How to Select Car Seats for Special Needs Babies

If you are the parent of a special needs baby, it's important to select a car seat that will support your little one's body properly and offer even more protection in the case of a collision than regular infant car seats. Whether your baby was born prematurely, is physically or mentally challenged or has recently undergone surgery, taking a few extra steps to ensure his safety and comfort is paramount.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Car bed (optional)
• Baby mirror for car (optional)
• Towels and blankets

1. Select a car seat that will properly fit your special needs baby, especially if she is premature and very small. The ideal car seat should should have a shorter distance between the crotch strap and the headrest than conventional car seats, as well as extremely adjustable shoulder straps.
2. Use clean towels and blankets to wedge between your special needs baby and the sides of the car seat. This will help to make your special needs baby more comfortable and secure, and to further reduce the chances of him sliding around in the car seat.
3. Purchase an infant car bed if your special needs baby needs to lie down at all times, placing the bed lengthwise across the seat so that your baby's head faces the center of the car. Special needs babies who have poor muscle development, broken bones or have had recent surgery may not be able to sit up in conventional car seats.
4. Observe your special needs baby closely while using the car seat or bed to ensure that the baby is breathing properly and at regular intervals. If any sort of apnea occurs, where your baby stops breathing for more than a few seconds, remove the baby from the car seat immediately. A baby mirror, which is commonly used for infants, may allow you to see more of what is going on in the backseat of your car.
5. Select the right type of car seat for your special needs baby by consulting with your pediatrician, or by using online resources such as the Indiana School of Medicine's Prevent Injury program (see Resources below).

Tips & Warnings

• Ask your doctor or pediatric health care specialist to inspect the car seat while it is actually in your car to ensure that it is safe and effective. Don't leave the hospital until you are absolutely sure that your special needs baby will be safe and comfortable the entire trip home.