Crash question for techs or drs/nurses?

gobsmacked · Aug 24, 2006

I read in a car seat review on epinions that if you are in an accident of any magnitude that you should NOT remove your child from the seat and that the parametics should do it. I'd never heard or considered this before. Is that true?

shellebelle · Aug 24, 2006

Yup-a friend of mine is a paramedic (and another is an EMT training to be a fireman) and she says it's easier to stabilize/transport children if they're still in their car seats. If, per chance, they have a back or neck injury, the car seat will keep it more or less stabilized until the doctors can treat the child.

Also, the car seat can be strapped down in the ambulance for safer transport and to make room for another patient (if the child is stable).

One last thing is if you ever have to intervene after a crash but before the police/EMS arrive (i.e. the car's on fire) cut the seatbelt/LATCH strap of the car seat if you can and remove it with the child for the reasons explained above.

gobsmacked · Aug 25, 2006

Thank you. That's all very good to know. It seems this sort of information should be made very clear to parents somehow.

Adib · Aug 26, 2006

When we got in our wreck, my husband flew out of the van and grabbed the kids out one by one - at that panic driven moment, I doubt the thought crossed his mind that they'd be safer stuck in their seats ... I know I surely didn't think about it. He also is a firefighter and responds to car accidents. I'll have to ask him if he's ever heard that you should leave them in. I think he did check them for injuries before getting them out - I was still in the van, shaking so badly that I didn't trust my legs! Thankfully they were 100% fine and not even crying or upset - just thinking it was another water ride at WI Dells, probably.

Crash question for techs or drs/nurses?

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