Car Seat Alarms?

[MrsK]

I just read another one of those scary articles about a child that died of heatstroke after being left in the car. It's terrifying how quickly and easily it can happen -- in as little as 15 minutes on a 70 degree day. I know that one measure is to leave the diaper bag/purse in the back seat but this is not effective for dads who don't carry purses or when kids are past the diaper bag phase. This terrifies me. Are there any effective car seat alarms on the market?

[scrub-jay]

I'd read that people use a stuffed animal. Leave the stuffed animal in the car seat while baby is not in there and when the baby *is* in the seat, toss the bear into the front seat with you. Just serves as a visual reminder that you have a baby in the car. This really scares me too.

I hate hearing those stories. I highly recommend this Pulizer Prize winning article on the subject: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...022701549.html

It's a really long and heartbreaking read but definitely makes you think. (Seriously, if you read, be prepared to cry). It seems like being aware of the memory deficits and circumstances that could allow for such an oversight may help prevent that awful perfect storm of events.

Mrs. K, my understanding from the article is that while some sensors/alarms have been developed, they are not currently any commercially available. I'd be curious though if anyone knows something different.

[scrub-jay]

My alarm is my paranoia. I also really don't like it when DH gets out of the car and closes the door while we are both outside the car and going back to get DD out. I tend to leave my door open until I have her out of the car. *Just in case*

[houseelf]

This is one of my greatest fears. I have told my older kids that their most important job this summer is to help me keep the baby safe. My ten year old will even sit in the car with him until I get the baby out. Still, they aren't always with me. I can see how this can happen so easily with the crazed pace of life today.

That article is NOT for the faint of heart.

[ladymoreta]

This also terrifies me. I would love some kind of alarm for the carseat. I read that article a few weeks ago, and I still can't get it out of my head. The thing that bothered me the most is that they were all good, caring parents. When you hear those stories, you want to think they're on drugs or didn't really want a child to begin with. But they're just regular people, like me.

[scrub-jay]

But they're just regular people, like me.

EXACTLY! This is the worst part, they are all good, loving, intelligent parents and it could happen to ANYBODY. One thing I do is have the radio off and constantly talk to DD, even if she is asleep. That way, my mind is focused on her and not on anything else.

[SuzySunshine]

Yes, my understanding is that most people won't sell the car alarms because of the liability that could come with that.

I think the stuffed animal idea is great - put one in the car seat and when the child is in the car seat you put it in the passenger seat. Or put your purse on the backseat so you have to get in the back every time you're in the car!

[v-girl]

I guess this is one good thing about the small size of my CR-V. Kenny can kick my seat. And my head when I turn to grab my purse. There's no forgetting he's in the car.

DH & I have always gotten the kid out of the car first. He always gets him out from the front seat of the car. Even in his Accord. I guess since that's the way we've always done it, there's never been the opportunity to forget him. Unless the girls are in the car -- then they get him out and carry him (because they think his legs don't work) to the front door.

When he was an infant, my purse would go on the floor under his carseat. DH would put the diaper bag (with his cell phone or wallet) in the same place.

Wow. I had never really paid attention to this phenomenon before; I'm just grateful that my little ones are 4 now.

[MrsK]

That's the thing! The article I read today was about a 4 year old!

[Deebs]

DH and I have used the stuffed animal trick (more when DD was in daycare than now). Many of the cases seem to occur when there is a change in routine - like a parent who doesn't ordinarily do drop offs taking them on for the day. In that case, maybe a phone call check-in around the time the parent should arrive would work (like mom calling dad to make sure everything went ok). It's amazing and terrifying to me how many random scary things can happen to kids. People who visit our house think we're so paranoid- you'd be amazed at what we have locked out of the kids reach (DH has a strong interest in Tox). There are stories that DH knows he can no longer tell me - it's just too much for me to take sometimes.

[GrayMatterWife]

This is one of my greatest fears.

Mine, too.

I am kind of glad to hear that other people actively worry about this. I have this moment of "panic" at least once a week, when--for just an infinite split second--I can't remember if I took Matilda out of the car seat. My heartbeat races.

This is one of my greatest fears as well. I always leave my purse in the back when the kids are riding with me and I leave my door open until everyone is out, but I still worry about forgetting them. I believe there is a car seat alarm called Childminder. I looked into ordering a couple of sets last summer and never got around to it, but this thread has been a good reminder for me.

A friend of mine lost her 3 yo daughter when she went into the car to look for a piece of candy and couldn't find her way out before she was overwhelmed by the heat. We always make sure to lock our cars now whenever they are parked in the driveway and I have tried to get the kids to understand that they should never get into our cars without us....although there's no accounting for the thought process of young kids.