Car Seat Question? (For an Almost 5 Yr Old)

I agree with the other moms that as long as he still fits in his 5-pt harness, keep using it. But at some point they do get too tall, and a car seat that is too small will not protect your child adequately. For my daughter we moved her into a booster when she was almost 4 years old. Like your son, she was taller than she was wide - she had about the same proportions that your son does now.

Interestingly, I have this giant 2.5 year old as well (she is 35 pounds and built like a tank, poor girl), and although she weighs as much now as her sister did at 4, the pediatrician told me that it is not really about weight, but about age. Their muscles and bones become much stronger between 2 and 4, so of two children of the same weight/height, the older one will be able to handle a seat belt, while the younger will still need the harness. So... like everything else in life, it will vary from child to child. As long as you have him in a properly sized booster or harness, he will be okay.

I advanced my children when they no longer "fit" in the seat they had. The seats usually come with fairly specific instructions on how they are designed to fit, and when your child no longer can be seated according to the guidelines, it is time to move on. For example, I am fairly sure that the top belt hole is designed to be higher than your child's shoulder, not below it. Also, when the head peaks above the top of the seat more than an inch or two, the child should be moved.

Both my children are small and I've kept them in five point harnesses and boosters well past when most parents move on. But, there does become a point, when you can tell the child really doesn't fit.

I personally wish they made the seats to fit them longer, but so it goes.

I am not the most informed person, so for really solid info I think you should track down someone who has been trained in carseat installation and carseat safety. There is almost always someone with this type of expertise at your local firestation or police substation.

That said, my opinion is that boosters are appropriate only once the child is reliable about sitting up straight and not slouching. My understanding is that the seatbelt will not work if they're lolling to the side or slipping/slouching down through the lap belt portion. I think there's also a weight/height guideline that pertains to being large enough to activate the shoulder-strap restraint, but you need to track that down through someone else because I don't know it.

My feeling is that many 5 year olds use boosters. I also think it's good to get the type with the back and headrest because that promotes sitting up straight and helps direct the shoulder strap in the right place.

I would pay a visit to your local highway patrol. Make an appointment to go over car seat safety!

I recently went to a car seat inspection put on by my MOMS club. I learned so much...

You should keep your child in a 5 point harness up until they reach 60lbs if you can. Make sure to follow the guidelines of your particular car seat. The shoulder belts of the 5 point harness should be above the shoulders to be safe.

My kids are very light weight for their ages but are now 9 and 6. The officer recommended the Radian 65 (for up to 65 lbs) or the Radian 85 (for up to 85lbs)(aka Sunshine Kids Car Seat). They are a bit less than the Britax, but they have metal joints as opposed to plastic and are good for up to 5 years. I highly recommend the investement.

Also don't rush into the booster seat with just the lap and shoulder combo it is not as safe.

I hope this helps a bit.

T.
www.theparentpack.org

Hi,

I would definitely agree and so does our Dr., that keeping them in the 5 point harnass as long as possible is the best thing to do. I have an almost 5 year old boy who is the same weight and a bit taller then your child and a 7 year old girl who is about 48in. and 41lbs. Fortunately, we have always had the Britax so they are both still in them. The way it was explained to me....is the weight that they put on the boosters is just to cover their booties. The main thing to go by is their height. So some kids grow height wise out of car seats before they get up in weight. So you should keep them in the carseat until they absolutely can not fit height wise. As long as his shoulders are at or below the opening then he is fine.

I hope that helps some.

you know I would still keep him in 5 point.
He's very small (my almost 4 year old has 9lbs and 4")on him.
I plan to keep her in a 5 point harness until the seat doesn't fit.
right now there is a britax sale going on
http://carseats.babycatalog.com/youth-seats/fall-collecti...
is a link to their regents and he can be in one of those until he's 52" and 80 lbs.. (I look more at height then weight.. thats what they outgrow first)

The cheapest I see is 189 and there isnt any shipping or tax on that site and I have bought one of my marathon's from this company.

My big girl is in a regent in my car and a marathon in DH's