Need help with my car seat houdini

[Vanessa Gonzalez]

My son just turned 3 and has an autism diagnosis. He escapes his car seat while I'm driving and tries to get in the front seat. I have tried an additional strap buckle thingy and he got out of it too. He also hates highchairs, booster seats, and strollers so pretty much anything restraining which is the only reason for a car seat so I'm struggling. Please contact me with any and every suggestion you have. At this point I'm desperate.

 

[Judge]

What a dilemma! The use of Velcro sounds good, mostly given that its the sort of restraint that can be quickly released with proper force. Equally it's fire resistant.

However if you intend in any way to physically modify the child's seat, you could be potentially reducing or compromising the manufacturer's product liability in the event of an injury and subsequent lawsuit against them. Liability for much of any product exclusively intended for children is always elevated in the eyes of the law.

And for your child's protection as well as your own liability, whatever you decide it should be something that involves a quick-release in the event of an emergency.

 

[Mia]

Have you considered a child's weighted vest to calm him down? Placing it on him and then placing him in the car seat? It would likely calm him enough to keep him sitting, and then give him something like a toy to hold onto or a drink in a sippy cup?

Weighted Vest FAQs
Motorcycle Graphic Weighted Compression Vest

 

[Judge]

Hmm, I didn't think about the product liability issue. What about some sort vest that would restrain the child with a strap and buckle mechanism that attaches behind the seat, but is not a physical part of the seat? In essence, the child would be attached to the seat and the seat attached to the car. In an emergency the seat would most like be removed with the child still in it. I can visualize it, but I can't quite explain it.

No. Warning: Buzzkill Ahead

Cars manufactured relatively recently are more apt to have their own internal straps and buckles to secure a third-party child seat. Something intentionally designed to carry the liability for it. If you get in between that dynamic with your own device, you may inadvertently take on liability of your own and compromise any potential products liability lawsuit. Which could also include the use of Velcro.

However because of the relatively benign nature of Velcro, it's made to quickly release with adequate force. Though admittedly there's no telling how the Velcro might be used as a way of leveraging a lawsuit by the defendant against a plaintiff.

But I think Mia may have an even better idea that doesn't compromise the liability taken on by the car manufacturer or the child's seat manufacturer. Provided a weighted vest really can keep the child in a third-party car seat, properly anchored to the car's rear seat. Though I'd think any weighted vest for a toddler or infant is a seasonal article of clothing not intended for warmer weather.

That way the products liability for all three products likely remains within the realm of their intended use. Potentially favoring the customer in the event of a products liability suit.

 

[the_tortoise]

Can you have the airbag disabled/removed from the front passenger seat of your car and put his car seat in the front seat?

I know the back seat is the safest place for young children to ride, but it's the most dangerous if you can't keep him there..... the main issue with children riding in the front seat is the airbags.

In some places there are actually laws that prohibit children under a certain age or height/weight from riding in the front seat, and if you live in one of those places I'm not sure what to suggest....

 

[Mary Terry]

My son just turned 3 and has an autism diagnosis. He escapes his car seat while I'm driving and tries to get in the front seat. I have tried an additional strap buckle thingy and he got out of it too. He also hates highchairs, booster seats, and strollers so pretty much anything restraining which is the only reason for a car seat so I'm struggling. Please contact me with any and every suggestion you have. At this point I'm desperate.

Try contacting the manufacturer of the car seat about the problem and see if they have any suggestions. I bet they have been asked this question before because toddlers are incredible escape artists. You're going to have to outsmart him. Maybe a belt around his waist that buckles in the back where he can't reach it?

Maybe check with as many car seat manufacturers as possible to see if there is a product on the market that can prevent escape. I don't think this is a problem unique to autistic kids. My kids and grandkids, all NT, also escaped or tried to escape their car seats around that age. They also tried to get out of high chairs. I simply took away the food if they tried to escape the high chair so they learned that food was served only when they were in the high chair. I didn't make a big deal out of it - if they wanted to eat, then stay in the high chair. If they didn't want to eat, then they could leave the high chair but there would be no food unless they got back into the chair.

As his mother and driver, you could be liable for non-compliance with your state's laws about child restraints in cars, not to mention what the law could do to you if he were injured in a car accident because he was not properly restrained. Try to have another passenger in the backseat beside him to prevent him from escaping the car seat until you can figure this out!

 

[Omnik]

My daughter learned how to unbuckle her carseat a while back. It's the toddler type, the straps come over the shoulders, there are two latches. One that goes across her chest like a puzzle piece. The lower one has two buckles coming over her legs into a center piece. The center piece is where she was unlatching. We flipped that piece around, so it was facing her not out toward the car. She couldn't get her fingers inside to push the button, but we could!! Thankfully, she's over that stage!!! But this worked wonders! Still try to investigate all variants and study all guidelines I hope you`ll find out of the situation