Car seat help please!

[chonky]

My dd is rapidly outgrowing her Class 0 car seat and we need to move to the next size up. The problem is she still has minimal head control, so a standard car seat isn't going to be any good. Our physio has recommended the Recaro seat (adapted for SN) - however it's £600+ . Before I panic and re-mortgage the house does anyone have any other recommendations please? Is the Britax SN car seat good?

lou has the britax one

how about the club class extra? that is quite reclined. i have one if you are passing?

do u need a 9months+ car seat?

just thinking the britax standard seats recline quite far.

i cant belive they charge so much for SN cars seats. have you applied to the family fund? It may also be wise to contact some local charities to see if they can help.

we have the britax junior traveller and think its great. Can you remind me what sn your dd has? I might be able to relate a bit more in detail about it then, if her sn have any similarities to ds

The price is shocking isn't it - x 1000??!!

Thanks, I'll take a look at the Britax ones. I'm a bit worried that we'll shell out for a standard car seat, and then a year down the line we'll have to shell put again for a SN one. The physios seem really vague about making a recommendation, and I am crap at making decisions! There are a couple of local charities that help with funding so I'm going to get the forms tomorrow (more forms to fill in )

Does anyone know where you can go & try the Britax SN seats out for support?

whereabouts are you ? We travelled fom surrey to milton keynes to the in car safety centre ( plcae recommended by ot). They have them and will let you try them out and see if it is suitable. Theer are a fair few sn ones, so you may not need the britax traveller, the icss seems to have them all in stock

No firm dx yet Lou. The paeds have suggested cerebral palsy and/or global dev delay, as she has pretty severe hypotonia, and some mild hypertone in her limbs. Repeat mri scan in 3 weeks time, I've got everything crossed for it.

Her head control is still pretty poor, which is the main concern for what seat to get.

We're in Glos., so Milton Keynes isn't toooo far. Were they able to advise you on which one may be best?

In which case the junior traveller sounds like it would be good for her. Ds2 has cp, and at age four still finds it hard to stay upright, he slumps and slips down the seat, so he needs something to stop that, and he needs proper support for his spine and low upper body muscle tone. It has a 5 point harness which he can still use for a couple more years, lowered and extra padded sides to enable transfers in and out of the car more easily, amn extra chest strap for more support, and a padded head support. You can also order extra accessories to customise it for anything other than the standard seat. Iirc it lasts til about age 6, then you have to fork out £500 for the next size up. REALLY hoping we don't need one by then!

yes they would. Hang on i will find the details for you

In-Car Safety Centre

Unit 5,
The Auto Centre,
Stacey Bushes,
Milton Keynes.
MK12 6HS

Tel: (01908) 220909

These people were recommended to me by the professionals in the bobath centre in n london and by our local ot

Thanks Lou - you're a star!

Yep, dd slips down seats unless she's strapped in, wedged in with a pommel etc., so sounds as though it might work O.K. I hope so, I'm still recovering from the shock of the £600 price tag

better news tho, as the junior traveller which goes to age 6 is only 150!

O.K, I'm now mentally spending the £450 I have 'saved'

Thanks for posting this Chonky - we're beginning to have to consider a new seat too. I was shocked at the price of the seats too!

i used to have whole reams of stuff relating to various sn car seats, if i can find them in my pile of filing i will offer them out to anyone who wants them.

Hi. hope you don't mind me asking what first car seat you use for your dd. Looking for one for my niece. She 6mths and just being diagnosed CP ( the tight muscle type ) sorry new to all the terms. I'll get there. lol She gets very destressed in her buggy or carseat. Was looking to get her a matrix which lays flat, she is also quite small still under 10lbs but has gone back to tube feeding in the past week so her weight may improve. Just wondered if you know anyone else who used a flat carseat or carrycot like the M&P navetta?
Always usfull to get others opinions. thanks

Hi, we used a maxi-cosi cabrio for dd. However, she is hypoyonic (very floppy), and only has a bit of tightness in her limbs, so she found that that gave enough support. Sorry I can't help, but I'm sure someone else can - Lou???

Hi ,info with help for special need care seat, if you ask at the in car safety center in milton kyenes they will give you advice on charities that might be able to help out with the cost of special car seats. I brought one for £200 and got £90 back from a charity.

dezzie, does she have a occupational therapist? The firdst thing to do imo, would be to ask which ones they recommend for her specific type of cp, in relation to the areas her body needs more or less support than others. We have the junior traveller for ds2 who is 4, and he has spastic diplegia cerebral palsy. Most car seats are too bucket shaped for him, they bad for his spine (he has v high muscle tone in his lower half, but low muscle tone in his trunk), but even though your niece and my son may have hte same type of cp, they could be affected in different areas. First step ot, then it should be easier to sort form there.

family fund will pay for sn car seats if you have supporting documented evidence that it is necessary. A letter from an ot will do, but don't buy it then try and get the money from them, they will refuse to pay you.

Thanx for all info ect. baby K was born in NZ as my il's emmigrated there. She is only coming home for a visit. I was trying to find a seat to meet her at the airport in as she is being carried all the way home. Her mum can not find a suitable one in NZ.She just screams in her car seat and buggy so as a result is being carried around a lot.
Her poor mum needs a rest as well as the safty issue.
But will contact milton keynes to see what they think.
Spoke to her last night and dk is making improvement in hosp after only 3 days on med's and tube feed. Weight on and much more relaxed so fingers crossed things looking up.
Sis-il very down tho, just trying to support

Hi dezziemum. Sorry I can't help on the car seat, but I can really recommend one of these to help with all the carrying:

hippychick seat

Our physio bullied us (in the nicest possible way ) all into buying one and now I swear by it for carrying dd anywhere.

Hi Chonky!

How much does your dd weigh? - I'm finding it a nightmare carrying ds2 around, but wondered whether it would be suitable for his weight (he's 37lbs) I guess I should ask the manufacturers?

Hi Merlot!

She's only 20lbs! I must be really weedy.....

I found this - it says up to at least 3 years:

more info

There's a really good market for them on ebay (people bid up to £30), so I guess if it doesn't suit you you can always sell it on.