CAR SEATS VS CARE SEATS:
TWO RECENT ARTICLES IN PEDIATRICS SPEAKS TO THIS ISSUE. FIRST FROM THE AAP COMMITTEE ON INJURY AND POISON PREVENTION, THEY STATE IN 1997, 161 DEATHS RESULTED FROM RIDING IN THE BACK OF PICK-UP TRUCKS. NEARLY HALF OF THESE WERE KIDS. ALSO A CONCERN IS CHILDREN RIDING IN PICK UPS WITHOUT CARSEATS, POORLY INSTALLED CAR SEATS, OR SITTING NEAR AIRBAGS IN TRUCKS. THEY SITE MOST OF THE ACCIDENTS IN BACKS OF PICK-UPS HAPPEN DURNING NON-CRASH EVENTS WHEN THE PEOPLE IN BACK FALL OUT.
THE OTHER STUDY WAS IN THE OCTOBER 2000 PEDIATRICS ISSUE. IT LOOKED AT PARENTS CAR SEAT INSTALLATION TECHNICS. 109 KIDS TWO YEARS AND YOUNGER AND THEIR FAMILIES WERE STUDIED. WHEN THEY LOOKED AT CAR SEAT INSTALLATION THE MOST COMMON MISTAKES WERE LOOSE SEATS BELTS HOLDING CAR SEATS, LOOSE STRAPS HOLDING CHILDREN, AND SEAT NOT LOCKED IN PLACE. THE NUMBER OF KIDS UNSAFELY RESTRAINED INCREASED DRAMATICALLY WITH AGE.
HALF OF PARENTS LEARNED TO INSTALL SEATS FROM OWNERS MANUELS, BUT 25% DID NOT LEARN EVER HOW TO SAFELY INSTALL A SEAT. AROUND 40% LEARNED DURING A PRENATAL CLASS.
Dr. Jane’s comment
THIS WEEK WE ARE SWITCHING GEARS ALL TOGETHER.
THIS WEEK I WANT TO ADDRESS CHILD SAFTEY SEAT RESTRAINTS, OR BETTER KNOWN AS CAR SEATS. MORE AND MORE INFORMATION IS COMING OUT SAYING WE PARENTS DON’T KNOW HOW TO USE THEM AND ARENT USING THEM RIGHT. THE RESULT IS OUR KIDS ARE EITHER DYING OR BEING SEVERELY INJURED WHEN WE THOUGHT WE WERE DOING THE RIGHT THING FOR THEM.
CAR SEATS ARE CONFUSING AT BEST AND DOWN RIGHT FRUSTRATING IN MOST CARS. THE STANDARDS KEEP CHANGING AND THE SEATS ARE NOT STANDARDIZED.
WHY IS ALL THIS IMPORTANT? BECAUSE MANY PARENTS ARE GETTING SHOCKING WAKE UP CALLS AFTER AN ACCIDENT WHEN THEIR BELOVED CHILDREN ARE INJURED IN THEIR CAR SEATS. WE ARE BUSY PEOPLE, OUR BABY SITTERS AND GRANDPARENTS ARE BUSY PEOPLE TOO. IT USUALLY TAKES TOO LONG TO INSTALL A CAR SEAT RIGHT WHEN WE ARE DROPPING OFF OR PICKING UP OUR KIDS (20 MINUTES TO BE PRECISE). WE HAVE A LOT TO THINK ABOUT BILLS, PAYCHECKS, BOSSES, SPOUSES, APPOINTMENTS, and APPEARANCE.
HOW WOULD YOU FEEL THOUGH IF YOU HAVE TO ASK YOURSELF WHY YOU DIDN’T TAKE THE EXTRA TIME TO TIGHTEN THAT BELT? WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO YOURSELF IF YOU DIDN’T MAKE JUNIOR WEAR THOSE STRAPS SNUG? HOW WILL YOU EXPLAIN TO OTHERS WHY YOU DIDN’T TAKE THE TIME TO TEACH THEM HOW TO INSTALL YOUR CHILD’S CAR SEAT?
WE ARE TOO BUSY, OVER COMMITTED, AND TIRED. BUT STOP FOR A MOMENT, "BE STILL AND KNOW I AM GOD" AS THE LORD SAYS IN PSALM 46:10. TAKE THE TIME THIS WEEK TO HEAR FROM HIM AS TO THE CORNERS YOU ARE DANGEROUSLY CUTTING. FIND OUT WHO IN YOUR COMMUNITY DOES HANDS ON CAR SEAT INSTRUCTION, THEN GO DO IT.
MAKE YOUR CAR SEATS CARE SEATS.