Question Turned my asthmatic one y/o Forward Facing...I am very worried!

[Numommy]

My daughter is one year old. Just turned one. She also weighs 20.12 pounds. We have been trying to get her asthma under control for the last three weeks. It's been pretty bad. My FIL let me borrow his single cab truck while my car was in shop and that time happened to coincide with her attacks. This actually worked out because I had her RF holding a treatment on her going to the ER a couple of times. She hates her car seat, always has, and screams bloody murder until we either arrive, or she falls asleep. Well, since the asthma- she just goes into a full attack and I race to anywhere to get her a treatment, vowing the whole time never to do that to her again. Only to put her in her seat and race back home before she throws herself into another attack. I turned her FF when my car got out of shop. She still cries, but nothing like when RF, and I can see her breathing, which I can monitor from the RV mirror much easier. She has a Britax Blvd that is tethered. I just worry so so much about her now though! I feel guilty for turning her! I had sworn RF until 2 y/o/a at minimum. And now....any ideas, suggestions, thoughts?
BTW, we live pretty remote- her doctor and our family is all at least an hour away.
I feel caught...like she needs to be FF to chill out and ride...and thus breathe...but RF for the safety.

If it matters I drive a 08 Malibu and she is in the passenger side back FF now. We are expecting Baby #2 so I moved her there in preparation...and she can see out so she likes it better.

ETA:
We go to the asthma doctor tomorrow for the first time, definitely hoping she can help get this under control! For everyones sake!! But I know controlled is only controlled until it isn't anymore. There will be times that it isn't, and I expect (and so does her pediatrician) for this winter to be rough on her.

 

[Wiggles]

Is there any possibility you could trade vehicles with your dad so you can keep an eye on her until you get the asthma controlled?

Have you tried different angles of her seat? What about different seats that might fit her differently? Maybe it's the seat she doesn't like?

 

[Numommy]

She hated her infant carrier and liked this one more. Well, I should say hated it less.
Yes! I can trade vehicles. It is still here with a Cosco RFing for emergencies. I thought that would be worse than FFing though! If it isn't I can make that our regular vehicle and put the Britax RF in it. I think I could fit two in there for new baby. I just thought it was more dangerous.

 

[Wiggles]

Rearfacing seats, used properly, are always safer than forward facing seats. Regardless of brand. Britax seats do not keep a child any safer than Cosco seats, according to what we know. They don't release the test results because we don't understand them (it takes a lot of knowledge to interpret them) and all seats are held to EXACTLY the same standards. So all of the seats are equally as safe, regardless of price point.

Rearfacing is safer than forward facing for everyone. For a 12 month old, she should ABSOLUTELY be rearfacing.

Edit to add: I should say that, provided that the truck does not have a front passenger airbag, the child rear-facing in there should be safer, barring some mechanical problem with the truck that would make it more dangerous to drive, such as faulty brakes or an engine or steering problem.

If the truck DOES have a front passenger airbag that cannot be turned off with a switch or a key, then a rear-facing childseat can NEVER go in that vehicle. A 'sensor' that turns the airbag off if the passenger is under a certain weight is not sufficient as it cannot be trusted. It MUST have a switch or key to turn off that airbag, or no airbag at all.

I'd also think that having her next to you where you can see her is safer than checking the rearview mirror all the time, as far as accident avoidance goes.

 

[TerisBoys]

As long as there is no passenger airbag (or it has a keyed shut off switch), I'd be MUCH more comfortable with such a young child RF in the truck than FF in the backseat.

Have you tried the Cosco RF in your car for her? Maybe she dislikes the BLVD headwings.

Another option would be having someone ride with her in the backseat while she's RF in order to monitor/give treatments. IMO, you really shouldn't be distracted by this while driving.

 

[Numommy]

The airbag is off. We've considered trading my car, for a truck so that I can watch her. We decided to wait and see if this doctor could offer us something. Thank you very much for your help. I will speak to my husband, but it looks like a regular cab truck is in our future!

 

[Numommy]

No I've not tried the Cosco in the car, only in the truck. I will though!

Another option would be having someone ride with her in the backseat while she's RF in order to monitor/give treatments. IMO, you really shouldn't be distracted by this while driving.

Yes, that would be a perfect world....

 

[carseatcoach]

Rearfacing in the front seat with airbag disabled (borrowed truck) is much safer than FFing in the back seat -- and it seems as if it would be more convenient as well.

