DVIDS – News – Munson Army Health Center Conducts Car Seat Safety Inspection

FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kan. — Parents and caregivers can reduce the risk of serious injury or death by ensuring children are properly seated in age- and size-appropriate car seats, booster seats, and seat belts. can do.

“Research shows that children who use restraints that are appropriate for their size and age have a significantly lower risk of serious or fatal injury,'' said Dr. says certified technician Jennifer Smith. at Munson Army Health Center.

Smith and fellow team member Susan Landers, a registered nurse and nursing case manager assigned to Munson's behavioral health clinic, recently conducted a child seat safety review at Fort Leavenworth. . Participants would come out to the health center parking lot in their personal vehicles, and Mr. Smith and Mr. Landers, who are also CCSST certified, would be able to physically inspect the child seats in place and provide feedback to the participants. did it.

“We inspect child seats in the car and teach them how to install them correctly. Our goal is to help users install them comfortably in any car and to make sure they are installed correctly.” said Smith.

“Babies may travel in the car with mom, dad, or grandparents. It's important to make sure the child seat is installed correctly each time you move it from one vehicle to another,” says Landers. Masu.

Parents and guardians should not only check whether the child seat is installed correctly, but also check how the straps fit the child, as the straps will need to be adjusted as the child grows is needed.

Car seats are designed to grow with your child, but at some point your child will outgrow the safety seat.

“We reiterate that our kids will remain on their backs for as long as possible,” Smith said. She advises her parents to choose child seats with the highest weight and height restrictions when used rear-facing, as that is the safest position for small bodies in the event of a car accident. Masu.

Every car seat is different, so parents should refer to their instruction manuals, Smith said. The instructions will list the minimum and maximum child weight and height that the car safety seat is intended for.

“You want your child to max out one of these categories before moving on to the next step, so don't move on to the next category too quickly,” she says.

Landers agreed. “Every child is different. Some may be larger for their age, while others may be smaller, so we recommend determining when to change seats based on height and weight.”

Ultimately, if a parent or caregiver chooses to move their child to the next size car seat, additional considerations will need to be made.

“Often people don't know that car seats have an expiration date,” Landers said. “Typically, that information can be found in the user manual, but the integrity of the plastic deteriorates over time, so child seats generally need to be retired around 10 years from the date of manufacture.”

At that point, the child seat should be taken out of use and disassembled. This includes cutting and removing all straps and webbing and writing “Trash, Do Not Use” on the car seat shell before throwing it in the trash. Some areas may accept car seats to recycle the plastic to make resin used in shampoo bottles, building materials, and other parts.

A child restraint system that has been involved in an accident should not be reused, regardless of its expiry date, even if it appears to be in good condition.

That's one reason Smith and Landers warn parents against putting children in used car seats.

“I don't recommend used car seats unless you know the history of the seat,” Landers said, noting that the seat may be beyond its lifespan or damaged and may not work as intended in the event of an accident. explained that it may not work.

Finally, the team discussed aftermarket accessories.

“Many parents place mirrors and hanging toys on and around car seats, but in the event of an accident or sudden stop, these items can easily become projectiles. does not recommend them,” Landers said.

In Fort Leavenworth, parents can visit https://munson.tricare.mil/Patient-Resources/Health-Services/Safety-Car-Seat-Install-and-Inspections for information about scheduling car safety seat inspections. You can get it.

Alternatively, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration maintains a directory of many inspection stations. Visit https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle-safety/car-seats-and-booster-seats#installation-help-inspection to find a free inspection in your area.