The right protection for kids

On October 7, Ohio’s new booster seat law will go into effect.  The law requires federally approved booster seats for children ages 4 to 8 years old and who are less than 4 feet, 9 inches in height.

Staff and physicians at Dayton Children's have fought for this law because we know it's the right thing for kids. When it comes to booster seats - it's all about fit. Seat belt systems in cars are designed to fit a 170 pound man - not a 40 pound child.

When a seat belt doesn't fit a child, he or she tends to move away from the vehicle seatback creating space behind the child which may allow for the child to be ejected. Children may also tuck the shoulder belt behind their back leaving no upper body protection which could result in severe injury to the abdomen, neck and head.

In some cases, without a booster seat, an adult seat belt can actually cause injury in the event of a crash rather than preventing it. For instance, if the lap belt rests on a child’s stomach, which typically happens without a booster seat, a child could suffer liver, spleen, or spinal cord damage in a crash.

Here is an example of a child not using a booster seat.  See how the lap belt rides up on his abdomen and the shoulder belt is too close to his neck.

Boosters are designed to keep the lap belt low across the child’s hips, and many have a shoulder harness guide to keep the shoulder belt on the center of the child’s shoulder. By positioning a seat belt in these locations the crash force is spread to the skeleton instead of the soft tissue like the abdomen.

Using a booster seat, the booster seat fits this child in the "hard parts of his body" - low across the hips and in the middle of the shoulder.

For more information about booster seats and achiving the "right fit" visit www.childrensdayton.org/boosters.

Community Outreach to Keep Kids Safe

On September 18, 2009, Dayton Children's, Safe Kids Greater Dayton, Evenflo, AAA Miami Valley and our other child passenger safety partners held a car seat check to celebrate Child Passenger Safety Week and to remind parents that Ohio's Booster Seat Law will go into effect on October 7.

The day was a huge success!  We checked over 60 car and booster seats and gave away new AMP booster seats provided by Evenflo. Senator Shannon Jones also spoke during a press conference.  She was the author of the bill and is huge advocate for children!

Thank you to everyone who participated.  View some photos from the event.

Senator Shannon Jones talking about the importance of booster seats.

This guy isn't 4'9" tall yet so he needs a booster seat!

For more photos visit our facebook page!

Celebrate Child Passenger Safety Week: Use the right seat at the right time

Dayton Children’s, Safe Kids Greater Dayton and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend the following to help parents navigate the car seat progression:

• Use rear-facing infant seats in the back seat from birth to at least 1 year of age and at least 20 pounds. Use the rear-facing infant car seat longer if the seat has higher weight and height limits.
• Infants who weigh 20 pounds before 1 year of age should ride in an infant carrier approved for higher rear-facing weights or a convertible seat. It is preferable to keep your child rear-facing as long as possible. For optimal protection, the child should remain rear-facing until reaching the maximum weight for the car safety seat, as long as the top of the head is below the top of the seat back. Typically the child may be up to 30 or 35 pounds.
• A child older than 1 year and weighing more than 20 pounds should be placed in a convertible seat, which can face forward or be rear-facing. These can be used until a child reaches the upper weight limits of the seat (typically 40 pounds) and the child still fits the seat (the tops of the ears are below the top of the safety seat, the back and shoulders are below the seat strap slots).
• A child who weight less than 40 pounds and has outgrown the convertible seat should be in a forward-facing seat if he or she is too small for a booster seat. Keep your child in a safety seat with a full harness as long as possible - at least until 40 pounds.
• Use a belt-positioning booster seat in the back seat from about age 4 to at least age 8 - unless the child is 4 feet 9 inches or taller. Safety belts, which are designed to fit adults, won’t fully restrain a child in a crash. Using a booster seat will better protect your child from being thrown from the vehicle or thrown around inside it, during a crash.
• Use safety belts in the back seat at age 8 or older or taller than 4 feet 9 inches. All children age 12 or younger should ride in the back seat. Lap and shoulder belts provides the best protection and helps the child maintain the correct seating position.

For more information about car and booster seat please visit our website. Visit here for a list of upcoming car seat checks.