We spend a great deal of time with families understanding the inner workings of routines and children.
Developing strategies to ensure that no matter what life hands us – we make it truly wonderful.
Much has been written about the importance of a child’s first five years of life.
Safety is often a parent’s first concern – the list of modifications are endless if you are a new parent. Our therapists have gathered some information and products to help steer you in the right direction.
Have your child chew food thoroughly, keep her head in the forward position and make sure she swallows the first bite before taking the next, are important steps you can take to prevent choking. In addition, the following foods should be avoided – or supervised closely – since they are known to cause choking:
- Peanut butter
- Popcorn
- Chunks of cheese and meat
- Chips – potato, corn or tortilla
- Bread
- Hot dogs and sausages
- Candy (any size and consistency)
- Nuts
- Marshmallows
- Grapes
No matter what type of food your young child is eating, it’s best to supervise her while she’s eating, drinking or receiving medicine. If your child has a medical condition that could affect her ability to eat, remember to ask your doctor the following questions:
- Can her medicine be crushed and/or given with food?
- Is there a recommended eating position?
- Is there a recommended food texture and/or liquid thickness?
If your child has behaviors such as food stuffing or food pocketing, make sure you supervise mealtimes since these behaviors put her at a greater risk for choking.
Obviously, you need to follow all the instructions to make sure the safety seat you use is installed property and that the seat you are using is correct for your child’s weight or height. Here is additional advice if your child has a special condition:
- Ask your child’s doctor about the best position for your child to be in while being transported in a motor vehicle. Ask if a standard child restraint or car seat can be used.
- Never try to alter a car safety seat to fit a child with special needs. Never use a car safety seat that has been altered to fit a child with special needs unless it has been crash tested with the change.
- Stay up-to-date on what might be available for your child. New child restraints offer more options every year.
- Keep your child in the type of car safety seat that gives the most protection until your child reaches the top weight or height recommended by the manufacturer.
- The back seat is the safest place for all children to ride.
- Never put a rear-facing baby in front of a passenger air bag. In a crash, the air bag inflates very quickly and with great force. The child safety seat could be hit by the air bag and cause serious injuries or even death to the baby.
- If you have no other option than to transport a child who is medically fragile in the front seat and your car has a passenger air bag, you will need to have your air bag switched off. Contact the NHTSA for a permission form and details (888-DASH-2-DOT [888-327-4236] or http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov).
- Depending on your child’s condition, it may be wise to limit the amount of car travel.
- Stop often if your trip is long.
- When possible, an adult should ride in the back seat next to your child to watch her closely.
- Develop a medical care plan in case your child has a medical emergency during travel. Some parents attach a copy of the plan to the child’s car safety seat/restraint.
- Carry with you an emergency kit that includes any special medications or supplies that your child may need. A checklist will help you ensure that the right medications and supplies are always with you. Do not leave this kit in the vehicle.
- Keep a cellular phone with you to contact help, if needed. Some cellular phones can dial 911 even if you do not purchase a service contract.
- Never use a reclined vehicle seat to transport a child. In a crash, the child can slip out of position and not be protected by the seat belt.
- In some instances, such as very tall children in casts, professional transport may be needed.
- Apply for a handicap parking permit on behalf of your child if it is hard to get her in and out of the car safety restraint. Handicap parking often allows more space to maneuver.
- Never leave your child alone in a vehicle, even to do an errand that should only take a minute. Your child’s safety is worth the effort to remove her from the car safety seat/restraint, take her with you, and then secure her again when you return.
Listed below by state is the age/height/weight requirements for use of a car or booster seat. The chart is written in such that a child must use a car seat until the listed weight and height and age. If an entry is blank, that state law does not have that requirement.
If the age, weight or height is the same for a car seat and a booster, then the state indicates that a booster or car seat must be used until that age/weight/height, but they have left it up to the parent and seat guidelines to determine which is appropriate.
The info below is merely a guideline, it was gathered from state websites. The website used can be found by clicking on each state’s name. State laws are constantly changing; therefore, IN NO WAY SHOULD YOU RELY UPON THIS CHART AS A REPRESENTATION OF CURRENT LAW!
Currently, there is a major push to enact laws that require children to be in a booster seat until the age of 8 or 80 lbs. As a general rule, rear facing car seat/infant car seat until 1 year old and 20 lbs, car seat until 4 years old and 40 lbs, and booster seat until 8 years old and 80 lbs.
Rear-facing Age Rear-facing Weight (lbs.) Car Seat Age Car Seat Weight (lbs.) Car Seat Height (in.) Booster Seat Age Booster Seat Weight (lbs.) Booster Seat Height (in.) Must Be Restrained (Any Seat) Until Age Alabama 4 4 6 Alaska 4 4 16 Arizona 5 5 Arkansas 6 60 6 60 15 California 6 60 6 60 16 Colorado 1 20 4 40 6 55 16 Connecticut 1 20 6 60 6 60 Delaware 6 60 6 60 15 Florida 3 5 5 Georgia 6 6 16 Hawaii 4 4 15 Idaho 1 4 4 15 Illinois 8 8 16 Indiana 8 8 57 16 Iowa 1 20 6 6 11 Kansas 4 8 80 57 14 Kentucky 40 40 All Louisiana 1 20 40 40 80 13 Maine 40 8 80 18 Maryland 6 40 6 40 16 Massachusetts 5 40 5 40 12 Michigan 4 4 16 Minnesota 1 20 4 4 Mississippi 4 8 8 Missouri 4 40 7 80 57 7 Rear-facing Age Rear-facing Weight (lbs.) Car Seat Age Car Seat Weight (lbs.) Car Seat Height (in.) Booster Seat Age Booster Seat Weight (lbs.) Booster Seat Height (in.) Must Be Restrained (Any Seat) Until Age Montana 6 60 6 60 All Nebraska 6 6 18 Nevada 6 60 6 60 All New Hampshire 6 55 6 55 18 New Jersey 8 80 8 80 18 New Mexico 1 6 60 6 60 18 New York 6 6 16 North Carolina 8 80 8 80 16 North Dakota 7 7 17 Ohio 1 20 4 40 4 40 Oklahoma 6 6 13 Oregon 4 40 6 60 All Pennsylvania 4 8 18 Rhode Island 7 80 54 7 80 54 All South Carolina 1 20 5 40 6 80 South Dakota 5 40 17 Tennessee 1 20 4 8 60 16 Texas 5 36 5 36 17 Utah 4 5 15 Vermont 1 20 8 8 16 Virginia 8 8 15 Washington 1 20 4 40 8 60 57 18 West Virginia 8 8 Wisconsin 1 20 4 40 8 80 57 All Wyoming 8 80 8 80 Rear-facing Age Rear-facing Weight (lbs.) Car Seat Age Car Seat Weight (lbs.) Car Seat Height (in.) Booster Seat Age Booster Seat Weight (lbs.) Booster Seat Height (in.) Must Be Restrained (Any Seat) Until Age