The Types of Child Booster Seat

When it comes to your child's safety, you know it's important not to cut corners. Parents should always keep themselves well informed when it comes to any safety measures that should be taken to protect their child from the dangers of the outside world, from making sure that their child has all the appropriate vaccinations, to getting the right car seat. For moms and dads with children of preschool age, this means buying an appropriate child booster seat.

A child booster seat is usually the last car seat that a child will need. In the beginning, babies need rear-facing infant seats that are meant to accommodate their small forms. Infant seats often double as carriers and recliners, and can be used until a baby is a year old. Convertible seats are the next in line. They can be used rear-facing or forward facing, and are good until a child weighs about 40 lbs. At 4 years old and past the 40-pound mark, a child is ready for a booster. Here are the types of booster seats that you will find on the market.

High-backed booster

As the name suggests, a high-backed booster seat comes with a back rest that makes it resemble a baby car seat more closely. This type of booster makes use of a car's built-in restraints but it also provides some form of additional protection to children that you wouldn't get ordinarily. This type of seat often has a head rest or a pair of "wings" at the level of the child's head to provide additional support and shield a child's head and neck in a crash.

High-backed booster seats do provide children with the additional inches that they need in order to use the car's adult seatbelts correctly. The "boost" they provide allows the belts to go across the child's lap and chest rather than across his abdomen or neck. This is quite important as improper positioning of safety restraints could result in injury. High-backed booster seats can cost up to a hundred dollars, and can be priced similarly to a convertible or infant seat.

Backless booster

A backless booster is simply composed of a seat or platform that gives a preschooler a bit of extra height so he can use the vehicle's seat belts comfortable. Backless boosters are very simple in design, although others may come with a cup holder at the side for added convenience on the road.

In some studies, it has been found that backless booster seats offer less protection than high-backed boosters because they lack the additional provisions for neck and head support. However, they are considerably cheaper than their high-backed counterparts and can be had for only half of the cost or well under a hundred dollars.

Many parents get a child booster seat because they want their child to be able to see out of the car windows and be amused by the passing scenery. However, it's primary reason is still to provide a child with safety and protection while on the road.

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