Child Passenger Safety Week 2026: Addressing the Transportation Needs of Children in Spica Casts and Pavlik Harnesses

Children in Spica casts or Pavlik harnesses due to hip dysplasia, fractures, or other orthopedic conditions require special considerations for safe transportation. Currently, there are no commercial car seats specifically designed for these children. The only specialized option—the Merritt Wallenberg car seat—is costly and often not covered by insurance, leaving many families without access to proper safety equipment.

As the founder and lead of the Interdisciplinary Task Force on the Safety of Transporting Children in Spica Casts, I receive numerous calls weekly from parents across the country seeking help. To address this critical gap, we have arranged a car seat rental program and are collaborating with the Hospital for Special Surgery and Public Health Behavior Solutions International to develop solutions that keep these vulnerable children safe on the road.
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Children in spica casts or harnesses need secure, supportive transportation to ensure their safety and promote recovery. Our goal is to establish evidence-based policies, promote best practices, and improve outcomes for these children across healthcare and community settings.

Our Mission
To create a world where every child in a spica cast is transported safely, with access to appropriate equipment, minimizing risks and supporting recovery. We are dedicated to developing policies for hospital discharges, providing families with suitable, secure car seats, and fostering international collaboration to improve pediatric safety worldwide.

How You Can Get Help 
If you are a parent, caregiver, or healthcare provider in need of assistance with a special-needs car seat loaner program or want to support program development, please visit our Car Seat Loaner Program for Children in Spica Casts: a nationwide hospital-based initiative to improve safety and access.

​Most children treated with Spica casts or Pavlik harnesses are discharged within 24 hours and require safe transportation for 8 to 12 weeks. We are committed to ensuring every child receives the safest care during this critical recovery period.

Spica Cast car seat questions, call Dr. DeCarli at 323-491-6197

​Stay tuned throughout the week for more vital safety tips.