When to Use a Belt-Positioning Booster Seat
One of the problems that new parents have with belt-positioning booster seats is that they aren’t quite sure when they should or should not be considering using them. In part that stems from a misunderstanding of what these seats are used for.
To begin with it is important to understand that belt positioning booster seats are not the same as normal child safety seats. Instead, they are a type of seat that is meant solely to elevate the child and position them so that the seat belt fits them properly and ensures their safety.
Typically these seats are used after children have outgrown other safety seats, and as such are normally used on children who are between the ages of 4 to 8. Of course, this would vary depending on the child in question and whether or not they really need a belt-positioning booster seat in order to have the seat belt fit properly.
At Moms.com you’ll find a lot of advice on how to determine whether or not your child should be using a belt-positioning booster seat. In particular, this 5 step test before using a belt positioning booster will be particularly helpful, as it outlines the steps you should take when deciding if your child needs to use the seat in the first place.
Also you should know that there are two main types of belt-positioning booster seats: The ones with high backs and the ones with no back. The main reason for booster seats with high backs is to help support the child’s head when the vehicle seat back or head restraint cannot. Once again, you should choose the seat that you need depending on the circumstances involving your child.
Assuming you’re still not certain whether or not your child needs a belt-positioning booster seat, you could always ask a friend who is also a parent and may have a better handle on the requirements. Or alternatively, you could ask sales assistants to help advise you on which booster seat you should be looking at.
Honestly there are a lot of resources out there that you could browse through as well, so it should be too hard to research the different types of booster seats before eventually settling on the one that suits you best. At the end of the day, so long as your child is positioned in his seat properly and the seat belt is positioned properly too – everything should be okay.