 

[Numommy]

Thanks everyone! Just got off phone with FIL...keeping the truck! He's very gracious! If I bought a new truck...any recommendations?
my worry now is that my pediatrcian will wave a hand at rf and my husband will listen! So far, I've yet to be disappointed in my pediatrician. And we see both pediatrician and asthma dr tomorrow.
One more question...if the high priced seats are the same w safety as the cosco..why bother? I really thought she was ok FF bc she was in a high dollar seat...pretty stupid huh?

 

[carseatcoach]

All seats must pass the same tests: they are all safe to use.

However, some spendier seats have higher weight and height capacity. That's usually something worth paying for if you can. And many of them have nicer covers, nicer LATCH hooks, cupholders and other features designed to increase user-friendliness. Whether that's worth it is up to you -- you do get what you pay for in many ways, but crashworthiness is not known to be one of those ways.

 

[Wiggles]

There are features on the higher priced seats that might make installation easier or more convenient. Some higher priced seats have 'infinite' harnesses. Some have better adjuster straps or install more easily. Some really low-price seats don't have EPS foam, which can help absorb impact. But the crash forces are so much more spread out on a rear-facing child that I would want my child in a seat without EPS foam that rear-faced over a seat with EPS foam that he or she had to be forward-facing in.

Here's a really good video to show you the difference, so you'll understand.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sssIsceKd6U"]YouTube- Rear facing vs forward facing position in the car[/ame]

See how much better the crash forces are spread out? MUCH safer than forward facing!

 

[Numommy]

Thanks everyone! Y'all are awesome. I'll watch video in a bit. Laying down w DD.

 

[Carrie_R]

One bit of hope... I have several friends who are asthmatic. They all report that their asthma has been significantly worse the last few weeks, due to the humidity. (It seems to be a trigger for my roommate, especially.) Once the weather cools down a bit, in a month or six weeks, her asthma may calm down enough to go back to your regular routine of RF in your passenger vehicle.

Also, once you have #2, the truck may not be an option. Some trucks forbid putting a child restraint in the center seat, especially a RF one, because it could be struck by the driver's side airbag. I would use your FIL's truck for now, and research *very* thoroughly before purchasing a new vehicle. Once #2 arrives, the truck may not be a viable option any more.

 

[Numommy]

That is a great point! I would have to turn one...which defeats the entire purpose. Our pediatrician settled it. RF as long as seat allows...35 pounds. He even told us about how the force of FF in head on will "snap" a baby's neck. I was shocked. He also promised to get her asthma under control! On way to asthma dr now!

 

[Carrie_R]

Um... I your pediatrician. Can I borrow him for my daycare kids? He's told their parents they could FF as young as 10mos.

So if you can borrow the truck until her asthma is under control, and then go back to the car, that seems like the best avenue.

If you'd like some more info on WHY RF is best, please let us know, there are tons of resources out there.

 

[Jan06twinmom]

Yeah for your pediatrician!

I hope the asthma doctor is able to figure out what to do to help your baby more. I'm working with an asthma specialist now - as opposed to just working with my general practionier and allergies - and it's made a huge difference.

Melanie

 

[Keeanh]

If you're looking at buying another vehicle, is there a reason you need a truck rather than a car? I must have missed something. If you just need your daughter in the front seat, there must be cars with air bags that can be turned off, and you can certainly still get older cars with no passenger airbag at all. I was just thinking a 4-door car would be easier for getting baby in the back seat. I'm sorry your little one is having such a tough time .

 

[Pixels]

There aren't cars with back seats, and a front airbag that can be turned off, by law. Either the vehicle is old enough to not have a passenger airbag, it only has a front seat, or the back seat has been deemed too small for carseats.

Money aside, I'd rather have my child RFing in a newer truck (no back seat, airbag keyed off) than in an older car that didn't have a passenger airbag. The differences in safety are that significant. However, for this family, considering that there are about to be 4 members, it may be necessary to get an older car in order to fit everybody.

 

[Keeanh]

There aren't cars with back seats, and a front airbag that can be turned off, by law. Either the vehicle is old enough to not have a passenger airbag, it only has a front seat, or the back seat has been deemed too small for carseats.

Oh really, I had no idea! How inconvenient. We've never shopped for a car, ever (they seem to fall in our laps ). Only trucks & vans. The newest car we've had is our current '97 (no airbags). I totally agree that trucks are FAR safer, though. I know our '98 extended-cab F-150 had a back seat big enough for car seats, and a front airbag that was turned off with the key. Are extended/crew cabs still like that, or have they gone to smart airbags? Maybe a used extended-cab is the way to go?

 

[DahliaRW]

Is she more upright than 45 when you put her rfing in the back? She may be happier more upright. You could also try outboard vs. center (some kids like to be where they can see out the window better). Just a couple of tricks to try to see if it helps.