Overseas carseats and prescriptions?

whitejerabias · Oct 23, 2008

I've read a lot of talk about people importing a higher rf limit seats with a prescription. Can someone tell me more about how that is done? Where (country) do you get the seats from, where do you order them from, etc...

Thanks!

Adventuredad · Oct 23, 2008

I think most who do import seats choose the Swedish rear facing heigh weight seats which go to 55 lbs. US has a good selection of seats but the rf weight limit is on the low side IMHO. 55 lbs limit rear facing until 4-5 years of age instead of 2 or 3. I think it's difficult and some work to obtain an prescription, most (all?) import seats without it.

whitejerabias · Oct 23, 2008

Thanks for your answer. How do people find specs about international car seats. Also, if one has decided that they want to import a seat, where would you get it from (ie what website do you go to etc)? Do Swedish seats have the highest rf weight and height limit?

Adventuredad · Oct 23, 2008

Importing a seat is not difficult, you can count on help on this board from many members. The Swedish seats have the highest rear facing limits, 55 lbs., but there might be seats with higher seat shells.

Most common rear facing 55 lbs seats are Britax Multi Tech, Hi-Way or Two-Way, Brio Zento, or Maxi-Cosi Mobi. The seat shell for most seats is quite high, it's common for the Swedish kids to rear face until 4-5 years of age. Multi Tech and Two-Way have the highest seats shells by about two inches.

whitejerabias · Oct 23, 2008

How much does it cost usually? And also, can they be used as a FF facing seat once you reach the limit?

ETA: What about installation? Do international seats install the same way as American seats?

carseatcoach · Oct 23, 2008

What age and size child are you concerned about, and is there a special medical need for a seat that rear-faces beyond 35 pounds?

LISmama810 · Oct 23, 2008

I'm curious about the idea of doctors writing prescriptions for foreign seats. I know they can write prescriptions for US special needs seats, likely so insurance will cover the cost.

But is a doctor's prescription sufficient to import what is essentially an illegal seat? Don't you need to get a waiver from NHTSA for that? It seems like it would be similar to a doctor prescribing medical marijuana in a city/state where it's illegal--the doc can prescribe it, but that doesn't mean you won't be busted if you're caught with it.

OP, I believe (and I'm sure AdventureDad or someone else will correct me if I'm wrong) that Swedish seats actually have higher RFing weight limits than FFing. (So in other words, the RFing limit might be 55 lbs, whereas FF is 40 lbs.) In Sweden they RF until 4, then go straight to booster seats. So you'd likely use a Swedish seat to the limits RF, then get a new seat for FF harnessing.

kmcenery · Oct 24, 2008

LISmama810 said:
I'm curious about the idea of doctors writing prescriptions for foreign seats. I know they can write prescriptions for US special needs seats, likely so insurance will cover the cost.

But is a doctor's prescription sufficient to import what is essentially an illegal seat? Don't you need to get a waiver from NHTSA for that? It seems like it would be similar to a doctor prescribing medical marijuana in a city/state where it's illegal--the doc can prescribe it, but that doesn't mean you won't be busted if you're caught with it.

OP, I believe (and I'm sure AdventureDad or someone else will correct me if I'm wrong) that Swedish seats actually have higher RFing weight limits than FFing. (So in other words, the RFing limit might be 55 lbs, whereas FF is 40 lbs.) In Sweden they RF until 4, then go straight to booster seats. So you'd likely use a Swedish seat to the limits RF, then get a new seat for FF harnessing.

From what I have read on here (im not a tech) is that the doctor would write the prescription then you would have to file stuff with the NHTSA and they would have to approve it. Which I have heard is impossible even with a medcial problem. But I do belive the child has to have a medcial problem.
This info is just from past posts I have seen here. So do quote me on it all.

Adventuredad · Oct 24, 2008

LISmama810 said:
I'm curious about the idea of doctors writing prescriptions for foreign seats. I know they can write prescriptions for US special needs seats, likely so insurance will cover the cost.

But is a doctor's prescription sufficient to import what is essentially an illegal seat? Don't you need to get a waiver from NHTSA for that? It seems like it would be similar to a doctor prescribing medical marijuana in a city/state where it's illegal--the doc can prescribe it, but that doesn't mean you won't be busted if you're caught with it.

OP, I believe (and I'm sure AdventureDad or someone else will correct me if I'm wrong) that Swedish seats actually have higher RFing weight limits than FFing. (So in other words, the RFing limit might be 55 lbs, whereas FF is 40 lbs.) In Sweden they RF until 4, then go straight to booster seats. So you'd likely use a Swedish seat to the limits RF, then get a new seat for FF harnessing.

Good points, I think it's tough to get "official approval" for importing a seat. Most Swedish seats rear face until 55 lbs and harness can only be used until 40 lbs. One exception is the Britax Two-Way which can be harnessed until 55 lbs. That's the only exception I know about. Some of the seats can be used past 40 lbs forward facing but with the seat belt. The seat then basically becomes a belt positioning booster.

We don't recommend using the Two-Way harness and instead use the seat belt since researchers feel it's safer. I know many disagree but that's how we use the seat here.

NannyMom · Oct 24, 2008

Adventuredad said:
Good points, I think it's tough to get "official approval" for importing a seat. Most Swedish seats rear face until 55 lbs and harness can only be used until 40 lbs. One exception is the Britax Two-Way which can be harnessed until 55 lbs. That's the only exception I know about. Some of the seats can be used past 40 lbs forward facing but with the seat belt. The seat then basically becomes a belt positioning booster.

