18 month old Escapologist - any advice?

[Scirocco]

My 18 month old DC has now demonstrated that they can escape from reins, strollers and 5-point harnesses. Any advice on how to keep a very determined child securely in their pram or car seat? They can press the release button surprisingly firmly, and put a lot of concentration and effort into wriggling out of things (plus a bit of hypermobility seems to help them with this)...

I think superglue might be frowned upon...

Distraction with books or interesting surroundings can work for as long as they stay interested, but doesn't physically prevent escape...

For the pushchair - we put the harness on first then the reins over the top. If the reins are snug it must take a huge amount of effort to get them off.

We got a chest clio for the car seat and a cover for the button to stop them getting at it. They still try but mostly unsuccessfully.

Well aware chest clips aren't recommended and why, but it is certainly safer than not being strapped in.

For reins & buggy you can fetch clips on amazon etc designed for escape artists. Not safe for car seats but you can get some car
Seats which have a kind of front bumper thing -again check amazon,I know joie do one, maybe cyber as well

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Silver-Pallas-Fix-Childs-without-approx/dp/B005XATCO2/ref=asc_df_B005XATCO2/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310809312674&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10524347168048694349&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9046923&hvtargid=pla-445101434554&psc=1&th=1&psc=1

One of one learnt to undo the straps on a car seat. I stopped every time (as soon as I could safely) and did it back up again. DC got bored of it in the end.

Having a really good fit on car seat can help - maybe join one of the car seat Facebook groups and ask for a fit check?

Also sticking a bit of Velcro on the release button can stop them wanting to
push hard on it.

No advice for reins and pushchair - we didn’t manage either past about 13/14 months.

Thanks, I'll check those clips out for the pram and try some velcro for the car seat!

We had a kiddy car seat like this -

kiddy.com/en/products/guardianfix-3/

The seatbelt goes across the middle and there are no straps for them to escape from.

The impact shield seats look great, but all seem to be forward facing only. Anyone know of any that are rear facing?

Use a scarf to tie a bow with a big knot around the clip

Oh I remember those days - they could get out of any car seat no matter how done up. Very frowned upon now I’m sure over 15 years later but I used a tight ikea type clip to keep them in or sometimes a zip tie thing which I then zipped off the other end. As mine did it constantly.

The impact shield seats are only forward facing. In the event of an extreme escapologist, the argument is that restrained is better than unrestrained, while RF is safest, it's no use if they are getting out all the time. Cybex have one with an airbag in, which does seem to support the neck very well even FF but it's extremely expensive. The ones without airbag are more accessible on a normal car seat budget.

In terms of stopping escapes from a 5 point harness, the velcro trick as said.

Def check harness setting, inserts - don't add a product without checking this as you could be masking a poor fit, which would be a problem.

Best products to add are 5pointplus (which is a velcro wrap around the straps) or Besafe Belt Collector (which is a plastic clip that connects the two belts in front). Or if your car seat is made by Cybex or Besafe, there are clips that are specifically designed and tested with their seats (but they cost more).

Less advised are the unregulated ones like houdini stop/random amazon ones.

Least advised of all would be the makeshift ones like a bag tie, or reins over the straps etc as these can pull the straps out of place.

You want the harness to be able to do its job so just be aware of this when considering adding any products at all.