Rear facing info

ashesashie

New member
I recently had a checkup with my pediatrician for my two year old. He said it was time to turn the carseat around. When I told him that my carseat was rear facing until 40 pounds he said it was still bes to to turn him around because there wasn't enough research for the safety of rear facing after two years old. Everything I have read disagrees with that statement. Is he right or does anyone know of studies I could show him that specifically look of the safety of rear facing AFTER two years old? I would appreciate any help.
 
ADS

StillThankful

New member
Hi there!

Thank you for being so passionate on extended rear facing. It looks like your doctor is stressing the 2 years old part and not the "until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their car safety seat's manufacturer."

Here is the link to the AAP's recommendation:http://www.healthychildren.org/Engl...000&nfstatusdescription=ERROR:+No+local+token

General Guidelines

Rear-facing only seats and rear-facing convertible seats


All infants and toddlers should ride in a Rear-Facing Car Seat until they are 2 years of age or until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their car safety seat's manufacturer (emphasis added by me).

Here's our site's information on the importance of rear facing, which refers to outside studies:
http://www.car-safety.org/rearface.html
 

jeminijad

New member
I don't think there are any studies that are going to satisfy someone wanting rigorous, peer reviewed literature (like an MD.) He is right that the big one shows the drastic reduction in injuries under age 2.

It is more that the most dramatic reason for wanting to keep a 2 year old rear facing (maturation of the cervical spine) is still an issue in an under 4 year old. That might be your best opening for continuing dialogue with the doc- getting him to ponder the neck issue specifically.

ETA: Maybe this will cause him to look into why his own professional org recommends what they do, like StillThankful linked.
 

KaysKidz

Senior Community Member
Hi there!

Thank you for being so passionate on extended rear facing. It looks like your doctor is stressing the 2 years old part and not the "until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their car safety seat's manufacturer."

Here is the link to the AAP's recommendation:http://www.healthychildren.org/Engl...000&nfstatusdescription=ERROR:+No+local+token



Here's our site's information on the importance of rear facing, which refers to outside studies:
http://www.car-safety.org/rearface.html

BUT, it also says....

All children 2 years or older, or those younger than 2 years who have outgrown the rear-facing weight or height limit for their car seat, should use a Forward-Facing Car Seat with a harness for as long as possible, up to the highest weight or height allowed their car seat’s manufacturer.

So really, there are multiple ways you could read into that. According to what I quoted, all kids over 2 should be FF...and any child under 2 who has outgrown the height and weight limits should be FF.
 

Phineasmama

New member
I would just ask why it is magically better and safer to FF if the kid is over 2 years old and see if he has any good answers on that. It just doesn't make sense.
 

babyherder

Well-known member
I would just ask why it is magically better and safer to FF if the kid is over 2 years old and see if he has any good answers on that. It just doesn't make sense.

1st, :yeahthatlove:

2nd, Wasn't it determined years ago that everyone in a car (other than the driver) would be safer rf? Its based on the physics of a crash, which doesn't change depending on the age of the passenger. Maybe there's some research showing that, that would help convince your doc.
 

soygurl

Active member
Here is an article from 2002 in Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. I would print out the entire page, and highlight the part in the "Summary" which mentions encouraging manufacturers to develop seats to fit a RFing 4yo (45lbs). Give THAT to your ped, and ask him to explain again, why exactly he thinks it would be better to turn your 2yo FF. :whistling:
 

Phineasmama

New member
Here is an article from 2002 in Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. I would print out the entire page, and highlight the part in the "Summary" which mentions encouraging manufacturers to develop seats to fit a RFing 4yo (45lbs). Give THAT to your ped, and ask him to explain again, why exactly he thinks it would be better to turn your 2yo FF. :whistling:

I love how that article is from 2002...and how long did it take us to get a freakin 45 lb rear facing limit?? And how much longer did it take to get more than ONE seat that rear faces to 45 lbs??

Thank you, car seat industry, for FINALLY at least trying to catch up to what is safe for our children :rolleyes:
 

KaiLing

New member
On the bright side, if your pediatrician is encouraging other parents to *keep* children RF until age 24 months, he's ahead of mine ("turn them when their legs get uncomfortable").
 

Stelvis

New member
Well, he is technically following the AAP recommendation to the letter, although it's not a recommendation that makes a lot of sense.
 

tanyaandallie

Senior Community Member
On the bright side, if your pediatrician is encouraging other parents to *keep* children RF until age 24 months, he's ahead of mine ("turn them when their legs get uncomfortable").

Mine as well. Even though I discussed it with her she is still tell parents to turn at 12 mos.
 

KaysKidz

Senior Community Member
I like the NHTSA recommendations mostly because it makes sense to me that if rear facing for a 2 yr old is safer, rear facing for a 3 and 4 yr old would be safer as well.

http://www.nhtsa.gov/DOT/NHTSA/Traffic Injury Control/Articles/Associated Files/4StepsFlyer.pdf

Eventually though as older/heavier children remain rear facing, we begin having potential issues with over rotation, rebound etc. In Sweden where children routinely rear face to 4-5yrs old, their seats are designed specifically to address these concerns. Ours, are not. Some seats do offer some degree of protection in terms of anti-rebound, but with advanced air bags, most new cars do not allow for bracing.

A properly restrained 3 or 4 in a FF seat is NOT unsafe. Neither is a 2yr old. Would they be safeR rf'ing? Possibly. But they are not unsafe.
 

momtotwogirls

New member
Eventually though as older/heavier children remain rear facing, we begin having potential issues with over rotation, rebound etc. In Sweden where children routinely rear face to 4-5yrs old, their seats are designed specifically to address these concerns. Ours, are not. Some seats do offer some degree of protection in terms of anti-rebound, but with advanced air bags, most new cars do not allow for bracing.

A properly restrained 3 or 4 in a FF seat is NOT unsafe. Neither is a 2yr old. Would they be safeR rf'ing? Possibly. But they are not unsafe.

I never said it was unsafe but if I can rear face my 4 yr old then thats what Im going to do. I dont worry about over rotation since my seats are very upright and my kids are light. I dont know why we would be concerned with those issues if your child is within the limits of the seat even if they are 6. What magically makes them safer the day they turn 2 opposed to the week before? Im sure not a whole lot changes within that time.

There are different approaches. For you, you may feel at 2 yes they are safe to ff to me they are not. Now Im not going to import a seat to keep my 4 yr old rear facing but if my 2 yr old was the same size as my 4 yr old I definately would.
 

Kendrab2315

New member
On the bright side, if your pediatrician is encouraging other parents to *keep* children RF until age 24 months, he's ahead of mine ("turn them when their legs get uncomfortable").

Your last sentence is what had my 11 month old ds FF. I was young and stupid and mentioned to his dr that his legs looked squished (he was always over 90th percentile for height). He wasn't even 20lbs (17) and his dr suggested I turn him around so I did.

I thinks it's part of the reason why I am now so gung ho about keeping my dd rf as long as possible!
 

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