AAP car seat recommendations from the AAP (American Association of Pediatrics). The American Academy of Pediatrics has released new guidelines and policies for child car seats and booster seats. The AAP’s previous policy in 2002 cited the age of 12 months (20 lbs) as the minimum for children to ride as a front-facing passenger. The new requirements recommend children ride in the rear-facing position until they age of 2 or reach the maximum height and weight for the car seat.
The AAP has modified their advisory on booster seats as well. The AAP now advises parents to have their children ride in booster seats until they have reached 4 feet 9 inches tall and are between the ages of 8 and 12. The American Academy of Pediatrics continues to recommend that children should ride in the rear of the vehicle until age 13.
The new statement suggests that it has been shown that parents have been too quick in positioning children in front-view seating often as soon as the minimum guidelines for switching have been met. Dennis Durbin, MD, FAAP and lead author of the American Academy of Pediatrics new statement on the car seat, booster seat explains:
“Parents often look forward to transitioning from one stage to the next, but these transitions should generally be delayed until they’re necessary, when the child fully outgrows the limits for his or her current stage,”
Dr. Durbin further explains the need for the policy being updated:
“A rear-facing child safety seat does a better job of supporting the head, neck and spine of infants and toddlers in a crash, because it distributes the force of the collision over the entire body,”
You can click here to view the AAP Car Seat Recommendations and the American Academy of Pediatrics new policy regarding car seats, booster seats and vehicle safety as it applies to children in its entirety.