Need your help ladies...

Shaunam

New member
I'm trying to figure out a way to make things easier with Charlie in the car. For those of you who aren't familiar with Charlie's situation, she has brain damage and can't handle her secretions well, so she has to be suctioned frequently. She can't be left alone even for a few minutes and always has to have someone in the back of the car with her, or, on short trips, someone to watch her closely and suction her from the front seat.

This whole time, we've been driving a tiny car so I've had to always leave Adrian with someone so the nurse can sit in the back seat with her. We are going to be getting a minivan soon (yay!), but that doesn't solve the whole problem. For one thing, we aren't always going to have a nurse. Medicaid will at some point say no more and probably before she is ready to be without a nurse (just from personal experience, they give less care than needed). Secondly, I'd like to actually be able to leave the house when I don't have the nurse. I'm sick of being cooped up on the weekends.

So here's what I need to know: Is there a way I can safely put a mirror back there so I can see her? OR Is there ANY way to safely put her rear-facing in the passenger front seat?

I know in most cases, both of these things would be completely unnecessary, so therefore not worth the risk, but in Charlie's case, there's also the very real risk of choking to death on her own secretions. Kind of a risk vs. benefit kind of thing.

It would be nice to have her next to me so I can suction her while I'm driving (I know, that doesn't seem safe, but it's actually easier than trying to dial and talk on a cell phone, just for reference) but I know that's kind of way out there, so at the very least, I'd like a mirror to see her. She chokes silently, so it's not a matter of just listening for her.

Any insight you have will be helpful!
 
ADS

ThreeBeans

New member
In your case, I would petition NHTSA for a shut-off switch for the airbag in the front seat. Once you get the ok, the dealer can put in the shut off switch.
 

arly1983

New member
My Ford Freestar can handle a carseat in the front pass seat. THe airbag goes off (I checked) and on some models it even has a Top tether on that seat.

ETA: Forgot the manual said I could, LOL....I didn't dream it up.
 

ThreeBeans

New member
Oh that's right! Arly, I have the same car.

If the weight on the front seat is less than 50 lbs, the "NO PASS AIRBAG" light goes on. There is also a tether anchor for a ff seat, although that wouldn't apply.

Honestly though, I wouldn't trust the sensor to be 100% acccurate especially in a rapid decelleration, and I would still get the shut-off switch installed
 

CDNTech

Senior Community Member
I also wouldn't trust the sensor in this case... I'd have it manually shut off.
 

vonfirmath

New member
Honestly though, I wouldn't trust the sensor to be 100% acccurate especially in a rapid decelleration, and I would still get the shut-off switch installed

I'm trying to convince my dad of this because he lets my niece up there because of the sensor :( But, not my kid, know?
 

Shaunam

New member
I wouldn't trust a sensor either. If I were to put her in the front, I'd have the airbag completely disabled, no question. So I think it's safe to assume you guys think this is a good reason to put a baby up front? :eek: I'm mainly worried about risk vs. benefit. She wouldn't *always* be up front, just on occasions.

And what about the mirror idea? Obviously, it would be safer to have her in the back seat, but if she did start to choke, I'd have to find a place to pull over and hop out to suction her. Again, how does that compare in safety? It's a lot to think about, that's for sure!
 

Shaunam

New member
Oh, and what about car seats? She's in an ETA right now, but I don't think I'd feel comfortable using that in the front. Just because there are so many better seats. If you had to chose a seat to use in the front seat, what would it be?
 

mominabigtruck

New member
How big is she? Would she still fit in an infant seat? The blvd is a really big seat to have in the front with the wings, it might block your view, I was thinking maybe the primo viaggo 30 with the tsip wings. I know its alot for an infant seat but I think in this case it would be justifiable, you'd get a low profile seat with tsip and plus its more mobile.
 

ThreeBeans

New member
This is actually something we discussed in my CPST class: valid reasons for putting a rearfacing child (or any child) in the front seat. One of them was for kids with special needs who needed physical monitoring. So yes, absolutely I think it's a valid reason to have a seat in the front.

