Toddler Child Seats
Plastic, foam, and fabric, that is what makes a child restraint isn't it? Is a child restraint the same as a child seat? Toddler versus convertible versus high back booster…is there really a difference? Absolutely!
As a child grows, parents really need to take a look at what options exist for having a secure seating option for their child. This can be a daunting task. Buzzwords of the day can confuse the top parenting experts; memory foam, side impact protection, recline, infinite adjustability, and the list goes on and on. So where can a toddler seat differ from another and what should parents and grandparents look for?
Child restraints or child seats, really are a mixture of plastic, foam, and fabric. They differ through engineering wonder, technical innovation, and style, but the purpose is all the same. Manufacturers understand the critical aspect of seats growing with children, thus the life cycle of child seating exists—infant seat to convertible seat to toddler seat to high-back boosters. Manufacturers also understand the federal regulations that all child restraints must test and pass.
Toddler seats in particular fill an integral part of the child seat lifecycle. The child is starting to grow in a more upright position, spinal alignment is important during the growths spurts, and overall they have a greater interest in what is going on around them. They want to be a part of the action to.
The first item to look at to decide on a Toddler Seat is the seat's usage. Review the specifications that the manufacturer lists, such as age and weight ranges. Time and time again it is heard that the toddler seat stage is the best investment that can be made during the child seat life cycle. Look at the starting age and weight restrictions versus the size of the child. Some families are lucky and will take a child directly from an infant seat to a toddler seat.
The second item to review in making a good toddler seat is testing. All seats are required to pass the same tests for eligible sale in the United States. Manufacturers perform additional tests on their own and this is a good marker on construction and development practices. Do they conduct side impact testing and are they tested to a European standard or an internal specification? If it is an internal specification, review how it was developed and what it incorporates. Also, review the available public test reports from NHTSA. Here, a parent can see the largest technical differential in seat performance.
Vehicle fit is very important as well. Buying a child seat on-line has a few levels of risk in it because parents cannot put their child in a seat to check their size nor can they test the fit of the seat in their car. Toddler seat bases can vary in dimension and geometry, and you want to assure they are getting the best in-vehicle fit possible to create the highest level of safety performance of the seat. It is essential to remember that the child seat and car work as a system in the case of an accident, and this system should be optimized. An integral part of this system is also the latch system. There are a few different types of latches available and the connector of this system is worth reviewing to determine its strength and ease of use. Typically manufacturers prefer the mini-connector with a strong plastic housing and push-button activated clip, as they had better performance results during testing.
Headrests in form and function are essential to making a good toddler seat. The headrest must be adjustable to multiple locations and it should be clearly indicated which heights should be used in harness mode and in booster mode. The strength of the headrest application should also be reviewed. Plastic has the ability to flex and this tendency typically increases moving pieces, so check the structure of how it locks into place and how secure it is in each headrest location. The headrest also plays an important role in limiting the head of a child to "flop" forward when they fall asleep. At the earlier years of toddlerseat use, this is surprisingly important and should be reviewed.
Finally, side impact protection is a major factor in what goes into making a good toddler seat. The concept and development of child safety seat side impact protection (SIP) was born out of the auto-racing world. When looking at the structural components in a motorsports seat, the necessary area of energy absorption in racing seats builds the structural foundation for SIP in child seats. The primary intent of SIP is to protect a child from the initial impact, which is typically the largest single impulse of force that could be transferred to a child. This protection cannot be created solely by foam padding or a specific type of foam which is a common misunderstanding in the market. In fact, the structural shell or seat itself plays the largest role in removing energy from the impact and limiting the amount of force that reaches the child. The foam padding is the second line of defense.
The foam padding in a seat does play many roles; comfort to the child, improved ergonomics, and safety protection. These features can be accomplished in many different ways, therefore manufacturers look at different types of foam to create the ideal balance for safety and performance. The type of foam, density of foam, and geometry of foam are all critical characteristics and this is why connecting Side Impact Protection to a specific foam type is taking the major factors of protection out of the equation. A secondary benefit that exists in child seats designed with SIP is the presence of other occupants and miscellaneous items within the car, such as toys, that may come in contact with the child while driving. Building a protective capsule around the child is therefore a positive design element.