Car seat tech - Page 2

[Mandynee22]

Originally Posted by HelloKitty

I'm surpised at the car seat techs here at MDC automatically assuming the tech in this case was wrong without seeing the child, the seat and the car. My husband is a SafeKids car seat instructor near this tech and we have heard the other side. The tech did nothing wrong.

There are differing opinions on both sides of the rear facing issue after 12 months of age. There are a number of factors to be considered, including the parental decision - my understanding of this case was that the technician informed the parent of the option to either have the seat forward or rear facing (totally appropriate according to the guidelines and this child's size and age) and the father made the decision to have the seat turned around after discussion of both sides of the issue.

He didn't inform him of the option, he told him he was better off being FF. He told him there were new studies. (Studies I still haven't been able to find and niether has anyone I've talked to but you're welcome to inform me of them)

(to answer other stuff)

No, Andrew wasn't there. The tech was told his age and size.
He isn't my husband, not that it matters- just clearing it up.
I know that the tech did say it. Richie (Andrew's dad) thought RF was best (since that's what I told him) up until that time

The seat has been turned back to rear facing :-)

[Mandynee22]

Originally Posted by HelloKitty

Actually the tech did see the child from what I understand, it was a safety inspection station.

There are newer research reports that state that if the child's feet are hitting the back of the seat they should be turned. You can actually find research on both sides of the issue.

It was a fire station with a tech.
Andrew was not there.
Where is this research? I would genuinly like to see it.

[ThreeBeans]

Originally Posted by Mandynee22

Where is this research? I would genuinly like to see it.

It doesn't exist

[ThreeBeans]

Oh, and sorry I called him your husband

And good for you for turning the seat back the way it ought to be

[mkmb129]

Originally Posted by HelloKitty

I'm surpised at the car seat techs here at MDC automatically assuming the tech in this case was wrong without seeing the child, the seat and the car. My husband is a SafeKids car seat instructor near this tech and we have heard the other side. The tech did nothing wrong.

There are differing opinions on both sides of the rear facing issue after 12 months of age. There are a number of factors to be considered, including the parental decision - my understanding of this case was that the technician informed the parent of the option to either have the seat forward or rear facing (totally appropriate according to the guidelines and this child's size and age) and the father made the decision to have the seat turned around after discussion of both sides of the issue.

Where's the info backing up the other side?

[mkmb129]

Originally Posted by ThreeBeans

It doesn't exist

Of course it doesn't! Quite frankly, I'd rather have some broken legs over a broken neck.. but hey, that's jmo.

[an_aurora]

Originally Posted by HelloKitty

I'm surpised at the car seat techs here at MDC automatically assuming the tech in this case was wrong without seeing the child, the seat and the car. My husband is a SafeKids car seat instructor near this tech and we have heard the other side. The tech did nothing wrong.

There are differing opinions on both sides of the rear facing issue after 12 months of age. There are a number of factors to be considered, including the parental decision - my understanding of this case was that the technician informed the parent of the option to either have the seat forward or rear facing (totally appropriate according to the guidelines and this child's size and age) and the father made the decision to have the seat turned around after discussion of both sides of the issue.

In no circumstance is FF an option for a 22 pound 15 month old child, if there is ANY alternative. In this case, it most definitely not an option.

There are techs out there who give out "bad" information. It sounds like this tech was one. If your husband is an instructor and believes that it is acceptable to encourage or even suggest that FF is appropriate for a 22 pound child who comes in RF and has parents that are supportive to ERF, I cringe at the fact that he is teaching new techs.

[alegna]

I just have to say that I our techs here on MDC.

Thank you ladies!

-Angela

[MacKinnon]

I am a SK coordinator and I can tell you that no new information on turning kids forward facing sooner to protect their legs has come my way! I'll let you know if I hear it, but I don't think that will be happening anytime soon

[Ironica]

Originally Posted by HelloKitty

I'm surpised at the car seat techs here at MDC automatically assuming the tech in this case was wrong without seeing the child, the seat and the car. My husband is a SafeKids car seat instructor near this tech and we have heard the other side. The tech did nothing wrong.

There are differing opinions on both sides of the rear facing issue after 12 months of age.

