Benefits of rear facing

[Nannyto2]

What are the actual benefits of keeping a child rear facing for longer?

Does turning them to forward facing when they've out grown infant carrier make a difference??

[Booboostoo]

There is quite a lot of information here: www.rearfacing.co.uk/

The summary is that rear facing seats will disperse the force of a crash through the whole body of the seat. In a forward facing the harness keeps the child in place while the head flicks forward with potentially very dangerous consequences.

You can get rear facing seats to up to 25 kilos so they can be kept rear facing for quite a long while.

[nocake]

The most common and severe car crashes are front impacts. If you're facing forwards your head will be thrown forwards, possibly causing a neck injury. If you're facing backwards your head will be pushed into the padding of the seat and won't move very much. That means it's safer for everyone to face backwards but why more so for kids?

The bit of a person that moves most in a crash is the head. Think how much bigger in proportion to the body a child's head is compared to an adults. That means a child's small neck has to take proportionally more force than an adult's in a crash. This massively increases the chance of neck injury, including something called internal decapitation where the spinal cord is severed with the skin and muscle around it breaking.

So, it's more important to stop a kid's head being thrown forward in a crash than an adult's. To answer your question... there is very good evidence that keeping a child rear facing for an extended period (until the age of 3 or 4) is safer.

[Nannyto2]

Why all of a sudden has the world of car seats gone crazy for rear facing?? For years I've known children be forward facing and some in crashes at high speeds and all are ok no lasting injuries.

[nocake]

When I was a kid I didn't have a car seat but since then it's been realised that kids are safer in car seats. The world is moving on again and realising that extended rear facing seats are safer than forward facing seats. Would you rather we went back to a world were kids would sit in the back of a car without so much as a seat belt?

[Nannyto2]

Ermm no but it all seems a huge hype & expense!

I think the emphasis on rear facing is a tad ott as not all rear facing seats Are guna fit in all cars! I know I wouldn't get one in the back of my car!! There simply aren't enough on the market.

Plus what ablution children having to sit with their legs all crunched up??surely that's not good for development!!

[lagoonhaze]

You can get a ERF in a mini so yes it is possible.

Goggle joels journey and then call it hype.

[Nannyto2]

I struggle to fit a infant carrier in the back of my car so there is noo way I would get one in.

It is a hype - there maybe reasons why it's better IF you crash. Think of the development issues it's guna cause with children having there legs all crunched up and limited movement in them!!

[lagoonhaze]

I think you are being very rude and ignorant to be honest. Have a look at what I suggested. See the impact on Cerys Edwards life, look at the videos, read the research, compare the death rates of ours to swedens (nil) and then call it hype.

The manufacteurs and retailers aren't hyping it- it's campaigns by parents/safety experts who have brought it to this country. You even read the BMJ article?

[Nannyto2]

So I'm rude for thinking that is hype?? Ever though that companies got on board to make more money!!
U said google Joel's journey - American so isn't really a valid source. It's known that America is behind in most aspects of baby/ child products.

How can you say that children wont develop issuers from sitting with legs bent?? It is going to have some be it large or small affect on the child's development.

I have a clio and there is no way I'll get one on my car. It I was too the passenger in the front would be say licking the windscreen.