Boosters for use in other cars

[KathyO]

I have just come from the scene of a bad car accident. My hands are still shaking, and I just noticed that there is still blood on my arms.

The car that was hit had two kids in the back. The boy, about 3, was in a booster seat (too young for it, but that's for another time). He wasn't hurt. His sister, about 5, was only in a seat belt, and with the shoulder portion of the belt tucked behind her. She wasn't breathing when I got there, but she started again on her own (thank Ghod), and very shocky. The lap belt had ridden up high on her abdomen, and I would not be surprised if she'd taken some internal injuries. The distraught driver of the car was a friend of the kids' mother - they weren't usually passengers in that car.

If you frequent this board, you're probably already well familiar with the best practices when it comes to older kids and boosters. I'm preaching to the converted, I guess. But now I know that when the time comes, I will (and I hope you will too) buy a light, portable booster that will go with my kids whenever they're going to be driven by someone who isn't me, and I'll make sure they know how to use it. It won't guarantee perfect safety, but at least it'll improve the odds. I hope that our on-board experts here will add a few comments on what's best to have.

And now I'm going to wait a few hours, and see if my sister at the hospital can find out how that little girl is doing. And pray that I never get one of those phone calls.

KathyO

[tobymc]

Oh, my, Kathy.

I hear about these crashes often, but for all that I've done with boosters and carseats, I have never personally been at one. I'd still be shaking too! And I'll add my thoughts for that little girl. It is amazing to me that such a simple device as a booster can make such a huge difference, yet so many kids don't have them.

And as a repeat to anyone reading this, remember that seat belts in cars are made for ADULTS. So kids need carseats then boosters basically until they are adult size. My 9 year old daughter, always on the high end of the charts, is just growing into adult belts. Many kids don't fit well until they are 12 or more. Sometimes *I* don't fit well!

And boosters are cheap. They start at about $19. And those boosters are portable and easy to use and inconspicuous.

Maybe this is a good thing to note around holiday season. Do you know any kids who should have carseats or booster but don't? Perhaps you could tuck one under their Christmas tree, or just give them one because it makes you feel good.

Those preventable injury and death are the worst to me - when there is such an easy solution. Wouldn't it be nice if we could get to work on the currently unsurvivable crashes instead?

Let us know more details as you find them Kathy, and as I said, I'll be sending good thoughts that way.

[KathyO]

Sis, as it turns out, is tied up with a Norwalk virus outbreak (they've had to close down a ward, and may have to close another), but I've left a voicemail and she'll get back to me when she can...

[KathyO]

For anyone who's interested, it looks like that little girl is going to be okay. An impressive amount of superficial bruising and laceration, and a strong suspicion of concussion, but nothing that won't heal eventually. Thank Ghod for the resilience of childhood... and a chance to finish growing up!

Cheers,

KathyO

[megsmom]

Goodness! It's always a good reminder that carseats/boosters that fit appropriately are absolutely essential EVERY TIME your child rides in a car. You never know when that moment will come. I was almost involved in a major collision last week about 1/2 mile from my house (45 mph zone) as a car turned left almost immeidately in front of me. I smelled rubber inside my car for quite some time. You just never know. It's a good thing that you were able to be a good samaritan on the scene, KathyO. How scary, though. I bet you went home and hugged your little one.

Jen
mom to Meghan
born 7/13/01

[KathyO]

>You just never know. It's a good thing that you were able
>to be a good samaritan on the scene, KathyO.

I owe it entirely to a two-day St. John Ambulance first aid course. (Don't know if you have that kind of thing under the same name or a different name in the U.S.) They taught scene management, basic triage, immobilization of suspected spinal injuries, modified artificial respiration for suspected spinal injuries (which thank heavens I didn't have to use)... on top of a ton of other stuff on heart attacks, stroke, CPR, and so on. I can't recommend this kind of thing enough. Get it if you possibly can. You never know when the moment will come upon you. I will never forget leaning in the window and seeing the limp, bloody, unbreathing figure of a small child in the back seat. How much more horrible it would have been if I didn't know what to do about it.

>I bet you went home and hugged your little one.

Oh, yeah. Oooooh, yeah. Two days later, and I'm still scooping her up for random squeezes. Does she wonder why she's been getting away with anything and everything the last couple of days? I wonder.

Cheers,

KathyO