Opinions are one thing; research, crash tests, outcomes of actual accidents are another. I'm more interested in what actually HAPPENS, not what someone's opinion is.

Originally Posted by HelloKitty

There are a number of factors to be considered, including the parental decision

Which in this case was to have the child rear-facing to the limits of the seat, but to have the *installation* of the seat checked.

Originally Posted by HelloKitty

my understanding of this case was that the technician informed the parent of the option to either have the seat forward or rear facing (totally appropriate according to the guidelines and this child's size and age) and the father made the decision to have the seat turned around after discussion of both sides of the issue.

The *guidelines* (from AAP, NTHSA, SafeKids, etc.) say to keep kids rear-facing as long as they are under the height and weight limits of the seat they are using. The LAW says it's ok to turn them forward-facing after they have reached both 12 months of age and 20 pounds of weight. One is a minimum, the other is a recommendation based on safety studies.

[lemurmommies]

Originally Posted by alegna

I just have to say that I our techs here on MDC.

Thank you ladies!

-Angela

The techs on MDC have given me the desire to take the tech class myself. So that I can actually have some "credentials" to back up what I'm constantly telling friends and family about ERF and HWH.

And to the OP, good for you for turning your son back RF. My 29 pounds, 33 inch nearly 16 month-old is still RFing, and I hope he will be for some time yet.

[2 in August]

I got a new seat from safekids last week. There was a state police officer helping out (not sure if he was a trained tech, I don't think so, but he was there to help the SK coordinator. He questioned why I wanted my 19mo 27lb ds rear facing and I informed him that 12mo/20lb was the bare minimum and not considered safe. I hope that he remembers and doesn't encourage ff to anyone else. The SK coordinator agreed with me on that. But then she told me that my 7yo seat could still be used for awhile longer, but I'd have to use it ff because ds was too big for it rf. I'm getting rid of it since we have the new seat. I was really scared for the other parents who probably don't know all this. I just learned it all in the past month from the techs her on mdc.

[thepeach80]

Originally Posted by HelloKitty

I'm surpised at the car seat techs here at MDC automatically assuming the tech in this case was wrong without seeing the child, the seat and the car. My husband is a SafeKids car seat instructor near this tech and we have heard the other side. The tech did nothing wrong.

There are differing opinions on both sides of the rear facing issue after 12 months of age. There are a number of factors to be considered, including the parental decision - my understanding of this case was that the technician informed the parent of the option to either have the seat forward or rear facing (totally appropriate according to the guidelines and this child's size and age) and the father made the decision to have the seat turned around after discussion of both sides of the issue.

Nope, in SK there is no other side. Safe Kids ONLY promotes rfing till the limits of the seat, BEST PRACTICE. Now unfortunately some techs don't keep up w/ their info or choose not to promote best practice and they shouldn't be techs in that case. I don't even give parents the option of turning their child around when they come in. I tell them they're safest rfing and that's what I reccomend, I don't even talk about ffing unless it's brought up. Then I mention my own 3yo who is still rfing and will be for another 18 mos+! There are also no studies showing ffing is safer, especially if you're comparing broken legs to broken necks. That's a no brainer IMO, but I'd love to see your sources...

[cutekid]

Originally Posted by Mandynee22

(to answer other stuff)

No, Andrew wasn't there. The tech was told his age and size.
He isn't my husband, not that it matters- just clearing it up.
I know that the tech did say it. Richie (Andrew's dad) thought RF was best (since that's what I told him) up until that time

The seat has been turned back to rear facing :-)

This just sounds like a bad tech. My friend wanted to get a seat put in her car for me to use. My DS wasn't with her so she had to say her daughter (the same age hieght as my DS) would be riding in the seat. The techs at this particular fire station didn't install any seat without the child there. I also thought that was how things were done. Even when I had to have my radian moved from car to the other the techs wanted to know if my child was the only one going to ride in the seat. Even though the straps were still adjusted they checked all of that before giving the official OKAY!!! The frustrating thing about that trip though was the techs had never seen a Radian before and asked me a bunch of questions. I guess extended harnessing hasn't gotten around to the general public. I told the techs I had read the manual more times than I wish to admit too. Actually I reread it every time I move it to another vehicle.

