I Need Help With TRANSPORTATION...

Transporting children with special healthcare needs is something that requires careful consideration. Whether it's on a School Bus, in your car, or on a plane, there are possible solutions to meet your needs.

If you are transporting your child in a car seat, it is recommended that you check to make sure the car seat is installed properly. If you need help finding a certified car seat technician in your area, then visit SEATCHECK.ORG.

When should I turn my child around to face forward in a car seat?

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, for best protection, children should ride in a rear-facing car seat to the highest weight that is allowed for use by the manufacturer of the car seat. Children are 5 times safer riding in a rear-facing position than when riding in a forward-facing position into the second year of life.* The old recommendation was that children need to rear-face only until 20 lbs. and 1 year of age. Many professionals and caretakers still follow the old recommendation instead of the new one. As a child approaches 20 lbs. and/or the child’s head is within an inch of the top of the infant car seat, caretakers should transfer the child to a convertible car seat. The convertible car seat needs to be approved for rear-facing use to higher weight and height limits. Children need to rear-face longer than their first birthdays and 20 pounds. The recommendation to rear-face as long as possible pertains to ALL children, not just children with special needs.

*Reference: M. J. Bull and D. R. Durbin
Rear-Facing Car Safety Seats: Getting the Message Right
Pediatrics, March 1, 2008; 121(3): 619 - 620.
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For children with certain clinical diagnoses, adaptive equipment designed for use during transportation may be beneficial to help them achieve their goals. Always check with your child's therapists before using equipment to make sure that it is appropriate. Some of the clinical diagnoses that might include but are not limited to the following: Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Muscular Dystrophy, Gross Motor Delay, Spina Bifida, Autism, and Traumatic Brain Injury.