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Child safety seat use for infants with Pierre Robin sequence
M J Bull1, K B Stroup, J S Everly
1Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.
Insights
Safe travel for infants with Pierre Robin sequence is possible with modified child restraints. Special car seats and car beds allow for the necessary prone positioning to maintain an open airway during motor vehicle transport.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric safety engineering
- Neonatal care
- Transportation safety
Background:
- Infants with Pierre Robin sequence often require special positioning, such as a prone position, to maintain an open airway due to micrognathia.
- Standard child restraints may not accommodate the necessary positioning for these infants during motor vehicle travel.
Observation:
- This study evaluated child restraint systems for infants with Pierre Robin sequence.
- Four infants with Pierre Robin sequence were included in the study.
- Modified infant car seats and car bed restraints were tested and evaluated.
Findings:
- Three child restraint systems were identified as suitable for accommodating the prone position required for infants with Pierre Robin sequence.
- Dynamic crash testing confirmed the safety of a modified infant car seat designed for prone positioning.
- Clinical trials demonstrated that two car bed restraints safely supported infants in a prone position.
Implications:
- Healthcare providers can guide parents on selecting appropriate child restraints for safe travel with infants experiencing Pierre Robin sequence.
- Monitoring airway and oxygenation before hospital discharge is crucial for infants with Pierre Robin sequence.
- These findings can inform the development of safer transportation solutions for infants with complex medical needs.
Objective:
To determine what child restraints would accommodate infants with Pierre Robin sequence who often require special attention in motor vehicle travel since microagnathia usually requires a prone position to keep the infant's airway open.
Research Design:
Dynamic testing and clinical trial.
Setting:
An Indiana children's hospital providing primary and tertiary care.
Patients:
Four patients with Pierre Robin sequence are described to illustrate use of the modified infant car seat and the appropriateness of the car bed restraints for meeting requirements for prone positioning during travel.
Selection Procedures:
Convenience sample.
Intervention:
Selected restraints were loaned to families through a clinical setting until the patient was able to use a conventional child restraint.
Measurements And Results:
Three child restraint systems were determined to accommodate the prone position necessary to keep the airway open for children with Pierre Robin sequence. Dynamic crash testing demonstrated the crashworthiness of an infant car seat modified to allow for prone positioning. Through a clinical trial, two car bed restraints were also found to provide safe prone positioning of infants.
Conclusions:
To enable safe transportation for infants with Pierre Robin sequence, health care providers can direct parents to appropriate resources for travel and can monitor the airway and oxygenation of the infant with Pierre Robin sequence before hospital discharge.