Denise

[cancat]

Well for my two cents...apparently in canada there has been only ONE instance of a child in a rear-facing seat breaking his legs - he was also the SOLE survivor of that car collision.

[DahliaRW]

Originally Posted by cancat

Well for my two cents...apparently in canada there has been ONE instance of a child in a rear-facing seat breaking his legs - he was also the SOLE survivor of that car collision.

And most likely would not have survived forward facing...

[ThreeBeans]

Originally Posted by cancat

Well for my two cents...apparently in canada there has been ONE instance of a child in a rear-facing seat breaking his legs - he was also the SOLE survivor of that car collision.

Probably wouldn't have survived foward facing. We also have no way of knowing if the seat was the correct size for him, if it was improperly installed, and if the fractures were due to other reasons.

[Mandynee22]

Originally Posted by cutekid

This just sounds like a bad tech. My friend wanted to get a seat put in her car for me to use. My DS wasn't with her so she had to say her daughter (the same age hieght as my DS) would be riding in the seat. The techs at this particular fire station didn't install any seat without the child there. I also thought that was how things were done. Even when I had to have my radian moved from car to the other the techs wanted to know if my child was the only one going to ride in the seat. Even though the straps were still adjusted they checked all of that before giving the official OKAY!!! The frustrating thing about that trip though was the techs had never seen a Radian before and asked me a bunch of questions. I guess extended harnessing hasn't gotten around to the general public. I told the techs I had read the manual more times than I wish to admit too. Actually I reread it every time I move it to another vehicle.

Denise

They are supposed to be there but since I wasn't sure if it was installed correctly, I couldn't let him ride in it. (I really kind of don't understand why they insist the child be there if what? 80% are installed wrong in the first placce?)

When he brought his car back to my house, I flipped it and read the manual for his car and for the seat several times and just kept readjusting until it wouldn't move at all. This seat is just a pain because of how you thread it. My knuckles looked like I'd been in a fight by the time I was done from putting my hand through LOL

I had taken my seat at an earlier date to have it checked and they did check all of the straps and everything- I was actually pretty psyched because he said he rarely sees any that are installed correctly but mine was.

I went to the same station and I thought the man had said that there was only one tech- however, I later found out that there are more. In hindsight, I bet he said he was the only one THERE. THAT tech was excellent (aside from -rightfully- reprimanding me about all the floaters in my car)

[thepeach80]

We like the child there, especially w/ ffing seat b/c we want to make sure the child fits in the seat and the straps are set right etc. W/ a rfing seat it's easy to change the straps w/out moving them and in the new Triumph, you don't rethread at all. I would never tell a parent I couldn't help them b/c the child wasn't there, but I would make sure to tell them where the straps needed to be and make sure they understand that so they can check when they get home.

[Mandynee22]

Originally Posted by HelloKitty

I'm surpised at the car seat techs here at MDC automatically assuming the tech in this case was wrong without seeing the child, the seat and the car. My husband is a SafeKids car seat instructor near this tech and we have heard the other side. The tech did nothing wrong.

There are differing opinions on both sides of the rear facing issue after 12 months of age. There are a number of factors to be considered, including the parental decision - my understanding of this case was that the technician informed the parent of the option to either have the seat forward or rear facing (totally appropriate according to the guidelines and this child's size and age) and the father made the decision to have the seat turned around after discussion of both sides of the issue.

I just noticed this part- are you sure you're talking about my case?
He was told that after a certain size, the impact of being rear facing is worse than being forward facing. He was also never contacted for any kind of followup or anything and it sounds like what you're speaking of may have had some kind of investigation- or I'm misunderstanding but that is what I got from you saying you've heard the other side.
He did OK the move to forward facing (I never said otherwise)- because he was told by someone who's supposed to be educated on the subject that Andrew would quite possibly break his legs if he got into a crash. He still has doubts that I know what I'm talking about because of what this tech told him... luckily, he has no choice but to keep him rear facing.
When someone is told that it's dangerous to do something but "Hey, you can if you want..." it really doesn't make it easy to disagree.
The interesting thing is I had my seat inspected just days before... and rear facing was fine then with the other tech.

As for the whole parental decision thing.. well, I'm just of the opinion that some things are not up for debate and some things shouldn't have the option of "decision"