Carseat or booster seat?

Carseats: What kind of carseat or booster seat do I need for a tall 4 year old (43 inches tall, 40 lbs)?

• My child is in a Graco My Ride 65, which is approved for kids up to 65 lbs, but she will soon be too tall for it.  Our pediatrician said she needs to get a new one made for taller kids and that the 65 lb thing is a marketing gimmick because only a few very overweight kids will be short enough at that weight to have still been riding in it.  He didn't have any further guidance about what to look for in a seat just that all the ones at the store will meet safety standards.  I was trying to figure out if my child needs a seat-only booster or a high back booster and I found something written by a nurse who's a certified carseat specialist and she said that any child under the age of 5 or 6 must have a 5-point harness carseat, not a booster seat, because in a crash even a properly positioned lapbelt will cause lots of internal bleeding if the child is that young.  But then she recommends the Graco My Ride 65 and it seems like that isn't safe for my child because soon her head will be too high and go over the back of the seat.  What should I do?

• Answer:

  You need a booster seat with an adjustable back that you can remove when your child gets older. The booster seat uses the regular seatbelt but puts it safely in the proper place for your child. The bottom part you use until your child is about 8, the law in my state is 8 anyway. Longer if you have a small child, but that's not your reality.