Do you use these when your kid sleeps in the car?

[SakuraM]

Hello,

I wonder if any of you use this kind of car seat head-support for your toddlers/ kids when they are asleep in the car:

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If yes, are they any good? can you recommend one I can buy as my toddler's head leans dangerously forward when he (very rarely) sleeps while I'm driving.

Thx!

[SakuraM]

Sorry! Here are the links:

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01E8WPV2W/ref=asc_df_B01E8WPV2W56963522/?hvlocphy=1006715&linkCode=df0&hvnetw=g&hvadid=310809312674&creative=22146&creativeASIN=B01E8WPV2W&hvpos=1o2&hvdev=c&hvtargid=pla-469578467503&hvrand=4132861727486074003&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21


www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01J242BLK/ref=asc_df_B01J242BLK56963523/?hvlocphy=1006715&linkCode=df0&psc=1&hvnetw=g&hvadid=310809312674&creative=22110&creativeASIN=B01J242BLK&th=1&hvpos=1o1&hvdev=c&hvtargid=pla-348719262214&hvrand=4132861727486074003&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

[brightasabutton]

I didn’t know such a thing existed! Watching the thread with interest.

[FrazzyAndFrumpled]

No, I would never use a uthig that could so easily get caught round my baby’s neck.

[FrazzyAndFrumpled]

Thing

[DonaldDucksTowel]

Oh wow these don’t look safe at all
I just bought a seat that I could tilt backwards 🤷🏻‍♀️

[littleducks]

I bpught this and dc woke up screaming as if I was strangling him.
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00IKZO4JA/ref=asc_df_B00IKZO4JA56963523/?hvlocphy=9045971&linkCode=df0&psc=1&hvnetw=g&hvadid=205208091792&creative=22110&creativeASIN=B00IKZO4JA&th=1&hvpos=1o10&hvdev=m&hvtargid=pla-341308077051&hvrand=928133970243047488&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

Have also tried the squishy ones (burst covering car in tiny balls ) and ones you strap onto belt (ineffective) with older kids.

Never found effective solution annoyingly

[ZackPizzazz]

No. They are really really unsafe. Head flop, on the other hand, is not dangerous.

[Shmithecat]

No. They're incredibly dangerous. Over a certain age, approx 6 months, headflop doesn't really matter. link for info

[LettuceP]

They look pretty dangerous to me. I didn't know they existed.

[teaandbiscuitsforme]

These are incredibly dangerous as they're a strangulation risk.

Head flop isn't dangerous in a healthy child over 6 months. Best thing for it is a well fitting (preferably rear facing) seat.

[SakuraM]

Hi and thx for the replies.

I see that it's a no no. What's the alternative then? What should I do? I really can't let him sleep like that as he was leaning dangerously forward...what if I had to do an emergency brake?

[INeedNewShoes]

I'd be looking for a car seat with more recline.

I chose DD's car seat with 2 things in mind:

1. ERF until 4
   
2. Best recline to reduce head flop.
   
   On the advice of In Car Safety Centre we've got a GB Vaya and it's been great for DD napping comfortably on journeys.

[Solasum]

I use one of these with my 4yo, and have done for about a year when on long drives. I believe that it is far more likely that his neck will be damaged by sudden braking on the motorway when he is sleeping than I would somehow manage to avoid looking at him more or less constantly in the rear view mirror for long enough that there would be an issue with strangulation. If you place them round the back of the seat there is almost no way it could slip down if the seat is properly fastened, immobile, against the car seat.

[TulipsInbloom1]

If ypu put him in a rear facing seat (lots go up to 25kg/5_6yo) then there will be much less stress on his neck asleep or awake.

[ZackPizzazz]

Is he rear facing or forwards facing?

As long as the seat otherwise fits him properly and he is tightly strapped in with only his head lolling, it's not unsafe. If you're really worried, turn him rear facing and get a more reclined seat.

Try joining Car Seat Advice UK on Facebook and posting pictures. The fitters there can reassure and/or make suggestions.

[ILoveAutum]

No. No way.

What difference do you actually think it would make in an accident if his head was flopping?

[teaandbiscuitsforme]

If he was leaning that far forward, he either wasn't in the seat correctly or your seat doesn't fit your car.

The force that is put on the neck is so much greater if you crash when they're forward facing rather than rear facing and is the main reason why rear facing is so much safer. If you're concerned about his neck in a crash, you need to turn him rear facing. Making sure the seat has a good recline will help with the neck flop but you would be best to get it fitted by an independent car seat shop in order to check that it fits in your car, particularly if you have sloped seats. Britax Two Way Elite and Axkid Minikids can be fitted with a good recline.

[Notquiteagandt]

That looks like a sure fire way to break your neck in a crash to me.

Head should move with the body to spread the force of impact in a crash.

Surely this would put all the impact force on the head and neck area?

Looks so so so dangerous.

Anything not tested along side the carseat should not be added as it can drastically change performance in a crash and when most needed.

The first one the product looks photoshopped onto the photo strangely!

[Shmithecat]

@Solasum you have no idea what will happen with the strap in the even of a crash, regardless of how you have placed it.

OP, what seat do you have? Maybe contact the manufacturer for advice.

[babydreamer1]

Those things look lethal in the even of an accident, if a car seat was meant to pin a child's head in place in place, it would. The general advice is never to use 3rd party products on your child's car seat, end of. The best thing you can do is get a rear facing car seat (which a toddler should be in anyway), that has a really good recline and a very supportive side headrest.

[SakuraM]

Hello and thanks very much for your input.

I will definitely not buy it, glad that I posted here.

Cheers

[NotUmbongoUnchained]

Ffs no you have to a real idiot to use one of those.

Objects in motion remain in motion. If you have to slam your brakes on or are hit from behind etc, the child body will be flung forwards but that strap will be holding the head in place. Internal decapitation. The head must be allowed to move with the rest of the body.