Peds Urged to Give Correct Info

In the most recent issue of Pediatrics, a commentary urged pediatricians to ensure that every child is restrained properly for his or her age and size for every trip in a car.* The commentary recognized that pediatricians may not be providing parents with current safety guidelines advocating best practice.

Indeed, current research suggests that children under the age of two years are 75 percent less likely to die or be seriously injured when they are riding rear facing. In a recent article from Injury Prevention, it was found that the odds of severe injury to forward facing children age 12-23 months old was 5.32 times higher than a rear facing child. (Car Safety Seats For Children: Rear Facing For Best Protection; Injury Prevention 2007; 13:398-402.)

Since 2002, the American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that children ride rear facing to the maximum weight that their car seat will allow. Many seats now have a rear facing maximum of 30 to 35 pounds allowing longer rear facing benefits. The commentary also addressed the common myth that a child may be injured from legs contacting the rear of the vehicle seat and found no data to substantiate the fear.

Re-education of both parents and pediatricians can be difficult in light of long held beliefs that are unfortunately unsupported. The take home message for everyone is to keep children rear facing as long as possible to receive the maximum safety benefit.

* Bull, Marilyn J., Durbin, Dennis R. Rear-Facing Car Safety Seats: Getting the Message Right Pediatrics 2008 121: 619-620
 
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