Taking a Look at Rear-Facing Carseats

A week or so back, I opened up the line of conversation regarding child passenger safety. For 11 years, this subject has been near and dear to my heart. I have been a helpful resource not only to the folks I meet in the community, seeking my services as a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, but to my friends and family.

One thing I have learned over the years is that it is completely and utterly less nerve racking to give carseat advice to someone seeking that advice, than it is to someone you care about, but hasn't asked. I have had my share of awkward moments, fumbling for the right words to use when I observe a common carseat mis-use in the car of a friend, or a photo of an on-line acquaintance. No matter what my incentive, folks seem to think I'm plainly judging their parenting, or at the very least, their parenting ability. However, I am unable to pass up an opportunity to educate a parent on the proper use of a carseat, if I see a mistake that could harm the child in the event of a crash. It isn't easy, but I somehow find a way. I have an unwritten personal rule that I will give the advice to a particular person once, and possibly twice, but the third time I see non-compliance I have to let it go. At that point, I'm harassing them. Luckily, this has only happen twice (with close friends, and several times online). I still have guilt that their children might not be properly protected, but those parents made their choice, and I must respect that.

Many parents don't have a COREY in their lives, so today, I'd like to take the time to start a series of posts dedicated to our children in vehicles. I hope to cover a variety of subjects, so that no matter what age your children are you will find something of interest. After much consideration, I decided to kick it off with the importance of the rear-facing car seat, and how extending the use of this device can greatly reduce the chance of your child suffering spinal trauma in the event of a crash.

Most States (I'm sorry that I am uneducated in regards to other Country's laws), the law indicates that a child must be in a rear-facing carseat until the are 12 months and 20 lbs. Unfortunately, this milestone, doesn't seem to be adequate. The truth is, ALL passengers would be safer if they were rear-facing. Most FATAL collisions are frontal impact. When this impact occurs, there is a significant force that throws your body forward. The head snaps violently forward, and if in a lap belt only, the entire upper half of your body jackknifes. There are many cases of lower speed (under 55mph) frontal collisions where all passengers of a vehicle have suffered relatively minor injuries except the passenger seated in the center with lap belt only. This person is paralyzed by the extreme strain put on the spinal cord. This is why all newer vehicle no longer install lap belt only seat belts. Regardless of the seat belt type frontal collisions can be extremely damaging to the body.

However, if that body were to be rear-facing, the crash forces would be spread along the ENTIRE back (rather than the parts of the body that the seat belt or harness are touching), and the head would ride down the extreme forces firmly against the back of the seat. There will be some forward motion of the body during recoil, but these forces are MUCH less intense. There is no mistaking that this is much more desirable, and less damaging to the human body.

Let's for a moment discuss the young child's body. When a baby is born, their head makes up 1/3 of their body. A grown adult's head is only 1/7 of their body. There is no denying that a babies head is huge, and heavy. Their tiny little neck has yet to develop the strong muscles they need to support their head. This happens over time. Your guess is as good as mine, as to when exactly that tiny neck can adequately handle the extreme forces of a frontal collision. In fact, their lack of neck muscles enable their neck to snap forward to a further extreme than an adults. While the spinal column is somewhat forgiving, the spinal cord is NOT. Such forces often stretch the spinal cord pasts it's limits, thus causing severe spinal damage.

I know...I know.....it sounds like I'm going the "scare the CRAP out of them" route here, but nothing I have said is exaggerated or said in such a way to make it seem worse than it is. Let's just face it......frontal collisions are nasty, and the human body can't handle the extreme forces without breaking, and who in their right mind wants those forces aimed at their child's spinal cord. NOT ME!

Thus, the importance of EXTENDED rear-facing. It is my suggestion that parents purchase seats that allow their child to remain rear-facing until the 30-35lb range. This is in no way considered the "age" or "size" a child's neck can with stand these forces, but it is the range at which our carseat manufacturers have stopped producing rear-facing options. (THAT is a whole other post!!!)

As with all carseats, one must read the manual, seek out a local Certified Technician, and be diligent as to the installation, when considering extended rear-facing. Pay attention to the height limits, and any special instructions.

I often get asked about long I left Sugar Bear rear-facing, and if she seemed uncomfortable with it. You see folks worry about where an older child's legs go when rear-facing. Sugar Bear rode happily rear-facing until she was nearly 30 months, and she loved to sit cross legged towards the last few months. Any parent should know that kids don't seem to get stiff like we do (again, the lack of muscles). Just as a child's neck rarely gets stiff from sleeping with their neck all kinked forward, they don't complain of leg issues when seated cross legged for a long period of time. I was forced to turn Sugar, as she had reached the weight limit, and I must say, it was one of the toughest moments I've had in parenting. I often hear parents rejoice, as their children move up the ranks of carseats, but I am much different. I know that each step from the rear-facing seat, all the way to the seat belt, is a step in the wrong direction. Each milestone leaves them a little more vulnerable.

I'd like to leave you with the best video I have seen out there encouraging parents to extend the rear-facing for their children. You may have watched it when I posted about Megan's post, but her post was so jammed packed with fabulous links, I don't want to chance that you haven't seen it. View it.....and pass it on.

Here are a couple photos of The Sugar at nearly two in her carseat. The first was early in the morning on the way to the hospital for an awful test to see if her kidneys were functioning properly (yes they were), and the second was taken shortly after the traumatic test. She looks awful from crying, and appears to be thinking, "Get the heck in the truck, MOM! This place sucks!" These were taken 8 months before I turned her forward facing. I so wish I had taken a picture of her rear-facing one more time before I turned her.

If you have any questions regarding Child Passenger Safety, please feel free to leave them for me in the comments of email me directly. My contact is in the "about me" at the top of my blog.

Over the next month, look for further posts regarding, proper installation of a carseat, proper fit of a child in the carseat, extended 5-point harnessing, and booster seat/seat belt usage.