Modifications to Child Restraints for Children With Disabilities – Experiences of Australian Caregivers and Health Professionals
All children travelling in motor vehicles must be properly secured in a size-appropriate child restraint. However, for many children with a disability, standard child restraints are not suitable, and health professionals or caregivers modify restraints. There is however little data characterising th...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Australasian College of Road Safety
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Journal of Road Safety |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.33492/JRS-D-24-1-2126682 |
| _version_ | 1797290148949393408 |
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| author | Lyndall Cook Lynne Bilston Tom Whyte |
| author_facet | Lyndall Cook Lynne Bilston Tom Whyte |
| author_sort | Lyndall Cook |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | All children travelling in motor vehicles must be properly secured in a size-appropriate child restraint. However, for many children with a disability, standard child restraints are not suitable, and health professionals or caregivers modify restraints. There is however little data characterising these modifications. This study examined the modifications used to assist with the restraint of children aged 0-16 years with additional needs in motor vehicles. Two anonymous online surveys, one for caregivers and one for health professionals on child restraint use and modifications to seating for children with disabilities were undertaken. The quantitative and qualitative data were analysed with descriptive statistics. Eighty-six responses were analysed (40 caregivers and 46 health professionals). The majority (95.7%) of health professionals and 22.5 percent of caregivers reported having used modifications. Additional padding for postural support was the most frequently used modification (47.7% health professionals, 10% caregivers). Specialised harnesses were the most frequently used accessory used by health professionals (47.8%), with cross chest straps most frequently used by the surveyed caregivers (10%). Challenges for children with disabilities using compliant child restraints continue to persist, despite the use of modifications. There is also a lack of evidence on the impact of the modifications on restraint performance, potentially placing children at risk. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T19:17:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-92acb66d47804944b64d252ae687d5f9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2652-4260 2652-4252 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T19:17:16Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | Australasian College of Road Safety |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Road Safety |
| spelling | doaj.art-92acb66d47804944b64d252ae687d5f92024-02-29T13:13:08ZengAustralasian College of Road SafetyJournal of Road Safety2652-42602652-42522024-02-01351Modifications to Child Restraints for Children With Disabilities – Experiences of Australian Caregivers and Health ProfessionalsLyndall CookLynne BilstonTom WhyteAll children travelling in motor vehicles must be properly secured in a size-appropriate child restraint. However, for many children with a disability, standard child restraints are not suitable, and health professionals or caregivers modify restraints. There is however little data characterising these modifications. This study examined the modifications used to assist with the restraint of children aged 0-16 years with additional needs in motor vehicles. Two anonymous online surveys, one for caregivers and one for health professionals on child restraint use and modifications to seating for children with disabilities were undertaken. The quantitative and qualitative data were analysed with descriptive statistics. Eighty-six responses were analysed (40 caregivers and 46 health professionals). The majority (95.7%) of health professionals and 22.5 percent of caregivers reported having used modifications. Additional padding for postural support was the most frequently used modification (47.7% health professionals, 10% caregivers). Specialised harnesses were the most frequently used accessory used by health professionals (47.8%), with cross chest straps most frequently used by the surveyed caregivers (10%). Challenges for children with disabilities using compliant child restraints continue to persist, despite the use of modifications. There is also a lack of evidence on the impact of the modifications on restraint performance, potentially placing children at risk.https://doi.org/10.33492/JRS-D-24-1-2126682 |
| spellingShingle | Lyndall Cook Lynne Bilston Tom Whyte Modifications to Child Restraints for Children With Disabilities – Experiences of Australian Caregivers and Health Professionals Journal of Road Safety |
| title | Modifications to Child Restraints for Children With Disabilities – Experiences of Australian Caregivers and Health Professionals |
| title_full | Modifications to Child Restraints for Children With Disabilities – Experiences of Australian Caregivers and Health Professionals |
| title_fullStr | Modifications to Child Restraints for Children With Disabilities – Experiences of Australian Caregivers and Health Professionals |
| title_full_unstemmed | Modifications to Child Restraints for Children With Disabilities – Experiences of Australian Caregivers and Health Professionals |
| title_short | Modifications to Child Restraints for Children With Disabilities – Experiences of Australian Caregivers and Health Professionals |
| title_sort | modifications to child restraints for children with disabilities experiences of australian caregivers and health professionals |
| url | https://doi.org/10.33492/JRS-D-24-1-2126682 |
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