It's Child Passenger Safety Week and Chicco USA has shared a fantastic guest blog post, by Julie Robbins, a 22 year veteran in the cause of Child Safety, about Car Seat Safety Tips. Thanks Chicco for supporting our community with this important information. We'll also be giving away a Chicco Key Fit 30 Infant Seat this week in coordination with this safety info.
Buckling up For all Ages: by Julie Robbins
As an injury prevention specialist for over 22 years, as well as a nationally certified Child Passenger Safety Technician Instructor, I am passionate about teaching people how to keep children safe when riding in a car. However, the fact that I am a mother of four and grandmother of three is the main reason my absolute top priority is the safety and welfare of all children. We can’t prevent all of the little bumps and bruises of childhood, but there are steps we can take to reduce the risk of injury to our children. The biggest risk our children face is motor vehicle crashes. Properly securing all children in appropriate car safety seats, booster seats, or safety belts every time is the best defense.
The week of September 12-18 is
National Child Passenger Safety Week. The week kicks off on September 12, 2009, with “National Seat Check Saturday,” where certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians provide free car safety seat inspections nationwide that educate parents and caregivers on how to install them properly in their vehicles. According to research from the National Highway Safety Administration, three out of four car safety seats are installed incorrectly. It is critical to choose a car safety seat that you will feel confident installing correctly every time.
The four stages of protection for your child in a car.(Every time you move to the next stage, LESS protection is provided. So, don’t be in a hurry to move them! )
1. Rear-facing is safest. Try to keep your child rear-facing until at least 24 months, longer if the car safety seat weight and height limit allows. The American Academy of Pediatrics released new research showing that toddlers are more than five times safer riding rear-facing in a car safety seat up to their second birthday. You may want to start with an infant-only seat for convenience. You will need a convertible seat (one that faces the rear and forward) when your baby outgrows the infant seat.
2. Forward-facing with a harness: Keep your child in a harness until at least 4 or 5 years old. Most kids younger than 5 are not mature enough to sit still without a full harness.
3. Booster seat: Use after your child has outgrown the harness weight limit of her forwarding-facing seat, and is mature enough to sit still. A booster will only it do its job to protect your child if your child is seated in it properly with the vehicle safety belts postioned properly on him. A wiggly child could be out of positon when a crash occurs and not be protected. You may need to buy a car safety seat with a harness that goes to a higher weight if your child is still too wiggly for his booster.
4. Adult safety belt: Use when your child is big enough, usually not until he reaches 4’ 9”, and mature enough to wear it properly. See the 5-step Test at
http://www.carseat.org/.
Some features to look for when shopping for a car safety seat.
These features will make fit, use, and installation easier for you:
Rear-facing infant-only seat: Carrier with a detachable base that can be used with and without the base. Minimum weight limit of less than 5 pounds; maximum weight limit of at least 30 pounds. At least 3 harness positions, with the lowest position less than 8 inches. Well-designed, easy to use, newborn insert that helps with harness fit on small infants. Head support that has very little or no padding behind the baby’s head.
Convertible seat (faces the rear and forward) Maximum rear-facing weight limit of at least 35 pounds. Maximum forward-facing weight limit of at least 65 pounds.
Combination seat (forward-facing only, can also be used as a booster). Maximum weight limit when used with the harness of at least 65 pounds. Height limit as a booster of at least 57 inches.
Look for these features on any car safety seat with a harness:
5-point harness (no shield).
Front adjuster for the harness (near the child’s feet). Easy to use LATCH connectors, the kind that push on and have a button to release are easiest. Easy to use LATCH adjuster.
Accessible seat belt path.
Some features to look for when shopping for a booster seat:
Booster seats are easy to use. The best person to help with the decision is the child! If a child has a role in choosing his booster, he will be more likely to want to stay in it longer. This will make using it easier for you.
These features will ensure proper fit:
Maximum weight limit of at least 80 pounds.
Maximum height limit of at least 57 inches.
Adjustable backrest.
Adjustable Shoulder belt guide with large opening (may move with the backrest).
Adjustable width at the shoulders. Lap belt guides that keep the lap belt down on the lower hips or upper thighs.
The best car safety seat or booster:
There are several different rating programs available for car safety seats and boosters. These should only be used as a guide. The BEST car seat is the one that fits your child, fits your vehicle, and is easy for you to use correctly every time. After narrowing down your choices in the store, be sure to try installing them in your vehicle (both rear-facing and forward-facing, if a convertible) before you buy. Always follow BOTH the safety seat instructions and the vehicle owner’s manual for proper installation.
Using it correctly is what makes it a safe seat.
All car safety seats and boosters must meet stringent Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards to be sold in the U.S. It is when they are not used correctly that makes them unsafe. Always read and follow the instructions for the safety seat. Also, read the vehicle owner’s manual section on child restraints. The most common misuses can be avoided by simply following these directions. If you are having difficulty using or installing your car safety seat or booster, call the manufacturer or contact a local Child Passenger Safety Technician.
