Many children with special needs are disruptive in a vehicle. They may have very little or no sense of danger, unbuckle the harness or seat belt and/or escape the harness or seat belt. This is not only very dangerous for themselves, but also distracting to the driver, increasing the chances of being involved in an accident.
Special needs children can be heavy and / or immobile, making it challenging for parents and caretakers to get them in and out of the vehicle. Most children with special needs require either a special needs car seat or a special harness / vest / device to help keep them restrained and safe. Unfortunately, in South Africa, there are very few options available and the ones that are available, are extremely expensive. Furthermore, harnesses / devices available, are generally not crash tested and not certified by the Economic Commission for Europe (i.e. they do not have an orange ECE sticker) and not on the NRCS’s homologated list of car seats, meaning that technically they are illegal to use in South Africa. Also, there is no way to determine how the device is going to perform during a crash and whether your child will, indeed, be safe. However, if there is no other way to keep your special needs child still and restrained or prevent them from escaping the car seat, then these devices are an option that should be considered carefully.
Always ask yourself whether the device’s benefits outweigh the risks.
We have compiled a table, where we look at different symptoms / conditions and car seat or accessory recommendations that could be considered.
Important Note: Considering each child is unique, there is no “one size, fit all approach” to assisting children with specific needs. It is a process to find the seat / set-up that works for your child with a particular set (and severity) of symptoms. Even children with the same condition / diagnosis may have various symptoms that may differ in severity and may result in one child needing a more specialised car seat set-up than the other.
A General Guideline for Children with Special Needs:
- Keep your child in a 5-point harness for as long as possible, while keeping within the car seat’s weight / height limits. Always max out the car seat weight / height limits. We recommend buying a car seat with at least a 18kg rear facing internal 5-point harness limit and 25kg forward facing internal 5-point harness limit (e.g. Safeway Polar or Joie Bold). Preferably, depending on the diagnoses/symptoms and if finances allow, 25kg or 36kg rear facing internal 5-point harness limit (e.g. Volvo Maxway, BeSafe iZi Plus X1, BeSafe Stretch, Axkid Minikid 2, Axkid Minikid 3, Axkid ONE+). A harness keeps your child in a safe sitting position and also makes most kids feel safer and more secure, making them less likely to try escape.
- Various recline options – to assist children with low muscle tone.
- Higher rear facing height and weight limits (most standard mainstream car seats have a Rear Facing (RF) limit to 13kg or 18kg, and Forward Facing (FF) limit to 18kg harnessed. Look for harnessed Rear Facing to 25kg / 36kg or harnessed Forward Facing to 25kg. Meaning the internal 5-point harness can be used up to these weights, when installed in a specify way. For example, the Safeway Polar can be used to 18kg harnessed Rear Facing or Forward Facing, but to 25kg harnessed Forward Facing when all 3 (vehicle seat belt, ISOFix AND Top Tether) are used to install the seat.
- Higher Forward Facing limits – see above. Most car seats only have a 18kg Forward Facing limit. Two car seats currently available in South Africa have 25kg harnessed Forward Facing limit, namely the Safeway Polar and Joie Bold.
- Lower or shallower sides – easier to lift the child into and out of the seat.
- Extra padding – offer more postural support.
- A back with deeper shoulder area – more support
- Impact shield seats (e.g. Cybex Pallas and Cybex Anoris T i-size) – an impact shield replaces the traditional 5-point harness. Some children may like the feel of the seat, others may feel claustrophobic. In our very warm weather, children could potentially sweat under the impact shield and get uncomfortable. Consider your child’s preferences before purchasing an impact shield car seat. Although an impact shield car seat may be the answer in some cases, specifically for a child with autism/ ADHD / hypermobility, as it provides a larger area of deep pressure and a clearly visible green indicator (Cybex Anoris T i-size) enabling you to constantly check they are still safe as well as it being very difficult to escape, it is not a car seat for every child.
- It is highly recommended that you have a sign on your vehicle and on the car seat stipulating that you have a child with special needs on board. Visit our online Shop to view our products specifically for children with special needs.
General Recommendations:
Infant:
The Maxi Cosi Jade lie-flat carrycot car seat is the best option for very short, premature babies, with a minimum length of 40cm, where other infant car seats start at 45cm.
The most versatile is the Maxi Cosi Pebble Pro 360 because you can use it in the reclined positions when installed either on the ISOFix base or when installed using the vehicle seat belt.
PLEASE NOTE: Some of the lie-flat or near lie-flat car seats may NOT be used in the lie-flat or near lie-flat position when installed without the ISOFix base OR may not be used in the lie-flat or near lie-flat position in a vehicle (only permitted when out and about, such as in a pram) – please refer to the instruction manual.
Extended harnessed car seats after 18kg-25kg
Safeway Polar (Rear facing and Forward Facing)
Rear Facing to 18kg harnessed (using internal 5-point harness to restrain toddler).
Forward Facing to 25kg harnessed (using internal 5-point harness to restrain toddler / child), when installed with Vehicle Seat belt and ISOFix and Top Tether (all three).
High back booster seat, 25kg-36kg using the vehicle 3-point seat belt to restrain the child (and not the internal harness).
Joie Bold (Forward Facing ONLY)
Forward Face from 9kg – 25kg harnessed (using internal 5-point harness to restrain toddler / child) when installed with Vehicle Seat belt and ISOFix and Top Tether (all three).
High back booster 25kg – 36kg using the vehicle 3-point seat belt to restrain the child (and not the internal harness).
Extended Rear Facing (ERF) Car Seats
25kg / 36kg Rear Facing ONLY (cannot Forward face at all)
Volvo Maxway (25kg)
BeSafe iZi Plus X1 (25kg)
BeSafe Stretch (36kg)
Axkid Minikid 2 (25kg)
Axkid Minikid 3 (36kg)
Axkid ONE (23kg)
Devices
- Belt-UPP (ECE crash tested)
- 5-point Plus anti-escape vest (ADAC Approved)
- Sitwell Sitsafe Vest
- Harness Buckle cover – International Option OR Local Option
- Vehicle Seat belt buckle cover
