CALVIN G. LOWE, MD, FAAP: In this age range, the
kids are up to about 40 pounds or so, so it is a law that every child should
be in a car seat, belted in, and safely and correctly restrained.
The safest part in a car is for the child to be in the back seat.
When they get larger than forty pounds, they need to be in a booster seat
to allow proper size and fitting of the seat belt.
BONNIE BOSWELL: That is sometimes tricky, because
a lot of times they are not the right size. You see the kids with
the belt over here, or sometimes, I know my kids would take their belt
and put in back of their arm because it is not quite the right size for
them.
CALVIN G. LOWE, MD, FAAP: That is what the need
for the booster seat is. It elevates them up, so the proper placement
of the shoulder goes across the front like an adult, and the lap belt goes
across the hips.
BONNIE BOSWELL: So, this is something that the parents
really have to pay attention to, not only having this, but using it correctly.
What about helmets, and so forth? They are outside,
they are playing around the playground -- do they need them when they are
on those little bikes maybe they get at four years old? They are
on the tricycles. Do they need any kind of protection at that level
or not?
