Health Tip: When Your Child Outgrows a Car Seat

Make sure the seatbelt has a proper fit from the start

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(HealthDay News) --If your child has already moved from a car seat to a booster seat and is outgrowing that as well, it's time to make sure she can safely ride in a car strapped in with a safety belt.

For the child to be safely restrained, it's important that the seat belt fits properly and can protect her in the event of an accident.

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Here are some guidelines for the proper fitting of a child's safety belt from the American Academy of Pediatrics:

• The shoulder strap of the seat belt should rest across the middle of the shoulder and chest, and never across the neck or throat.
• The lap strap of the seat belt should rest snugly across the thighs, not across the stomach.
• The child should be able to sit comfortably in the seat, without slouching, with her legs bent.

-- Diana Kohnle