Other Blog

I'm sorry it's too hard for me to keep up 2 or 3 blogs. I don't think that I'll continue to update this one. Please feel free to visit me at http://kaelance.livejournal.com/

important: child passanger safety

PLEASE, for your childrens sake, consider leaving them in REAR-FACING (RF) car seats as longs as you can. Although it is "suggested" by many people and organizations, that you can turn them forward facing at 1 yr / 20 lbs, and seats are made to accommodate that, it doesn't mean they will not be subjected to cervical spine injuries in an accident. Sure, it'll hold their body in place, as it did for my grandson. But their head is thrown violently forward!! Actually, if you do your homework, front facing children "75% more likely to be injured" in a crash ( http://www.carseatsite.com/rf.htm ).

I am Grandpa, and here's my personal view. My 18 mo old grandson, Joel, was injured in a front impact car crash 4 weeks ago. He is a "beefy" boy, weighing in at 34lbs and about 39" tall. According to his mom, the doctor told her it was "okay" to put him in a front facing car seat, because he was a "big boy". So she did. And he was securely strapped in the rear seat. The car hit a tree, for reasons unknown, at city speed limit of approx 35 mph.

At the accident scene, the EMT crew took Joel out of the car while in the car seat and all, and transported him to the hospital. They had to "bag" him at the scene to restart his breathing. The true miracle is that the ambulance was driving by, and some people flagged it down. They didn't even get time to call 911. You can bet God had his hand in that!!! they were on the scene in about 60 seconds!!

Below are some photos of Joel, before and after. YOU decide whats best for your child.......not anyone else!!! He sustained dislocated top 2 vertebrae in his spine (C-1 & C-2). Some of the doctors put it in very simple terms...his skull, internally, became detached from his body... and was basically held on with his skin.

In the last few weeks, I've scoured the internet to find these facts:
* a young child's head is approx 25% of his/her bodywieight. If that were true of adults, my head (I'm 220lbs) would weigh 55lbs! as it is, an adults head is only about 6% of their body weight. So, kids are very top-heavy.
* Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland recommend rear facing until 4 yrs old
* look on You Tube at the crash test videos of front facing vs. rear facing. you'll be amazed.
YouTube - Crash Test - http://babyproducts.about.com/od/car...ear_facing.htm

* if a young childs spine is "stretched" a 1/4 of an inch, it could result in total paralysis or death.
* and this is amazing! There was an article published in Pediatrics (the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics) earlier this year that states: ""A recent analysis of the protection provided in rear-facing compared with forward-facing car safety seats has revealed that children under the age of 2 years are 75% less likely to die or sustain serious injury when they are in a rear-facing seat.2 This finding was true regardless of direction of the crash, even those crashes with side impact, which typically are the most severe."

"Parents may be helped to understand the importance of using the convertible car safety seat in the rear-facing position longer than 1 year if they are counseled that children are 5 times safer than when riding in a forward-facing seat into the second year of life."

After hearing about that, I contacted the AAP via email, and asked what their position is on this issue. Their response was "While this was published in the Academy's journal, it does not necessarily constitute AAP policy" and "Because riding rear-facing does provide significantly more protection to children's heads, necks, and spines, the Academy does recommend it for as long as possible, but the only minimum we have set is 12 months/20 pounds. This policy statement is under revision but is current at this time."

The policy statement is under revision.... at this time??

Do you're home work folks!!! Oh, and you'll also find out that in the USA, rear facing seats only go up to about 35lbs. In Europe, whose testing standards seem to exceed US standards (http://daddytypes.com/2007/01/05/con...e_car_seat.php ), the RF car seats can be purchased up to 55 lbs. AND, made by the same manufacturers as in the US.

So, the question is, why can't we get them?? And don;t worry about legroom. check out these larger RF seats: http://forum.nybaktmamma.com/showthread.php?t=524428
Sure, they can break a leg in a violent crash, but I think bones are easier to fix than a broken neck!!! Heck, it's better to mount a portable CD player in the back window shelf and let them watch it, then to risk their life! Think about it....their body is strapped down to a car seat that is strapped down, and the car comes to an abrupt stop!! where is their head going to go? FORWARD, and at a tremedous velocity!! The back of their neck/ spinal cord is vunerable to injury.

But the BIG question is....... for you to decide. I know you want to see their darling faces. But you don't want to see them in a halo.

I know this is a very long blog, but if it saves one child...or one family, the agony of what we've endured these last 4 weeks, it is worth the read!! The pic's below are about six weeks apart. he was eating cake by himself....very cute.

And now, he is is headed for intense physical therapy. he does move his fingers and his legs, but he doesn't pick up his arms. The therapy people are very optimistic, given the movement in his extremities. Doctors believe it was some compression of the shoulder nerves from the car seat straps acroos his collar bone area. You had to see those big, wide bruise marks. Again...front facing will do it.!!



I welcome all comments, as I would like to see: the FF threshold raised to 24 months, and largers RF seats available in the US. Thank you

original article found here with pics: (warning graphic)http://messageboards.ivillage.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=iv-ppcarseats&msg=66986.1&ctx=128

OH, a lot has been happening

I've been updating on my livejournal account, And have neglected this page, sorry!

I now work at D'angelo's full time, the joy. It's actually not that bad, I usually work evenings so I don't have to deal with the daytime drama. I quit doing daycare, that within it's self should be a novel. I've also been working on another myspace page. For those of you who like the Japanese musical, Sera Myu, click on photo below to check it out.

I hope I'm not the only one!!

Gosh it seems that everywhere these days make you do those capcatcha things. I absolutely 100% hate them, they make me so mad! Alright, I'll let you in on a little secret I don't think I'm cordinated enough to do both read and type. Plus my desk is broken and I can't see all my keyboard. Yes, that's it I'll blame it on my keyboard.

Anyway, I hope everybody had a wonderful April Fool's day!

*insert nervous laughter*

Okay, so today my cousin, who's eight, and I were goofing around. Anyway we were joking around about being Starlights, I’m not going into much detail about them because I’m not sure that most of you know who they are nad it’s difficult to explain. Anyeay she said that she would buy me a guitar when I turn 25. Dang, I have to wait since I’m only 23. WRONG! I turn 25 in April. How much of a retard can I be? I don’t even know my own age. What’s sadder is that she knew that my 25th bday was coming up ^^;

Crazy,Crazy, CRAZY!

After being really nice all last week, I decided to take my four year old cousin to the zoo. Of course the day I take him it's barely above freezing at NOON @_@ Bummed, I took him anyway. Most of the exhibits were closed, and we only got to see a few animals T_T I think I was more disappointed than he was, lol! Enclosed are some pictures. The first pic makes me look incredibly fat!!!!!!!!!!! I'm not fat, in fact I just lost some weight. Okay enough of me being a downer.

PICTURES

How lucky am I?

I've been really reflective as of late, I've just recently noticed how beautiful my hometown is. I live in a small town in Kansas, it's population is probably a couple thousand people. Our main street is still full of buildings from the 1800's, I don't know the exact dates, the street is built out of bricks. Most roads are paved though, with the execption of 3 or 4 that are still dirt roads. Below are just a couple of pictures. The first is of the swinging bridge that goes over the Little Arkansas river, it was built around the 1870's.

This second is of the co op, I'm not sure how old it is.

Empty baseball diamond, this spring it will be full of children and adults alike praticing.