Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/138116
Champion Child Go, Dustin! Is your car seat safely installed? Trauma Services and Child Life at CoxHealth offers car seat checks by appointment to expectant and new parents. "At CoxHealth we want to help make sure children in our community have a safe ride to and from their destinations," says Lana Martin, registered nurse. Martin says it is recommended that babies are rear-facing in car seats until age 2. "Their neck muscles are not developed enough to ride forward-facing and withstand the impact that is sometimes experienced during a collision," she says. After age 2, children can be forward-facing in their car seats. Other recommendations include positioning the car seat in the middle of the back seat, and choosing a car seat appropriate for the child's height and weight. Need a car seat check or have questions about choosing a car seat? Call 417/269-0920 or email carseats@coxhealth.com. A car seat check takes 30 minutes, on average, and is free by appointment. Dustin Reaves was 3 and a half years old when he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Children's Miracle Network Hospitals has helped Dustin's family through the years by helping pay for Dustin's insulin pump, which helps control his blood sugar. "It's nice that it makes my life easier with diabetes," says Dustin. "Because of the insulin pump I don't have to have shots anymore." Now 13 years old, Dustin has been named the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Missouri Champion Child. Dustin and his family will travel to Washington, D.C., to discuss children's health issues, and to Orlando for the annual CMN Hospitals meeting. To learn more about CMNH, call 417/269-KIDS or visit coxhealthcmn.com. It is recommended that babies are rear-facing in car seats until age 2. coxhealth.com 17