Children travelling in hip spica cast or brace

If you have an Australian Standard Britax car seat, it may be suitable to keep using this restraint after surgery with a Britax “hip spica adjustable crotch buckle” (crotch buckle with extended strap) that can be added to the car seat for the time your child is in the cast/brace.

Firstly, you will need to find out the brand and name of your child’s current car seat. You will find this information on the car seat or in the car seat’s instruction manual.

Britax advises that the crotch buckle with extended strap is only suitable for use with Australian Standard Britax child restraints branded:

• Britax Safe-n-Sound
• Safe-n-Sound
• Babylove
• Hipod

A crotch buckle with extended strap provides a longer adjustable crotch buckle strap, that can temporarily replace the car seat’s crotch strap, enabling a longer length to accommodate the child’s hip spica cast.

Britax supplies the crotch buckle with extended strap to approved prescribing organisations (e.g., some Australian hospitals) and safety advocates.

Some hospitals provide car seat loan programs; however, this is not always the case. Parents often find they need to loan a Britax car seat from a local car seat hiring business or purchase a Britax car seat that is compatible with the crotch buckle with extended strap.

Speak with hospital staff who may be able to direct you to organisations (e.g., MAD Foundation) who may be able to assist with the loan or purchase cost. Your child’s maternal and child health nurse may also be able to help.

Crotch buckles with an extended straps are only available from Britax approved prescribing organisations and safety advocates. Speak to your child’s hospital as soon as possible to access a crotch buckle with extended strap.

Yes. The use of a crotch buckle with extended strap modifies the car seat, which means the car seat no longer complies with the Australian Standard (AS/NZS 1754) for child restraints. You will need to comply with your state or territory road laws to legally use a modified car seat. Your allied health professional should be able to assist with this.

Your health professional will provide you with the necessary documentation to comply with the road laws in your state or territory. This may include a medical certificate and an Advice to Parent form which needs to be carried in the vehicle the child is travelling in.