title: Association between weight and risk of crash-related injuries for children in child restraints.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the association between weight and the risk of injury in motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) for children 1 through 8 years of age who were using child restraints.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional study of children 1 to 8 years of age in MVCs, in which cases from the National Automotive Sampling System Crashworthiness Data System were used. Abbreviated Injury Scale scores of ≥2 indicated clinically significant injuries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The National Automotive Sampling System Crashworthiness Data System study sample included 650 children 1 to 5 years of age in forward-facing child restraints who weighed 20 to 65 lb and 344 children 3 to 8 years of age in belt-positioning booster seats who weighed 30 to 100 lb. With adjustment for seating position, type of vehicle, direction of impact, crash severity, and vehicle model year, there was no association between absolute weight and clinically significant injuries in either age group (odds ratio: 1.17 [95% confidence interval: 0.96-1.42] for children 1-5 years of age in forward-facing child restraints and 1.22 [95% confidence interval: 0.96-1.55] for children 3-8 years of age in belt-positioning booster seats).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The risk of clinically significant injuries was not associated with weight across a broad weight range in this sample of children in MVCs who were using child restraint systems. Parents should continue to restrain their children according to current recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
authors: Department ofPediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. zonfrillo@email.chop.edu
authors: Mark R
authors: MR
authors: Zonfrillo
authors: Michael R
authors: MR
authors: Elliott
authors: Carol A
authors: CA
authors: Flannagan
authors: Dennis R
authors: DR
authors: Durbin
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D057207:Child Restraint Systems; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D012307:Risk Factors; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*