no chest clip or softer chest clip?

aja · Mar 17, 2008

ok, so i've seen the european (i think) seats with no chest clip. i'm guessing their aren't any here in the us, right? my son is very uncomfortable in the seats we've tried (including his current seat - a recaro young sport) because of the chest clips. are there any adapted chest clips that are softer or flexible? he is starting to get a callous on his chest from his. i have to check constantly to make sure he hasn't moved his clip. luckily he doesn't think to just not move it back when i tell him to.

i'm genuinely considering trying to get ahold of a seat from out of the country.....

something like this is what i have in mind. http://recaro.com/index.php?id=564&region=5&L=2 that is the same seat he is in, but the european version so it has the different shaped harness with no clip.

i also wanted to add that jet has a chest deformity that make the bones stick out right where the chest clip hits. he's being fitted tomorrow for a corrective brace and i worry that will be even less comfortable (and taking the brace off and replacing it every car trip would probably leave us homebound). my friends all say we should just use the seatbelt with his booster but he is waaay too young for that. he is almost 3, 36 lbs and veeery long torsoed (if any of that helps).

Defrost · Mar 17, 2008

For FF, the harness should be at or above his shoulders. The chest clip should be positioned at armpit or nipple level (whichever is easier for you to visualize when you adjust it), and you should use the "pinch test" to check the harness for tightness (try to pinch a horizontal fold of the harness where it rests at his collarbones; if you can fold it, it's too loose. If you can't even slip your finger under it to check, it's too tight.)

So, assuming you've already checked those things, has the doctor or therapist made any suggestions based on other kids with similar conditions? Without the brace, I would say that you could place the chest clip lower for him as long as the harness is properly adjusted. That is the purpose of the chest clip on U.S. carseats - to aid with properly positioning the harness because so many U.S. parents don't use the correct harness slots or tighten the harness properly.

Once he's got the brace, though, I'd be concerned that it would interfere with the harness if you didn't use the chest clip. Will the brace protect his chest from the chest clip at all? Will it prevent the harness from resting level with his collarbones (push it to the sides of shoulders, for example?)

aja · Mar 17, 2008

ok, i am confident that the harness is in the right place and tight enough and loose enough atm. we have tried sliding it lower down (past his "bump" but he has pretty narrow shoulders and it seems obvious he would slip right out in an accident. i have not asked the dr about a solution yet, but i will be sure to at the appt tomorrow. we're not even sure yet what shape the brace will be. the whole design kinda has to be custom done/fitted based on what shape exactly he is. the brace may protect his chest from the harness - i guess my concern is that the chest clip might just put more pressure on the brace.

kinda related question - once he has the brace do i need to have him in a seat that fits based on his weight plus the brace? i assume so since the harness will need to support all that weight. if so we will likely have to move him to a blvd or como/signo (too bad the frontier isn't out yet!).

thank you so much for responding so quickly and thoroughly! this board is so helpful.

mommy_quigg · Mar 17, 2008

I think with the 86Y the chest clip is lower. Would that work? You can use it with a booster for added side impact protection. I would worry about the brace breaking and possibly injuring him. Is it something he will wear over or under his clothes?

Defrost · Mar 17, 2008

mommy_quigg said:
I think with the 86Y the chest clip is lower. Would that work? You can use it with a booster for added side impact protection. I would worry about the brace breaking and possibly injuring him. Is it something he will wear over or under his clothes?

He is too little for an 86Y. EZ-On has vests that might fit him, but she would need to call EZ-On and ask if they would be appropriate for this situation.

Gypsy · Mar 17, 2008

I'd probably get him a Regent, it has HUGS which are soft rubber things that are under the chest clip on both sides of the harness (at chest level).

You can see them here

The rubber goes under the harness too, so it will cushion the chest clip some.

My dd has sensory issues and she was always very comfortable in the Husky (precursor of Regent).

You mentioned bone deformities, if they are severe this might not work, but I would try a Regent before trying other options because of his age.

aja · Mar 17, 2008

i did not realize the rubber went under the the clip on the reagent! i assume it does on the blvd too then? if that is the case that would probably work alot better than the recaro (both at cushioning his chest a bit from the clip and keeping him from sliding it down).

thanks mamas!

aja · Mar 17, 2008

just saw that the blvd harnesses to 16 inches shoulder height - that's about what he is now with a diaper on so i guess it's the regeant. sure wish that frontier was out......would love some SIP. i guess we'll see how long we can hold out in his recaro.

joolsplus3 · Mar 17, 2008

Have you tried calling Recaro and asking if you can use the seat without the chest clip?