LATCH or the safety belt
LATCH and the vehicle safety belt are equally safe. Choose the method that holds the car safety seat the tightest. Always try installing the car seat in the rear center seating position first; move to the side if a tight fit cannot be achieved. Many vehicles and car safety seats do not allow LATCH use in the center seating position. Only use LATCH in the center if it is allowed by BOTH the vehicle manufacturer and the car safety seat manufacturer. Never use LATCH and a vehicle safety belt at the same time unless approved by both manufacturers; this can affect crash performance of the car safety seat.
Important Reminders
Buckle up everyone, every time, every trip! In a crash or emergency braking, an unbuckled passenger can be thrown into other passengers causing serious injury. Also, ensure there are no heavy, loose objects in the vehicle that can be thrown around in a crash.
Never put a rear-facing safety seat in front of an active air bag.
All children under at least 13 should ride in the back seat. The back seat is 30 percent safer than the front seat.
Always buckle your baby into the safety seat first, and then cover her with blankets. Avoid bulky clothing. This can interfere with proper harness fit. A good trick for older children is to buckle them in without their jacket and then put it on them backwards over the harness. Of course, you may want them to wear the jacket out to the car in colder months.
Never add any product (including toys and car seat covers or liners) or make any changes to a car safety seat or booster that is not approved by the manufacturer of the seat. Add-on products can interfere with the crash performance of the seat. Beware! Many manufacturers of add-on products will state they have tested them—ONLY use products approved by the car safety seat manufacturer! The safety seat manufacturer is the only one that can confirm the test results of its product.
Never put an infant-only seat on top of a shopping cart. This makes the shopping cart top heavy. The Consumer Product Safety Commission and the American Academy of Pediatrics warn against this practice due to numerous reported injuries from carts tipping over and/or babies falling out.
Finally, I can’t say this enough: ALWAYS read and follow both the car safety seat instructions AND the vehicle owners’ manual when using and installing your child’s seat!
I know that there are many days when life is very hectic. Our children are precious cargo; never take shortcuts when it comes to car safety seats. Taking the time to make sure you have your child buckled up correctly could be what saves her life. I know this firsthand. One of my daughters would not have celebrated her 24th birthday this year if she hadn’t been in her car safety seat 23 years ago.
Locating a Child Passenger Safety Technician and other online resources:
To locate a Child Passenger Safety Technician, call 866-SEATCHECK (866-732-8243) or go to http://www.seatcheck.org/. Other valuable resources online include: http://www.carseattips.com/, http://www.carseat.org/, http://www.saferidenews.com/, and http://www.usa.safekids.org/.
Sources:
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cps/cpsfitting/index.cfm
http://aapnews.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/30/4/12-a
Kyle's got this hysterical face he makes all the time. A crazy little scowl. He especially does it if he is getting into trouble. I've found this a bit infuriating while at the same time it is too cute.
And lots more pics! Several of us went for the bouncy curly look and used Suave's mousse along with Sue curling our hair either with an iron or hot rollers and then applying Suave's hair spray. My girlfriend Allison went with a very sleek up-do after Sue flat ironed her hair.
We had a blast and really enjoyed the chance to focus on our own hair for a change and to get tips from a professional. Thanks to Suave Professionals for inviting my stylist Sue over to our house to work her magic. If you note this before picture, you can see I had a major transformation! 
What was it like? Ultra bright! The lights were practically blinding. Brighter than you could ever imagine. And at the end of the runway, we paused to get our photo taken by a zillion photographers - think Elle, Vogue, etc. (Unlikely I'll be ending up in any of those publications!) The "Moms" hopped off the runway to "de-ramp" and sit in the audience for the remainder of the show. The models each had 2 outfits and hit the runway 2x. We just did the walk down to show fashion is for real people too!
How were the models? Awesome! The real models were very kind and gracious about our excitement over the moment and shared some inside tips on walking in heels. Tip: Scuff those shoes and even try to tear the bottoms a bit with a pair of scissors! 
Insider info: Everyone shares the same lip gloss - especially when the stylists are in a hurry and realize they forgot to finish your lips. Yes, models get naked and change in a gigantic room full of men (press, stylists, etc.) - trust me there was no time to spare for modesty. Fashion shows are all about Hurrying Up and then Waiting. Scuff those heels on the concrete or even use a pair of scissors to scrape the bottoms so you don't slip. Sadly, one beautiful model from our show lost one blue heel during her walk down the runway. (She kept is together and kept on walking with only one shoe. But obviously, this most be a model's nightmare!)
Here's a photo of the kids and I donating Leap Frog goodies to the Stepping Stone Child care center, a subsidized preschool & day Care in Phoenixville. The staff there couldn't have been more appreciative of our donation - they even were giving us hugs! This felt wonderful and I feel confident the reading systems will be put to good use. I can't tell you how thrilling it was to be able to be a little Leapfrog Fairy sprinkling these educational products to preschools in need, our local library systems, and via our Phoenixville Area Community Support system which assisted me in finding families in need which could benefit & appreciation the donation of a Tag Reader. 
Friday's Freebie Finds.
Subscribe