Hmmm, as far as what seat to put there, I would go with something with deep shell sides, and lots of EPS foam. Is the EFTA really such a bad choice?
 

CDNTech

Senior Community Member
I think a soft mirror (no hard toys attached to it) would be my first choice if you drive places where you can easily pull over.

Second choice would be to put her up front with the airbag disabled, and yes, I think this is a case where it would be warranted to have the child up front.

I think the EFTA would be a good seat up front because of it's short front to back span... it means there's that much more space between the carseat and the window.
 

southpawboston

New member
i think it would be safer to have an RF mirror in back than have her RF in front.

also, never trust the airbag shut-off sensors. i've said this in many threads. why the US doesn't just allow the shut-off switches like you can get in europe is beyond me. instead they require those notoriously unreliable sensors. blech.
 

minismom

Well-known member
Until you're able to get the airbag issue sorted out, definitely get a mirrow. I'm putting one up for a lot less (dd sometimes pukes) and I've read a lot of techshere say as long as it's a lightweigh, soft mirror it's safe. It beats trying to look back and being disracted, even if there wasn't a physical problem.
 

cpsaddict

New member
For a mirror, BRU has a nice wide, big one that is soft on the sides. It is easier to adjust than the small ones. I would also just use the Triumph. It has the EPS foam on the side and just by being rearfacing, is very safe.

If she was mine, though, I would defiantely look into getting the switch installed. Choking is a very real possibility and getting to the back seat quickly won't happen.
 

ThreeBeans

New member
If she was mine, though, I would defiantely look into getting the switch installed. Choking is a very real possibility and getting to the back seat quickly won't happen.

Right. Protecting the airway with the very real risk of suffocation is a more pressing concern than remaining in the back seat.

Not to mention the hazard of driving while attempting to monitor a special needs child through a system of mirrors. Better to reduce distraction, thereby reducing the risk of an accident in the first place, by placing the child in the front seat.
 

Shaunam

New member
Thanks guys! It's not that I don't trust the ETA, I just feel like maybe a boulevard or something would offer more protection. She's pretty big and would still fit in an infant seat, but I can't justify buying one at this point because she'll outgrow it really soon, especially anything other than SS1. Also there's the problem that the infant seat straps tend to come more around the waist than the thighs and it makes the buckles hit her tube site. Not sure if all of them are like that, but the ones I've seen are. She's 15 lbs, BTW and somewhere between 25 1/2" and 26 1/2" with an almost 12" torso. She's wearing 18 month and 2T clothes. At 4 months. LOL She's so fat I can't find pants that fit her, so I bought some 3T capris and they fit her like pants perfectly. :p

Anyways, all I can do right now is the mirror since I can't put her up front in the car we have now. I'm just trying to figure out the safest way to do it at this point. I'll definitely be looking for a minivan that I can install a seat into the front. :thumbsup: I'm glad you guys don't think I'm nuts for considering this. My mom about had a cow. :rolleyes:
 

jdchic3

New member
Since you can only do the mirror for now, just see how it works. If it ends up not being a good solution for you then you can get the new car fixed up so you can put her in the front seat. If you end up putting her in the front seat then you can take her to BRU and maybe try some seats out and see how they obstruct your view. I would get a BV if it were me. ;)
 

TXAggieTech

Active member
For a while we had this camera on our SN son and plugged into our nav. screen. The camera is super cheap, they have them at Sams and Frys for ~$30. They are 12V cameras so you can hook it directly up to the vehicle. You could use any portable DVD player for a cheap monitor. We have also used an extra Audio Vox monitor with it.


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Holly

New member
What about the True Fit?
Isnt it supposed to be completely covered in EPP foam and have side impact protection like the Boulevard?
You could also leave off the headrest until she is 22 lbs, so that might make it fit nicer in the front.
 

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