New Car Seat Safety Recommendations

Most parents move their child into a front-facing car seat position when their child reaches the manufacturer recommendations for height and weight, usually around 35 pounds and 49 inches tall.

Last Thursday, the British Medical Journal suggested that children up to the age of 4 are safest if placed in REAR-FACING seats when riding in a car. 

"Many parents and health care providers may be unaware that it is safer to leave children in rear-facing seats for as long as possible or that rear-facing seats for toddlers exist," the paper's authors, led by Dr. Elizabeth Watson of Meed Surgery in Woking, United Kingdom, wrote in their report. "Health care professionals should advise that rear facing seats are safer than forward facing seats for children aged under 4 years."

Not so long ago, the interest of parents peaked when a video on YouTube showed a mother of a deceased child begging other parents to keep their children in a 5-point harness as long as possible, citing that had she done so, her child would likely be alive today.  The result?  Parents began scouting to find 5-point harness seats for their older children.  There was a shortage of such seats, the prices skyrocketed, and manufacturers, such as Britax, put the new research on the forefront of their development.  Thus, the birth of the Britax Boulevard.

The Boulevard is a 5-point harness for older (and therefore heavier) children; however, these seats are forward-facing only.  The Boulevard seats a child up to 80 pounds and/or 60 inches - emphasis on front-facing.  The cost for a Boulevard is a little over $300.  Take that times 2 for two children (as we did) and you shell out a huge chunk of change on car seats.

Now there is research to support that children should remain in rear-facing car seats until age four.  Are we going to see parents scramble again to find the safest car seats for their children?  Are there currently seats manufactured for an "older" child to face rear?  Finding a rear-facing seat for a child who weighs over 35 pounds will definitely present a challenge for parents.  No doubt new seat designs are on the drawing boards for manufacturers as I type this.

As with all issues that involve their children, parents are already drawing the proverbial crossing line and daring each other to cross it in defense of their own beliefs.  Some parents say there is no way a taller child can be comfortable and sit backward in the car for a long distance without suffering from leg cramps. Other parents say their children just straddle the seat and stick their legs off to the side.  Some parents are worried about leg injuries in a crash; others say better the legs injured than the head, neck and spine from front-facing impact.

Swedish research proves less child fatalities as well as injuries from car accidents and the Swedish children have only been allowed by law to ride facing the rear, until 4 years old. "In a front-facing seating, all of the body weight is going forward on the harness, which can cause injury to the head, neck and spine for children under 35 pounds. There are documents of spinal cord injuries because of children facing frontward at such an early age."

Volvo developed a good car seat in 1970. Today, most car manufacturers have stopped producing their own car seats, which is a bad idea. It is the manufacturers who have the knowledge of how car seats work.

So what do parents do?  I don't know one parent who wouldn't put their child's safety above all else, regardless of cost; however, when you factor in the cost of the car seat, times your number of children, and then add in a larger vehicle to house all of it, things get quite expensive.

Those of you who have children under 4 years old, what are your thoughts?  Will you make any changes for your child? Right now I'm glad my sons are 4 and 6 years old.

Run for Fun

Any runners out there?  If you love to jog, then you'll agree that you get addicted to it.  And what better addiction to have than to exercise? 

I've been an avid jogger for around 25  years. I've fallen off the bandwagon a few times, mostly when we had little babies, but I've always found my way back.

There's something about being alone, just pounding the pavement and listening to music that is soothing to me.  I get that "runner's high" that people often speak of and yes, it's true that if you can run a mile, you can run five -- the first mile is the most difficult.

If any of you out there in Web World want to start running, I'll post a few tips and who knows, you may also end up with a few trophies from races, something that is so exciting, especially when it's first place.

** Always, ALWAYS clear a new exercise routine with your doctor.

** Begin with a run/walk routine for one mile or less.

** Drive your car on the designated path you'll be running to get the exact mileage.

** Start planning your music on your iPod. This step is very important to me because I know where I should be on my run by what song is on my iPod.

** BUY GOOD RUNNING SHOES. This is imperative. With running shoes, you get what you pay for. Replace your running shoes when they are no longer comfortable or after 400 miles, whichever comes first. I prefer Asics.

** Wear appropriate clothing. You'll feel more like running.

** Spend a lot of time stretching before and after every run.

** Carry pepper spray, your cell phone and a whistle no matter what time you run.

** If your body hurts, listen to it. Don't push through pain. If you consistently have any type of pain, you are likely not stretching enough or you need to do more strength training for those muscles prior to attempting to run again.

** If you're the mommy of young children, enjoy the peace and quiet. If people try to talk to you, just smile and wave and keep on running. Have fun!

Inner Gym Rats Unite

Gym rats move over. 

There's a new dog in town, literally.  Check this out --- you can buy your dog a treadmill. 

Yes, a real, motor-driven treadmill made exclusively for dogs; it even comes in three sizes. The console is bone-shaped and there are mesh sides to keep Fido from accidently falling off.

This could be the answer to your dog's recession prayers.  You are likely familiar with those prayers as they are the prayers you say for yourself ...  "Please give me the strength and determination to exercise today," you know that little prayer you mumble to yourself as you sit on the couch eating junk food, watching your stocks tank.  Your laziness affects Fido, too.  If you don't walk, he doesn't walk.  Now Fido no longer has to suffer along with you.  Get him a treadmill -- the large doggie treadmill is ONLY $899.99.  After all, just like you, Fido thinks the recession "bites."

http://www.petzenproducts.com/dogtread.php