Is it normal to be able to feel lympnodes in toddlers neck?

Carseat and neck support question?

• I bought a Cosco Omega Elite - grayson, and I need to know what others do for neck support. My son is 6 months old, 24 lbs, and 29 inches long. Needless to say, he's a very big baby. He is out of the infant seat. I bought this seat because my sis n law bought it and likes it a lot. I got to try it out in my car and I liked it. Well on trips my son's head bobbles around when he tries to sleep. His head is about to his stomach (so it seems), and I know he isn't comfortable. It wakes him up ... and I just feel badly. I bought a Kiddopotamus neck thing for toddlers (that didn't work), and now a U-shaped ring. My husband stuck it on the front side of his neck, and that didn't work. I will be trying it the other direction ... but when our daughter was little, we used the same type thing and it didn't work. There are many parents here, I wonder what you did for this? I will be sure to award the best answer! Thanks in advance!

• Answer:

  The seat should be rearfacing and at an angle that prevents his head from flopping forward. http://www.carseat.org/Technical/tech_update.htm#angleRF Angle of recline, rear-facing For protection and comfort of a newborn or very young infant, the rear-facing restraint should be reclined so that the angle of the back surface is just enough to allow the baby's head to lie back comfortably, but not more than 45° from vertical. Most newborns will need the full 45° to keep their heads from flopping over and potentially pinching off the airway. But beyond this angle, the force to restrain the child starts to be exceeded by the force to project the baby toward the front of the vehicle. As the child grows, becomes heavier to restrain, and can hold his head erect, the angle should be decreased, making the restraint more upright, to provide better crash protection. For a sleeping baby, this angle should be at least 30° from vertical. In addition to improved comfort, keeping the back of the baby's head in contact with the CR provides better protection in a crash. Each manufacturer determines an optimum back angle for its products and specifies a way, such as a level indicator, for the user to determine that angle. The angles specified range from 35° to 45°. The Federal standard allows the back of a rear-facing CR to rotate downward as much as 70° from vertical during the FMVSS 213 crash test, but this extreme result reflects the test conditions and would not represent good crash performance. In some vehicles, the back seat may be too small to accommodate a convertible CR that is reclined as far as 45° in the rear-facing position. For older babies, the CR may be used at a more upright angle to make it fit in the car, but a newborn may require a smaller infant-only restraint. If a rear-facing restraint is installed in a rear seat with its back resting against the seat in front, this will help limit an increase in the back angle during a crash and provide the best protection. The only exception is the Century SmartMove, which must be installed with enough clear space for it to rotate more upright in a crash. The American Academy of Pediatrics currently recommends that infants born at less than 37 weeks gestation be monitored in a semi-upright position prior to discharge to detect possible breathing and heart rhythm problems (see AAP, 1996). If a baby needs to be more reclined than 45°, a car bed must be used. There is also evidence that prolonged (over an hour) semi-upright positioning may lead to reduced oxygen saturation levels even among term infants. It is therefore recommended that very young infants not be left undisturbed in their rear-facing child restraints for long periods. It is important that a baby not ride too upright, because the airway could be restricted if the baby's head flops forward during normal driving. To set an appropriate back angle for the child, install the CR in the car and put the baby in the CR with the buttocks in the deepest part of the CR and the baby's back straight. Jostle the CR a bit, and, if the baby's head flops forward (while awake or asleep), it is necessary to increase the angle. If an infant-only CR has a base, the angle can be changed by installing the CR without the base. If the CR is still too upright, insert a tightly rolled towel or sheet or a foam "noodle" under the toe-end of the CR to compensate for the slope of the vehicle seat. Increase the angle of recline just enough to keep the baby's head from flopping forward, but no more than 45° from vertical. Again, if a flatter restraint is needed, use a car bed.