I asked the pediatrician to research ERF....

M

Mom on a Mission

New member

• Nov 26, 2008

• #1

My DS had his 4 yr check-up. She asked him do you always sit in your booster seat in the car? She looked suprised when he said "NO, I sit in my car seat". I had my teeny weeny 21 month old with me too. After all the routine stuff - I simply said will you do me a favor? She said sure, and I continued "will you research ERF and harnessing vs booster and read for at least 10 minutes?" She looked a little perplexed and as I explained further she ended up saying there is no way she would RF until 35 pounds. I said "don't say that until you watch crash test videos" - and explained the whole Sweden thing (to which she said, "over there, where they care about their kids"-lol). I reminded her people expect her to give them the safest advice. She was over all very pleasant and I think she will really do the research. We'll see.......

 

AtTheSouthDam

New member

• Nov 26, 2008

• #2

Yay!

My Ped told me turn around my DD2 at a year and she was only 18 lbs. When I pointed out the Sweden thing she reluctantly agreed to keep her RF a little longer but the turn her FF when her knees bent against the back of the seat. I flipped her FF after her 18 month appt after doc pressure but flipped her back 3 months later when I found this website. Maybe I should ask her to look it up too!

 

jessclear

New member

• Nov 26, 2008

• #3

That's awesome that you brought it up. I hope she does research it. I think that most older docs (those out of school more than a few years) are just not up to date on the newer guidelines. They don't see any reason to change until they are shown the research. It's awesome that you challenged your ped to do her own research. :thumbsup:

I was received well when I told my Pedi that I was keeping DD rf. She didn't hit 20lbs until close to 18mo and at that check up she told me she could FF now. I told her I would rf to the limits. She said oh, ok, that's good, but not much else. When my DH rotated through the Peds office a couple months ago, he took in tons of ERF, EH information for them. They were very receptive and asked for him to bring in research and materials for them to pass out to parents. I feel so much better that they have the better information. I can only hope that they continue to pass out that info to parents.

 

S

*Spoiledinmyhouseofblue*

New member

• Nov 26, 2008

• #4

Good for you! That is great you brought it up. I brought it up to my ped and she basically just Laughed at me!

 

christineka

New member

• Nov 26, 2008

• #5

That's great! I was going to give info to our ped at the 1 year checkup, but she had just read the article in Pediatrics and recommended ds stay rfing longer. I was really surprised and happy.

 

M

Mom on a Mission

New member

• Nov 26, 2008

• #6

*Spoiledinmyhouseofblue* said:

Good for you! That is great you brought it up. I brought it up to my ped and she basically just Laughed at me!

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I think I would consider a new ped. If she's that hung up on her own knowledge - and she's wrong - what about something that may come up with your child? Even if my ped doesn't change, she was willing to listen and consider alternatives.

 

S

*Spoiledinmyhouseofblue*

New member

• Nov 26, 2008

• #7

Mom on a Mission said:

I think I would consider a new ped. If she's that hung up on her own knowledge - and she's wrong - what about something that may come up with your child? Even if my ped doesn't change, she was willing to listen and consider alternatives.

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That is why right now Walgreens Take home health clinic is our doctor (looking for a new doctor at the moment)

 

M

Mom on a Mission

New member

• Nov 26, 2008

• #8

Yikes! Sorry to hear that. Happy hunting. I know this is a rarity, but my ped stills see you at the office any hour of the day or night (no sending your call to a hospital) and makes multiple phone calls (as an alternate to admissions/ER) to follow up on a sick kid. So don't give up until you find one you know is the one!

 

K

Karen

New member

• Nov 26, 2008

• #9

I think someone on here should help us make a pamphlet to hand to our peds with crash study stats and links to videos. My ped had never even heard of it. I think if I gave her something like that that she may look at it.

 

Andie

New member

• Nov 26, 2008

• #10

Good job! When I asked my son's doctor if he has heard of it, he just said "I don't mind it". When I asked if he recommended it, he changed the subject. :thumbsdown:

I just gave the nurse who does my home visits a big packet of info from rear facing to booster. She seemed more interested and sees kids in the home a lot.

 

Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus

Staff member

• Nov 26, 2008

• #11

Karen said:

I think someone on here should help us make a pamphlet to hand to our peds with crash study stats and links to videos. My ped had never even heard of it. I think if I gave her something like that that she may look at it.

Click to expand...

CPSafety.com already has a great printable ERFing brochure to pass out to spread the word:
http://www.cpsafety.com/PDFfiles/RearFacingBrochure.pdf :thumbsup:

 

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants

• Nov 26, 2008

• #12

I think I'm in the minority here. Our doctor is pretty lukewarm about carseat stuff, but she's a great doctor. I'm sticking with her.

 

Adventuredad

New member

• Nov 27, 2008

• #13

And that's part of why so many kids die in traffic..... When mentioning Swedes and rear facing until 4-5 the thing about "they care and love their children more" often come up. It's of course not true, it's nonsense. We don't love our kids more than anyone else.

Parents are "trained" from very early on that rear facing is best so this becomes default thinking. Forward facing at age 2 or 3 is not even discussed.

This might sound strange but I've never talked to a ped/doctor who said anything about rear facing for a toddler. It's rear facing and nothing else but I think it would still be nice peds mentioned something.

 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob

Staff member

• Nov 27, 2008

• #14

They might be more likely to mention it if you were from another country they knew was not as good about car seat usage, if you know what I mean. Like, my first few visits at the low-income clinic we attend for my youngest, I got asked every time. Eventually I had lectured all of their pediatricians on proper car seat usage and I think they put a note in my file because they don't even ask most of my visits now, lol.

 

Adventuredad

New member

• Nov 27, 2008

• #15

Good point

 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member

• Nov 27, 2008

• #16

I suggest giving the Ped a copy of the AAP policy yourself :twocents: http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;109/3/550

The Car Seat Lady also has a page full of resources for medical professionals @ http://www.thecarseatlady.com/for_p.../for_pediatricians_and_cps_professionals.html