What are the things called that stop DC getting their arms out of car seats?

[MushroomTree]

DD has such narrow shoulders that it doesn't matter how tightly you do the car seat straps up she can still get her arms free.

I'm sure I saw a post on here a while ago and someone posted about some kind of extra strap or gadget that stops them doing this.

Alternatively, any other ideas?

Houdini strap?

We had these kind of chest clips.
amazon

Please check that whatever you use is both crash tested AND legal for use in the UK. Many things on the market are neither. It may also be worth joining the Facebook group 'Car Seat Advice UK' where you will find a file about escapees, how to prevent it and suitable products.

Houdini straps and the similar clips are illegal and dangerous. The U.K. law states we should only have 1 buckle to undo in the event of an accident.
However a 5 point plus (standard on cossato seats, and about £20 to pick up) are tested, safe, and tough to escape from

Tasers??

Length of drainpipe for each arm with a fastner at the wrist end

Was also going to suggest you look at cosattos seats, that have a waistcoat style strap system. Much safer than adding anything onto the safety tested existing harness.

Straightjacket?
Seriously?
Just stop the car, play merry hell get very serious and stern and tell them you will go home (not continue on your trip out to see lovely granny, film, soft play whatever) until they get back in the seat properly. If they don't get back in, and stay in, you do go home. You must follow through on this, this is non-negotiable.

Handcuffs?

I did have one friend who used to tie her kids shoe laces together, stopped them from escaping from car seats, shopping trolleys and high chairs.

Thanks everyone.

I didn't realise the clips were illegal in the UK

I do stop the car and get very serious when she does it but it's not always an option to go home. And she's not quite two yet so I doubt she'd be bothered about missing whatever it was I told her she was missing.

Staple guns and gaffer tape?

First of all check the harness - is it tight enough (should be tight enough you would be happy she couldn't slip out in a roll over), is it at the right height for her shoulders? For rear facing it needs to be level with or lower than. For forward facing level with or higher than. Check that she doesn't need them moving up a slot. Are you using any chest pads at the correct position as indicated in the car seat manual? And no bulky coats should be worn in the car seat.

If this is all fine:

You have two add-on options essentially in the UK. These are the two that FB group will advise.

Is she sucking her tummy in and pushing her arms through that way? If so I'd go for five point plus, you can buy them in Halfords or online.

There's also a little clip called the Besafe Belt Collector. It does the job of a chest clip but it isn't a chest clip and doesn't interfere with the workings of the straps. This is a bit cheaper so if you want to try it first it might be worth it. You mentioned narrow shoulders - if she's wriggling a shoulder free at a time, this might be better.

Don't buy the Houdini Stop, it's not approved and it can cause problems with the car seat straps spreading force adequately.

If these fail:

Consider replacing the car seat. Either with one where the shoulder harness slots are closer together, if that is the problem, or one with an impact shield rather than a harness. While impact shields are controversial, they are safer than half a harness.

You can try dressing her in a button-up shirt and buttoning it over the car seat straps once they are done up. This has to be massively fiddly - but I've seen it suggested online.

You can put her in the harness from a pair of reins, fastened with the clasp at the back. Thread the car seat straps under this harness and fasten. Fiddly and potentially unsafe if a stranger needed to get her out of the seat quickly in an emergency - but may stop the escaping.

Bribery/distraction - get some kind of screen device installed on the headrest of the front seat or back seat if she's rear facing. To act as a distraction from escaping, but also to use as a motivator - if she escapes she loses the TV.

DD does this. What we do is put her in a zip up hoodie, strap her in as usual, then zip the hoodie up over the straps.

The five point plus anti escape system. Has been tested in other countries and doesn’t affect the seats fastener. I bought one but sent it back as ds didn’t try to escape from the group 1 seat as he had from the baby seat.

I had one incredibly slight build DC, even with no coat on she could get out in every car seat I tried.

I did use one of the illegal clips for a few months as I figured that a lesser risk on the motorway than her roaming loose. Once she started doing the clip up herself I knew I could take it off!

Thanks everyone. I think I'll get the 5 point plus. I can't afford to replace the car seat and she's had it less than a year

The 5 point plus is inescapable in my experience. Unless they can undo the buckle, which is another issue altogether!

https://www.mothercare.com/car-accessories/5-point-plus-anti-escape-system-1515-30-months/632555.html?cmmmc=---MC-UK-G-ShoppingCSS-Car+Seats//Car+Seats+-+Catch+All---+-+&utmsource=Google&utmmmedium=CPC&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIqNyh8MTv4AIVDp3tCh22DACcEAQYBCABEgKkQfDBwE