New Car Seat Recommendation from the AAP: Rear-facing until 2 (not 1)

Last month, my friend Sarah alerted me to this article on toddlers and car seats printed in AAP News: The Official Newsmagazine of the American Academy of Pediatrics. In the article, which I included in full at the end of this post, the AAP recommends parents keep their children rear-facing until at least two years old.

Previously, parents have been told to keep their children rear-facing until they are at least one year old and 20 pounds. I was thrilled that my eldest son reached the 20-lb benchmark before 12 months, and on his first birthday, I happily spun his seat to forward facing. However, after reading this article, I plan to keep my second son rear-facing until he turns 2 (my eldest has already past the 2-year mark). To me, safety is #1, and if research shows that toddlers are five times safer riding rear-facing until two years old, I will keep my kids rear-facing until they are 2. If new research comes out indicating otherwise, I will adapt accordingly.

Here's the article, which can be found on this Web site: http://aapnews.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/30/4/12-a

AAP News Vol. 30 No. 4 April 2009, p. 12
© 2009 American Academy of Pediatrics

PARENT PLUS

Keep your toddler in a rear-facing car seat until age 2 (not 1)

Lori O’Keefe
Correspondent

New research indicates that toddlers are more than five times safer riding rear-facing in a car safety seat up to their second birthday. Following are some safety tips for car seat use:

All infants should ride rear-facing in either an infant car seat or convertible seat.

If an infant car seat is used, the infant should be switched to a rear-facing convertible car seat once the maximum height (when the infant’s head is within 1 inch of the top of the seat) and weight (usually 22 pounds to 32 pounds) have been reached for that infant seat as suggested by the car seat manufacturer.

Toddlers should remain rear-facing in a convertible car seat until they have reached the maximum height and weight recommended for the model, or at least the age of 2.

To see if your car seat is installed properly and to find a certified passenger safety technician in your area, visit www.seatcheck.org or www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cps/cpsfitting/index.cfm. You also can call 866-SEATCHECK (866-732-8243) or 888-327-4236.