We don't recommend using the Two-Way harness and instead use the seat belt since researchers feel it's safer. I know many disagree but that's how we use the seat here.

AD,
So what it looks like you're saying is the harness is only good to 40 pounds, and then it's a BPB to 55 pounds RF? How do you have a BPB RFing? Unless, I'm misunderstanding you

christineka · Oct 24, 2008

I think he uses "harness" to mean ffing. The seats rf to 55 pounds, but ff to 40.

BookMama · Oct 24, 2008

NannyMom said:
AD,
So what it looks like you're saying is the harness is only good to 40 pounds, and then it's a BPB to 55 pounds RF? How do you have a BPB RFing? Unless, I'm misunderstanding you

The seat is used RF, with the harness, up to 55 lbs. As FF seat, it is approved up to only 40 lbs. So basically once you turn a child FF in one of these seats, you would use it as a booster rather than as a harnessed seat.

NannyMom · Oct 24, 2008

Thanks for the clarifications.

Now for my POV

Since I know so much about what can happen to a child's neck when FF in a crash, I would have to say the benefits outweigh the risk for me. If I had a 1 year old that was 35 pounds, I think it would be better to import an illegal seat. This is me, making the parental decision of my family and my child. Not me telling others they should do this. How often do cops (at least around here) not ticket for non-carseat use? It's very rare. So if the parents that aren't using a carsat when leagally they should be, why should I worry about getting a ticket for using a carseat?

However, as a tech, if I had a 35 pound 1 year old come to me in a seat check, I would tell them to turn him forward facing. I can not advocate that someone else break the law.

Adventuredad · Oct 24, 2008

Apologies for not being clear, I blame it on the wine

Almsot all Swedish toddler seats rear face until 55 lbs. A few of them can be used as combination seats, but still rear face until 55 lbs. In Europe, it's very uncommon to have seats forward face with a harness above 40 lbs. The Two-Way is one of those seats, I don't know of another one.

The combination seats are usually used rear facing longest possible time, about 4-5 years, and then forward facing as a BPB. A good example of this would be the new and awesome Multi Tech. Rear facing until child grows out of the seat, usually by height, and then used as BPB until 55 lbs. That usually means 7-9 years of age. There are no seats here which harness children for higher weights since experts here believe it's less safe.

Rear facing a 12 month old instead of forward facing is about 500% safer. That's a a pretty large number, it makes a difference and saves lives. For me, it would be a no brainer. My son sat rfing until 4 years of age and I hope my daughter makes it until 5 (she's 2 now). I would use a Swedish seat regardless of location but that's a personal preference. Everyone makes their own decision and I totally understand those using other solutions.

fyrfightermomma · Oct 24, 2008

Adventuredad said:
. A good example of this would be the new and awesome Multi Tech. Rear facing until child grows out of the seat, usually by height, and then used as BPB until 55 lbs. .

Probably a dumb question, but the seats only booster to 55 lbs? What do you do after 55 lbs if they still need a booster? Or do you buy a "dedicated" booster after that? Unless I"m just not understanding you right.

So the seat rear faces to 55 lbs, forward faces to maybe a lesser or same weight, and then is a BPB also only until 55 lbs. So 55 lbs is just the max for everything? Rear facing harness and booster?

I'm so confused LOL

Adventuredad · Oct 25, 2008

The seat maximum limit is 55 lbs. regardless if rear facing or as a BPB. The MT is a new car seat and also the most expensive one. Not many parents are using it yet. It's very popular with foreigners but not here.

The "default" parent uses a cheaper, but still great, rear facing seat such as a Maxi-Cosi Mobi, Britax Hi-Way or Two-Way, or a Brio Zento. They rear face until 4-5 years and then switch to a BPB. Usually something similar to a Britax Monarch. The BPB's are relatively cheap and offer good protection. Unfortunately, there are also parents who only use a booster cushion from 4-5 years.

A 8-year old boy who weighs 55 lbs is in the 50th percentile for growth so quite a few would be able to use a MT for many years. Using a seat from 6 months to 8 years is pretty good I think. Over here we must protect our kids in some way in the car until a child is taller than 135 cm. It's ironic that the law is lax here since car seat safety is so great. For me it says car seat safety is up to parents, responsible parents means safe kids.

minismom · Oct 25, 2008

From what I understand most kids outgrow the seat RF by height before they reach 55lbs, so those are the kids who would continue to use the seat as a booster until 55lbs.

ketchupqueen · Oct 25, 2008

I'm in CA. Here our law (like many laws) states that exceptions to the carseat law can be made "with a letter from a doctor for a child with a medical condition."

So by "prescription" what I'm really meaning when I say that is, I'm going to import the seat whether I can get a waiver or not, and then get a letter from my doc to cover me for the illegal use if a cop says anything (but they wouldn't...)

minismom · Oct 25, 2008

ketchupqueen said:
I'm in CA. Here our law (like many laws) states that exceptions to the carseat law can be made "with a letter from a doctor for a child with a medical condition."

So by "prescription" what I'm really meaning when I say that is, I'm going to import the seat whether I can get a waiver or not, and then get a letter from my doc to cover me for the illegal use if a cop says anything (but they wouldn't...)

Can you send me a link or something to where you found that law? Thanks!

LISmama810 · Oct 25, 2008

I'm not familiar with that exemption. You can get medical permission to have a child ride in the front seat (I take that to mean a FF child under 6), but I don't see anything about doctor's permission to import a seat or go against manufacturer instructions.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d12/vc27360.htm

There might be some other clause somewhere, but I'm pretty sure that's the entirety of California's child restraint law.

Overseas carseats and prescriptions?

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