Six-year-old Samantha and her father had just left the county fair in Henrico, Virginia when something happened that they’ll never forget. The car that the two were traveling in crashed into a tree. Samantha’s mother, Shelly, remembers receiving the horrible phone call about the accident. She is now speaking out to warn other parents about a common mistake she made that could have cost Samantha her life.
Samantha’s father sustained non-life-threatening injuries. But Samantha was rushed to the hospital to be treated for a head injury and stomach lacerations. Surgeons at the hospital had to use a binder around the six-year-old’s stomach to hold her organs in place. Samantha’s parents made the mistake of thinking she had outgrown her booster seat.
Samantha’s seat belt strap was also behind her at the time of the accident, which increased the force of the lap belt across her stomach. The seat belt cut through her abdominal wall and doctors were faced with the task of holding her together. One of Samantha’s doctors explained that she was “just about cut in two.”
Shelly slept by her daughter’s side in the hospital every night. After three weeks of treatment, Shelly is finally able to take Samantha home. Still, Samantha will need help performing everyday functions. The binder will hold her together until she is able to heal.
Parents Are Warned About Seatbelt Syndome
The Car Set Lady responded to Shelly’s story on Facebook. She wrote, “This exceptionally brave mom is talking about the mistakes she made that led to her 6-year-old daughter suffering a head injury and massive abdominal injuries in a crash – as the injuries were PREVENTABLE had she only been wearing the shoulder belt in front of her and riding in a booster seat.”
She went on to explain, “Putting the shoulder belt behind the back takes away all protection for the head and chest, and allows the head to move much farther forward than it should – far enough that the head often hits something hard like the back of the front seat or the door, which hurts the head and the neck.”
The Car Seat Lady urged parents to learn from Shelly’s story, and make sure that their children are safe in the car. She pleaded, “Please SHARE, as putting the shoulder belt behind the back or under the arm is an all too common mistake that can have tragic consequences.”
According to Safe Kids Worldwide, kids need to be in a booster seat until they are 4’9 and 80-100 pounds. Children who should be in a booster seat but are only wearing a seat belt are at risk for severe abdominal, head and spinal injuries. Properly putting your child in a booster seat when needed can reduce the risk of injury by 45% compared to seat belts alone. Here’s the scary truth: nine out of ten parents move their child from a booster seat to a seat belt before their child is big enough.
Watch the video below for more information:
Sources:
Safe Kids Worldwide
Facebook
NBC 12
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