Did anyone watch this... horrible lack of seats for SN kids...

so if I put this in the wrong area, I'm sorry, but even if they didn't have sn kids, I'd call this misuse, though they were in Texas, so I know it's not against the law.

ANYWAY... I was watching a show on discovery health channel about blind/deaf triplets that were on Dr. Phil a few years back.
http://health.discovery.com/tv/amazing-families/deaf-blind-triplets.html
http://www.drphil.com/shows/show/853/?preview=&versionID=

and they showed the triplets in the car a few times... all 3, despite being small for their age as preemies would be, are in NO carseat, NO booster seat, and are sitting with the shoulderbelt behind them...

Their parents were doing so much for them, but in the car (even when it was an intervener who came from canada for a couple weeks to work with one of them), they rode in nothing better than a loose lapbelt... slouching the whole time.

:thumbsdown: That is sad. And from the sounds of your post (I didn't watch the show about them), these parents do a lot for their kids, but they more than likely simply don't know enough to "do better" as we say.

I had watched that show also, I was very surprised they didn't have them in seats, I figured they would, considering they could unbuckle themselves and even open the door of the car while moving.
They would be much safer in a carseat.

So many people out there just do not know Hopefully after seeing this show someone will educate them.

kelandmad said:

I had watched that show also, I was very surprised they didn't have them in seats, I figured they would, considering they could unbuckle themselves and even open the door of the car while moving.
They would be much safer in a carseat.

Click to expand...

Really, wow! I mean that seems an obvious should know better, if your children are opening the door in a moving vehicle they need to not be able to do that. I was reading in the article they made special pj's for the kids so they'd keep their diapers on, even if they rigged up a way to get the kids not able to move in the car (I was kind of chuckling at the idea of a johnny jumper bolted to the roof in a VW bug to keep a kiddo from crawling around in another thread back in the day) while not actually safe it would at least show an attempt at keeping them safer in the car when they are opening the door. I am sure their life is exhausting to say the least but man that part seems a bit of a no brainer.

I think it all boils down to their desire to let them be as normal as possible (which isn't much)... combined with the horrible law in Texas.

legally, the way they are transporting their children is fine... but even safe practice (not best practice, even) would dictate doing a bit better.

I am hoping someone around here who is a tech from texas and/or really knows enough about the special needs options can contact them and figure out how best they could be helped... as I'm sure their insurance and all would cover restraints for the girls.

this is their website for anyone who wants to try - http://www.notbysightfund.org/

I watched the show and had the same thoughts

I'm sure it's just a case of the parents having so much on their plates that they're doing the best they know how to, but it was scary seeing those kids so improperly restrained.

If anyone has watched Table for 12, that family has 4 year old sextuplets. They are all in high back boosters with harnesses. But the harnesses are loose. The kids switch seats. And one of them has cerebral palsy and has very poor muscle tone. She should be in a special needs seat. They are located in NJ. And the father is a cop. Go figure.

Yes, we've had a few threads on Table for 12. But the difference is, at least they're TRYING. The kids are in SOME seats and they are probably doing the best they know-- they just don't realize they could do better.

Not that these people realize it, obviously, but you'd think they would realize they need SOMETHING to keep their children from climbing around and opening the doors!

As horrible as the deaf/blind triplets car seat use is (I didn't realise they were in Texas!)... I have to say that I think thier parents are almost in a catch 22 with them. It may sound rude to say it and I by no means mean it an ugly or rude way. But I think there comes a point with everyone where comfort out ways safety. I am in NO WAY saying that I think the parents would ever wish anything bad on thie rchildren... But sometimes the thought that their suffering could be relieved may make you take risks you wouldn't normally take. Maybe not even on a concious level...

Even at that. I remember seeing them several years ago and they were already 5-6 years old. So by now they have to be 8-10 years old. They couldn't really sit up straight (do to equlibreium issues) so they wouldn't be able to sit much better in a booster then in just a belt alone. And they are reaching the age where even a Rosevelt seat might not hold them.

I don't know... It's really a hard place for me to judge them. Would I do better if they were my children? I really can't say for sure. They deal with totally unique isses on a day to day basis and it is impossible for me to put myself in their shoes. I'm sure car seats are the furthest thing from their minds!

But then, I always try really hard not to judge people. I always want to believe that there is a good reason why people make the choices they make.

I agree.. I really was hoping that someone could figure out a solution for them... there is such a difference in terms of sensory issues with a child who has no sight AND no hearing, as opposed to just about any other type of special need, even autism.

The kids are soothed in the car (the parents stated this in the show) by putting their heads against the door or another part that the music goes through and processing the bass line and rhythm.

What frustrates me is that they would be pushed much harder into figuring out a solution to keep them safer if the laws were stricter... the Texas law makes it just so less a priority.

and then, an awful depressing part of my says that maybe it's just as well, as I can't imagine what they (especially the two that are truly blind, not just legally blind) would do or who would take on caring for all 3 of them if they were in the car with their parents and their parents had a severe crash that took their lives.

I think it might almost be better if, in that case, they weren't in seats that would protect them more than their parents are protected.

I'm going to delete this part tomorrow... as I said, it's really morbid and makes my stomach ache to think it, but there it is.

if that soothes them I wonder if those "bone phones" would work? I don't know if anyone makes them anymore but they were a fad maybe 10 years ago? Essentially a tube that you draped across your shoulders that let you feel music as well as hear it as you would with regular headphones? Then they could be buckled in more safely? I didn't watch the show though just piping up because I remember that the bone phones really let you feel the bass.