Car safety - please help! DS, autistic, aged 5, seems intent on killing us both...

[CaptainPlump]

Can anyone help? My lovely DS has been able to undo his seatbelt for the last year but has lulled us into a false sense of security by not doing so. However, in the last week he's done it twice (three times really) and has scared me to death. I've been driving along quite happily, ignoring the dulcet tones of Screaming Boy in the back seat, when suddenly I've heard the click of the seatbelt and seen his face fill the rear view mirror as he moves towards me, and then he's been screaming and pulling my hair and thumping me.

The first time he did this, last week, I just screamed and screamed until he got back into his chair, shocked. However, he's obviously become wise to that reaction very quickly because when he did it today my screaming had no effect on him whatsoever. I was driving down the dual carriageway at 60mph and was forced to put the hazards on, pull into the nearest layby, and cry my eyes out. Eventually I got him back into his seat, and this time I covered the buckle up with one of those covers you can buy at Halfords. DS isn't stupid, however, and I'd only been driving for a minute or so when he'd got around that and was back to attacking me. I gave up on my original plan (taking him to the farm) and took him to my parent's house instead, where they calmed me down with chocolate biscuits and I calmed him down with a packet of crisps.

Anyway, I need SOMETHING to keep him safe, urgently. I've just checked out the Crelling Harness website, but it looks like they need to be used in the passenger seat and there is NO WAY I'm driving with DS next to me. Does anyone have any words of wisdom, or failing that, sympathy and understanding? I'm completely shaken up by this moring and can't believe I'm still alive.

TIA!

[meerkatsandkookaburras]

we have a crelling 28asb over a high back booster and it goes fine over most booster seats etc and is fine in the back providing back seats are able to be folded down to fit it etc, if you ring them they are very helpful and can tell you which is best for your car etc. we have the steel buckle though and i canrecommend it as more escape proof than the normal one they do, though my little one climbs out if its not secured at just the right tightness etc so were looking at alternatives now, however it does take him a while to climb out and i think if i adjusted it better that may not happen

hope that helps

[CaptainPlump]

Thank you, I will call the lovely people at Crelling as soon as I have time! (I hope they're open on Saturdays because I have no time for the rest of the day...)

K

[meerkatsandkookaburras]

dont think they are actually to be honest, when i phoned though ds was hyper and the lady that answered was understanding!

[IUsedToBePeachy]

Captainplump DON'T CALL Crelling yet

We ahd one of those and can no longer use it because we changed car- nio idea where it is but will get DH to dig. It's almost £100 new so happy to pass on if it is any use, far better than sat in the cupboard!

[CaptainPlump]

Peachy - Yesyesyes!! That would be fabulous. I will contact you privately to give you my email address, and thanks again.

Everyone else - and Peachy too, if you have an answer; what do you know about the Britax Junior Plus car seat? I just went to Halfords to ask about the Junior Plus (around £200) and they told me about the Traveller Plus, which is apparently about £500!!! I'd probably need to get the Traveller Plus as DS is a big boy and would outgrow the smaller one, but it's a lot of money, so...

...has anyone ever used one of these? Are they effective? Are they (as I've been advised) better used when combined with the Crelling Harness?

Thanks again!

[CaptainPlump]

Peachy - it seems I was wrong, or stupid - I can't find a way to contact you privately without paying £5 to join their CAT service, so I shall just trust the lovely MNers who might come across this thread NOT to send me hate mail, and give you my email address here. It's kiggles at ntlworld dot com. Look forward to hearing from you, and naturally I would be very happy to pay you a reasonable amount for the harness - just let me know what you think is reasonable!

K

[IUsedToBePeachy]

I won't ask for anything for the ahrness, if you wanted to pop in something SMALL for ds3 (as his DLA bought it) you may, but genuinely only SMALL things- book or top trumps set. No more.

I will get DH to dig the thing out then email you, probably tomorrow as he owees me one .

Crelling sell a belt that attaches across the front to make it doubly secure for just a few pounds which might help even more, but worth trialling first

[CaptainPlump]

Thank you, I love MN! I'll look forward to getting your email.