Should I bundle my child up or not?
courtesy photo
Strapping a child into a car seat while dressed in bulky winter clothing may interfere with proper function of the harness.
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News from the Lake County Health Department
POLSON — We see it all the time, especially lately when it’s very cold outside. Children are bundled up in bulky clothing and then buckled into their car seat. It makes sense, and it’s natural to want to keep them as warm as possible, but what most parents don’t know is that car seat manufacturers don’t always recommend this while the child is riding in a car seat because it can interfere with proper function of the harness, resulting in injury to the child in the event of a crash or even a sudden stop. Aside from making harness straps difficult to get snug and adjust, crash forces will make bulky clothing compress, leaving room for movement, which could mean room for injury.
Evenflo recommends the following for the Discovery Infant seat, “In cold weather, do not dress the child in bulky clothing, like snowsuits, if the child is riding in a child restraint. This clothing makes it difficult to properly tighten the harness to the child, which may allow the child to be ejected from the restraint during a crash.” The Graco My Ride 65 instruction manual says “Do not use strap covers, blankets, cushions, or padding under harness straps or child unless provided by Graco. Child should be dressed in clothing that does not interfere with buckling the harness.” The Britax Frontier car seat has this information in its owner’s manual, “Adjust the harness to fit the clothes the child is wearing. Remove bulky coats and/or jackets before putting the child in the child seat.”
A snug harness strap should not allow any slack; you should not be able to pinch any webbing together. Straps lie in a relatively straight line without sagging or twisting, and do not press on the child’s body in an unnatural way. The chest clip must be placed at armpit level (mid-chest). For rear-facing children, the harness must come out of the back of the seat at a position that is even with their shoulder height or slightly below them. For forward facing children, the harness should be even with their shoulder height or slightly above them.
You can always take your children to the warmed up vehicle in their heavy winter jacket, take the jacket off and place it or a blanket over the top of the child after you harness them into their seat. For infants who you get ready in their car seat inside the home, dress warm and place blankets over the top of the child and tuck in the sides between the child and the side of car seat, making sure not to tuck under the child or the harness straps — and never over the child’s face.
It is important to read your owner’s manual for specific car seat model warnings and instructions. If you misplaced or forgot where your instruction manual is, you can either call the manufacturer for a replacement one or check their website for free downloadable and printable manuals.
Proper use and installation of your child’s car seat is critical to their safety. If you need help with your child safety seat, you can reach a certified child passenger safety technician by calling the Lake County Health Department’s Buckle Up Program at (406) 883-7341 and the service is free. You can also visit www.buckleup.mt.gov and click on the “children” tab at the bottom for more helpful information.
