Needs)

For your daughter, just needing the pressure of the harness to help with anxiety issues, I'd see about a compression vest. It might help outside the car too. An EZon harness is NOT going to provide the same tight feeling as a 5 pt harness at all. The seatbelt routes through loops on the harness (requiring a locking clip if it's a lap/shoulder belt with a sliding latchplate) and overtightening the harness will actually pull the seat belt up off the hips and onto the soft tissue of the abdomen. It's considerably more complicated to use than a conventional 5 pt harness also.

If the children are just growing out of the Nautilus harness, there should be a couple of seats that they do still fit in. If you'll tell us in which way they are outgrowing them, we can steer you towards some other options.

The other option you have is a special needs booster seat with a positioning harness. The harness is more like a typical 5 pt in operation and feel than the EZon products, but you use the 3pt seat belt over the child as you normally would with a booster.
 

superdupermama

New member
Re: EZon harness with a HBB? (moved to Child Restrains for Special Needs)

For your daughter, just needing the pressure of the harness to help with anxiety issues, I'd see about a compression vest. It might help outside the car too. An EZon harness is NOT going to provide the same tight feeling as a 5 pt harness at all. The seatbelt routes through loops on the harness (requiring a locking clip if it's a lap/shoulder belt with a sliding latchplate) and overtightening the harness will actually pull the seat belt up off the hips and onto the soft tissue of the abdomen. It's considerably more complicated to use than a conventional 5 pt harness also.

If the children are just growing out of the Nautilus harness, there should be a couple of seats that they do still fit in. If you'll tell us in which way they are outgrowing them, we can steer you towards some other options.

The other option you have is a special needs booster seat with a positioning harness. The harness is more like a typical 5 pt in operation and feel than the EZon products, but you use the 3pt seat belt over the child as you normally would with a booster.

I missed this message before. I'd read about the harness not being as tight as the 5pt, but was hoping it would be an easier transition to go from 5pt, to harness, to BPB. She refuses to wear compression garments, though they do seem to help her stay calm when we've had her try. She can't tell me why she doesn't want to wear them, but I'm suspecting the fabric bothers her.
They are outgrowing the Nautilus in torso height. My daughter is a hair below 18.5", and my son is just under 18" I try to keep them in the same seats so that they can both sit in either place in the car, and because it reduces squabbling.
Is the Convaid Carrot3 the type of seat that you mean by a special needs booster with positioning harness? Our insurance would cover that one. Are there others with a similar set up that are worth looking at?
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
Re: EZon harness with a HBB? (moved to Child Restrains for Special Needs)

The Recaro Monza Reha is another such (and I think taller than the Carrot, which has some features you probably won't need and doesn't last as long by height as I recall.)
 

superdupermama

New member
Re: EZon harness with a HBB? (moved to Child Restrains for Special Needs)

The Recaro Monza Reha is another such (and I think taller than the Carrot, which has some features you probably won't need and doesn't last as long by height as I recall.)

The Recaro looks like a great seat, thanks! My kids would fit in it for a long time.
 

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