2 Thirds Of US Parents Commit Same Car Seat Error
According to the results of a new research project published in the Academic Pediatrics Journal, 75 % of parents change their infant to a forward-facing position much earlier than recommended.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), parents must utilize a rear-facing seat for kids til they reach 2 years or until a child has actually outgrown the height and weight restrictions of a rear-facing positioned seat. Researchers polled parents in 2011 and once again in 2013 about when they altered their kids to forward-facing seats. In 2011, 33 % of parents of 1 to 4 year-old babies who had actually changed to a forward position had done so at or prior to twelve months. Only 16 % turned the safety seat at 2 years or older. In 2013, 24 % of parents of 1 to 4 year-old kids who had been switched to look forward did so at or prior to 12 months, with just 23 % waiting to turn until the child was 2 years of age or older.
Lead researcher Michelle L. Macy, MD, professional speaker of pediatric medication at the University of Michigan, informed Yahoo Parenting that While this was certainly a step in a much better direction, it wasn't anything to write home about. She stated... "New mother and fathers are a lot more likely to follow AAP guidelines than those with older children, but typically, mother and fathers turn their children around anywhere in between 13 and 15 months old, which is far too soon." Although Macy didn't study the elements behind the stats, previous research studies have found that mother and fathers need to keep an eye on their children while they drive, presume they're too big or heavy to face backwards, choose the simpler contact when they're facing forward, or merely because the safety seat is damaging the leather upholstery.
Complicating matters a lot more is that infant traveler security laws are dated, with many advising that babies are backwards facing until 1 years of age, though in general rear-facing seats aren't even pointed out. Benjamin Hoffman, MD, a rep from the AAP, notified Yahoo Parenting that no state had laws that could be considered best practice. He stated... "But the laws of physics will always go beyond the laws of the land. Children between the ages of 1 and 2 who sit facing in reverse have a 532 percent less likelihood of injury than children who look frontwards."
Hoffman also stated that there was also a psychological element at play. He said... "Moms and dads have the tendency to identify a kid's success by his milestones and think when he's "large enough" to look frontwards. The thinking is, You're a big kid now, time to face forward. But safety seats are truly one senario where that state of mind simply does not work. What's more, numerous pediatricians simply aren't wise enough on present recommendations or do not even bring up the topic with parents. Parents need to continuously look into the handbook provided by their safety seat makers and have a qualified safety seat expert analyze setup, a service that's given complimentary in most cities."
An active advocate for safety seat security awareness is Neil Speight, co-director of Freddie and Sebbie, who says that more parent awareness projects are needed for 2015. He said... "This truly is not good enough, as parents have to understand how they are putting their infant's lives at risk, which is why more awareness projects are needed. There is support for parents who intend on making the incorrect choice. For instance, to see a rear-facing baby, a basic backseat baby mirror can be set up, and to prevent the automobile upholstery from getting scuffed? The call for a car seat protector under the safety seat would seem to be the better alternative in my view."
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