skimomma Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 I have an odd question and cannot find the answer through a general google search. I am going on a long car trip alone with my 9.5 yo. She gets carsick very easily and is generally miserable in the car. She sits in a high-backed booster. Is there a safety reason why I should not take off the headrest on the front passenger seat (in front of her) so that she can see the road? Usually someone is sitting in that seat so we have to leave it on but since there will be no passenger on this trip, it does not need to be there.....unless there is a "compartmentalization" safety factor for the back seat passenger that I am not aware of. Does the head rest also function to keep the backseat passenger safer somehow? The trip we are taking is through a lot of snow, white-out conditions, and ice (sounds fun, eh?) so while I am sure we will come through without incident, the probability of an incident is significantly higher than travel at a different time of year. The car is 8 years old but has all the front and side-curtain airbags. Anyone know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoCandJ Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Why not just put her in the middle???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 I don't think it would be an issue to remove the headrest if no one will be sitting in that seat. I don't think it would make the slightest difference in your dd's safety. If anything, I would think it would be safer for your dd without it. But I'm no expert, so I would suggest that you call the car manufacturer's toll-free number and ask them about it. Hopefully, they will know. I hope you have a safe trip! I would be nervous about traveling in those conditions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 I don't think there is a safety reason for the headrests for the passengers behind them; I think they're just for the passengers using that seat. I think it would be totally fine to remove the headrest in front of your daughter's seat (but do remove them from the vehicle, as they can be dangerous projectiles in case of a crash). The reason I'm saying that is because I was told it was perfectly acceptable to remove the headrests from the middle row in my van (and I have kids sitting behind each of those spots, in the third row) in order to make it easier to install carseats in the middle row. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skimomma Posted February 15, 2013 Author Share Posted February 15, 2013 I don't think there is a safety reason for the headrests for the passengers behind them; I think they're just for the passengers using that seat. I think it would be totally fine to remove the headrest in front of your daughter's seat (but do remove them from the vehicle, as they can be dangerous projectiles in case of a crash). The reason I'm saying that is because I was told it was perfectly acceptable to remove the headrests from the middle row in my van (and I have kids sitting behind each of those spots, in the third row) in order to make it easier to install carseats in the middle row. This is very helpful. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skimomma Posted February 15, 2013 Author Share Posted February 15, 2013 Why not just put her in the middle???? That would be perfect. However, the middle seat belt stalks are too narrow for a booster. Dd needs the booster to be able to see out at all. And she still does not meet all the criteria to go without a booster in our car (she does in others). The only booster that will fit is a Bubble Bum, which is what we use around town. But it is very fatiguing to sit on for long periods of time. She has to sit all day and well into the night for this trip. It has to be so complicated! Usually she takes Dramamine and sits in a side seat. But it makes her feel goofy for more than a day and she does not like it. So I thought I could spare her on this trip by taking down the headrest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoCandJ Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Oh ok my dd rides in the middle of my back seat so she can see in her booster(graco turbo high back) but I have an 02 Taurus so there isn't any difference (that I have noticed) with the seat belts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skimomma Posted February 15, 2013 Author Share Posted February 15, 2013 Oh ok my dd rides in the middle of my back seat so she can see in her booster(graco turbo high back) but I have an 02 Taurus so there isn't any difference (that I have noticed) with the seat belts Funny, our other car is an old Sable and the back seat is HUGE. She does sit in the middle in that car and it is great. Unfortunately, it is OLD and not road-worthy enough for a trip like this. In fact, it is currently in the shop because the brakes went out, completely and dramatically, last week. This whole situation is a comedy, really. We got the car when dd was a baby and had no idea she would have carsickness issues. But that middle seat has been a problem from day one. It also does not have LATCH in the middle seat so we could not put her 5-point harness there either. The stalks are hard plastic (so they won't bend around a seat bottom) and just too narrow for anything. Such a strange problem. Thank goodness I did not NEED all three seats for young children. I really thought by 9.5 yo, I would be done with carseats!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skimomma Posted February 15, 2013 Author Share Posted February 15, 2013 I hope you have a safe trip! I would be nervous about traveling in those conditions. Thanks! I am nervous but this is an emergency trip so we have to do it. I think I can, I think I can........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathryn Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Funny, our other car is an old Sable and the back seat is HUGE. She does sit in the middle in that car and it is great. Unfortunately, it is OLD and not road-worthy enough for a trip like this. In fact, it is currently in the shop because the brakes went out, completely and dramatically, last week. This whole situation is a comedy, really. We got the car when dd was a baby and had no idea she would have carsickness issues. But that middle seat has been a problem from day one. It also does not have LATCH in the middle seat so we could not put her 5-point harness there either. The stalks are hard plastic (so they won't bend around a seat bottom) and just too narrow for anything. Such a strange problem. Thank goodness I did not NEED all three seats for young children. I really thought by 9.5 yo, I would be done with carseats!!!!! I can't imagine she's small enough to safely use LATCH with a 5 point harness anyway. http://www.car-seat.org/showpost.php?p=2438668&postcount=123 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skimomma Posted February 15, 2013 Author Share Posted February 15, 2013 I can't imagine she's small enough to safely use LATCH with a 5 point harness anyway. http://www.car-seat....8&postcount=123 No, she is not small enough anymore. I was referring to when she was small enough:) Although, shockingly, she only outgrew her 5-point (using seatbelt, not LATCH) about a year ago! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathryn Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 No, she is not small enough anymore. I was referring to when she was small enough:) Although, shockingly, she only outgrew her 5-point (using seatbelt, not LATCH) about a year ago! Just wanted to make sure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raceNzanesmom Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Removing the head restraint in front of her is fine. Just make sure it's in a safe place. You don't want it to become a projectile or get lost. Be certain to replace it when you get back. For motion sickness Mercola recommends: Olives may be of some help here, but ginger is far better. It's traditionally used to treat nausea, but also seems to work quite well against motion sickness. To make a tea, simply slice off a small amount of fresh ginger and steep it in hot water for 30 seconds up to several minutes. Ginger is very potent, so taste it at regular intervals of about 30 seconds—it can get very strong fast! Alternatively, for a quicker but less elegant solution, just take a half teaspoon of the fresh ginger and finely dice it with a knife and swallow it whole. It has worked every time I have had the need for it. It probably is the most consistently effective herbal food that I have seen work nearly every time. In addition to ginger, the University of Maryland Medical Center also suggests using peppermint and black horehound, which is actually a traditional remedy for motion sickness. These herbs can be taken as: Dried extracts in the form of capsules, powders, or teas Liquid extracts or tinctures To make a tea using dried herb, put about one teaspoon of the herb into a tea strainer and place it in a cup of hot water. Avoid adding sugar. If you absolutely need some sweetness, try a couple of drops of liquid stevia instead. Re: needing a booster, most 9.5 y/os still need a booster.Thanks for keeping her properly buckled. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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