Carseat covers, strap pads, and piddle pads - PUBLIC SAFETY ANNOUNCEMENT

[ravenonyx]

Every couple of days an item is sold or shown on this site that could lead to the injury or death of a child.

1. Aftermarket products void your carseat warranty.

2. Aftermarket products have not been crash tested and are not subject to any safety standards.

3. Aftermarket products may not have the same flammability standards.

Here are typical aftermarket products that should not be used under any circumstances:

1. Mighty Tite
2. Head positioners
3. Strap covers
4. "custom" carseat covers
5. Bunting designed to have the bottom latch pass through the bunting.
6. Piddle pads (*note - see post #22 from a CPST.. sounds like "u shaped" ones are fine.)
7. Bulky clothing like thick winter coats etc. There is a simple way to check for this; adjust your harness straps while child is in thin, normal clothing (such as jeans and a lighter weight sweater). Take your child out and put them in their coat then place them back in the seat. If you have to readjust the harness to get it to buckle, their jacket is too thick. Look for "polar fleece" and other materials that hold heat well but are thin and easily compressed. Certain down jackets may work as well as they look very puffy but will compress very easily. Never loosen the harness to adjust for bulky clothing.

Here are what is okay:
1. Any items that come WITH your carseat, such as a head positioner, strap HUGS, "infant insert", etc.
2. Additional covers made by the manufacturer and approved for use with that particular model of carseat.
3. Bunting that covers the end of the carseat and does not come between the harness and child or harness and seat.
4. rolled up receiving blankets to position the head, placed to the sides and NOT behind the head.
5. "grippy shelf liner" and "pool noodles" to install a seat correctly, WHEN used correctly. I highly, highly suggest having a CERTIFIED tech go over this with you and not attempting it yourself the first time.

For more information, PLEASE speak with a CPST or check out the following sources:

Detail of what can happen, and was reported on 2 occasions to have led to the serious injury or death of a child: http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/child...00401/menu.htm

http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/aftermarket.aspx

http://www.carsafety4kids.com/aftermarket.html

http://www.safekids.org

http://www.car-seat.org

[JackieLyn]

amen sistah!

[deb]

Bumping for all to see! Thanks for posting this, it makes me cringe when I see people buying these things on here... They are cute, but safety, not cuteness, should always come first!!

[Kiddo353]

so how does a "piddle pad" affect safety? I mean yeah they are sitting on it but I don't see how it would cause "serious injury" if they are straped in safetly.

[cowmommy]

Great list mama

[ravenonyx]

A piddle pad presents the following potential dangers:

1. Compression (depending on thickness)
2. Slippage (depending on exposed waterproofing material)
3. Harness interference (if it wraps around the harness stalk in any fashion)
4. Flammability

[foxflame88]

Thanks for the post... what is a piddle pad? I've never heard of it.

[ravenonyx]

It's a thin pad meant to be placed under the child to avoid the seat cover getting messy or wet (assumably from a leaky diaper).

[ravenonyx]

bump (that takes it to the top of all new, right, while sticky keeps it at the top of the folder it's in?)

[mommyoftwoboys]

I said this same thing. While cute, its not safe, using these items, makes your child become a crash test dummy in a car crash. I know I wouldn't let my child be a crash test dummy.


I'm glad you posted this list!!