Sarabela · Mar 17, 2008

What is the deformity if you don't mind me asking? My oldest son also has a chest protrusion on the right side which would be right around the clip area if he were still harnessed, he has a split rib.

arly1983 · Mar 17, 2008

Sarabela said:
What is the deformity if you don't mind me asking? My oldest son also has a chest protrusion on the right side which would be right around the clip area if he were still harnessed, he has a split rib.

I don't know if this applies but I knew a boy in hichschool that had a "bowl chest". His breast bone curved inward alot and the ribs protroded outward. I could see how a chest clip would be painful on something like that.

To the OP, It would be hard to know what to do: I would first check to see if a regent would make difference(Do you have a BRU nearby that carries it instock?) If that didn't work out, I would call recaro and see what they said about not using a chest clip. Last thing: I would try to import a European seat. A couple of members on here had done it for medical reasons and they could walk you through it.

joolsplus3 · Mar 17, 2008

Britax has given permission to people to go chestclipless...it's not an FMVSS 213 requirement to have one, it offers no safety advantage except keeping the straps on the shoulders... they are purely customer-demand driven (though I would still want permission from the company to remove one, as the manual does say to use it).

arly1983 · Mar 17, 2008

joolsplus3 said:
Britax has given permission to people to go chestclipless...it's not an FMVSS 213 requirement to have one, it offers no safety advantage except keeping the straps on the shoulders... they are purely customer-demand driven (though I would still want permission from the company to remove one, as the manual does say to use it).

Wow, thats great to know. So would the HUGS stay positioned correctly without the chest clip?

joolsplus3 · Mar 17, 2008

I don't see why not...it takes a lot of effort to slide those things up and down in general. (and those big pads on the EU seats with no chest clips are rubbery like HUGS... I don't know if those are sliding down, but I kind of doubt it)

UlrikeDG · Mar 17, 2008

aja said:
ok, i am confident that the harness is in the right place and tight enough and loose enough atm. we have tried sliding it lower down (past his "bump" but he has pretty narrow shoulders and it seems obvious he would slip right out in an accident.

The chest clip will not prevent this. It is a pre-crash positioner. It doesn't hold firm in a crash; it is designed to slide down or break open in a crash. It is simply there to hold the straps in the correct position prior to a crash, because loose straps are such a common misuse when it comes to child restraints.

See:
Harness Retainer Clips
Harness Tightness

aja · Mar 17, 2008

ok i think we're going to try the regeant out then. like i said he is getting close to 40 lbs and very tall torsoed, so it wouldn't really be a waste of money even if the chest clip isn't any better. i'm gonna try the one at babies r us out and see if the straps are closer together on his shoulders without it.

so the chest clip is not supposed to make the straps closer together? it does seem like the chest clip keeps the straps positioned squarely on his shoulders. now i'm anxious to go try again and see if that was an illusion or if they really do leave more room between them when the clip in not in place.

he has pectus carinatum - or pigeon breast. kinda a reverse of bowl breast.

mommy_quigg · Mar 17, 2008

Defrost said:
He is too little for an 86Y. EZ-On has vests that might fit him, but she would need to call EZ-On and ask if they would be appropriate for this situation.

Thanks, I missed his weight.

Jordynsmama · Mar 17, 2008

aja said:
just saw that the blvd harnesses to 16 inches shoulder height - that's about what he is now with a diaper on so i guess it's the regeant. sure wish that frontier was out......would love some SIP. i guess we'll see how long we can hold out in his recaro.

Just so you feel better, the regent offers some SIP, its just hard to see in a pic. When he is in it you will see what I am saying. Its not True SIP, but the sides are very sturdy and solid and come out so that it covers the side of his head. In a crash I am confident my dd's head would be protected in a regent to some extent-

bombedier · Mar 18, 2008

By virtue of being a 5-point harness - the seat has side impact protection.

aja · Mar 18, 2008

thank you. in person the regeant does seen alot better as far as sip goes. in pics it always looks completely flat. jet fits in it well with alot of room to grow. we tried the blvd in the store and with the harness allll the way up the straps are right at his shoulders.

the seat he is in now has awesome sip so i am hoping to get the frontier before he gets to 40 lbs. otherwise it will be the regeant.

no chest clip or softer chest clip?

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