Car booster seats - what age

[saadia]

We have been given a car booster seat, basically just a seat shape with no straps, with no instructions about what age group it is for or how to install it. Does anyone know in general what age they are appropriate for and do you just put the car seat belt on the child as you would for an adult? TIA

my dd is 3 and uses a booster seat in her grans car. you just put the seat belt on like for an adult. the only trouble i have noticed is if she falls asleep there is no side head bit for her to rest her head against and she lolls forward

Think it's 15kg...we were advised by mother\care not to use one without a back on it as they don't give enough support to the pelvis and head in the event of a crash. Found that the seatbelt dug into DD's neck quite badly when we tried one...suppose it depends on the height of your lo.

i really wouldn't like to guess at something like this. Try looking up the manufacturers website. I thought it was 4 plus but could b wrong

Look on Britax website...it gives loads of info.

Thanks everyone for such prompt replies, will look into getting an interim seat as this one doesn't seem very secure. Ds (although 4 in Jan) is quite puny.

Buttonmoon, will look at the website - thanks.

Usually from about 3 1/2 - 4 but must be at least 15 kg and think the recommendation for a backless one is now 22kg.

Thanks Lizs, that's interesting. Had a look at the Britax website and will probably postpone the booster seat and get another carseat. Ds is nearly 4 and just about 15.5kg, so it might be the safest thing.

Technically (according to the seats) its 15kg howvere they offer VERY LITTLE protection in a crash at all

if you wer4e to go to halfords / mothercare etc you would see that actually they are NOT recommended until child is about 6 (or 22kg) which ever comes LAST!

ideally should be in a high backed booster until 22kg (many go up to 25kg) but some go up to 36kg and these offer a lot more protection in a crash....

which is why we use seats in the first place!

hovere even some of these seats are pretty crap, the Graco one for example (high backed booster)

The Britax high backed ones and the maxi cosy ones do well tho!

Gosh NannyL, that's very helpful, and worrying that so many small children are using these booster seats. The one I was given looked very iffy to me for such a young child so I will definitely get one of the proper high-backed ones. Had a look at the Britax website and will be looking for one of those now.

Anyone know what 15 kilos is in old money?

about 33 lbs

Everyone (except me) uses them in NZ from 2 years and 14 kilos. I don't like them at all.

Blimey, so we could put ds (age 2) in a booster seat? Quite a scary idea, I'm sure that wouldn't be very safe.