
Ranked nationally in pediatric care.
Arkansas Children's provides right-sized care for your child. U.S. News & World Report has ranked Arkansas Children's in seven specialties for 2024-2025.

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Sign up online to quickly and easily manage your child's medical information and connect with us whenever you need.

We're focused on improving child health through exceptional patient care, groundbreaking research, continuing education, and outreach and prevention.

When it comes to your child, every emergency is a big deal.
Our ERs are staffed 24/7 with doctors, nurses and staff who know kids best – all trained to deliver right-sized care for your child in a safe environment.

Arkansas Children's provides right-sized care for your child. U.S. News & World Report has ranked Arkansas Children's in seven specialties for 2024-2025.

Looking for resources for your family?
Find health tips, patient stories, and news you can use to champion children.

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Our flu resources and education information help parents and families provide effective care at home.

Children are at the center of everything we do.
We are dedicated to caring for children, allowing us to uniquely shape the landscape of pediatric care in Arkansas.

Transforming discovery to care.
Our researchers are driven by their limitless curiosity to discover new and better ways to make these children better today and healthier tomorrow.

We're focused on improving child health through exceptional patient care, groundbreaking research, continuing education, and outreach and prevention.

Then we're looking for you! Work at a place where you can change lives...including your own.

When you give to Arkansas Children's, you help deliver on our promise of a better today and a healthier tomorrow for the children of Arkansas and beyond

Become a volunteer at Arkansas Children's.
The gift of time is one of the most precious gifts you can give. You can make a difference in the life of a sick child.

Join our Grassroots Organization
Support and participate in this advocacy effort on behalf of Arkansas’ youth and our organization.

Learn How We Transform Discovery to Care
Scientific discoveries lead us to new and better ways to care for children.

Learn How We Transform Discovery to Care
Scientific discoveries lead us to new and better ways to care for children.

Learn How We Transform Discovery to Care
Scientific discoveries lead us to new and better ways to care for children.

Learn How We Transform Discovery to Care
Scientific discoveries lead us to new and better ways to care for children.

Learn How We Transform Discovery to Care
Scientific discoveries lead us to new and better ways to care for children.

Learn How We Transform Discovery to Care
Scientific discoveries lead us to new and better ways to care for children.

When you give to Arkansas Children’s, you help deliver on our promise of a better today and a healthier tomorrow for the children of Arkansas and beyond.

Your volunteer efforts are very important to Arkansas Children's. Consider additional ways to help our patients and families.

Join one of our volunteer groups.
There are many ways to get involved to champion children statewide.

Make a positive impact on children through philanthropy.
The generosity of our supporters allows Arkansas Children's to deliver on our promise of making children better today and a healthier tomorrow.

Read and watch heart-warming, inspirational stories from the patients of Arkansas Children’s.
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Arkansas Children's Hospital
General Information 501-364-1100
Arkansas Children's Northwest
General Information 479-725-6800

Car Seat Safety and Heavy Winter Coats
February 21, 2018
As a new parent, one of the first things you learn about is the best way to keep your child safe in a car seat. You know all the rules:
- Infants should ride rear-facing until they are two years old
- Children should ride in car seat with a 5-point harness until they reach the highest weight and height allowed by their car seat manufacturer
- Booster seats are required until your child is 80 pounds or taller than 4 feet 9 inches
But did you know that your child could still be at risk if they are wearing a heavy winter coat while riding in their car seat?
The combination of bulky winter coats and car seats can put your child at risk for injury or even death in a car accident. This is especially the case with the popular puffy coats that many children wear. Bulky coats create too much space between the straps and your child, often compressing in the event of a crash and causing the straps to become less or even completely ineffective
Is My Child’s Winter Coat a Risk?
To determine if your child’s coat is too bulky to wear safely in a car seat, use this simple test:
- Strap your child into the car seat with the winter coat on.
- Tighten the harness until you can no longer pinch any of the strap between your thumb and finger.
- Unbuckle your child and remove them from the seat. Do not loosen or tighten the harness.
- Take off your child's winter coat and place them back in the car seat. If you are now able to pinch any of the strap between your thumb and finger, then the coat is too bulky to be worn in the car seat.
Winter Coat Car Seat Safety
If your child's current coat is too bulky to safely wear in the car seat, don't worry-they don't have to be cold to stay safe! Here's how to keep your child safe in the car during cold weather:
- Bring your infant carrier seat into the house when not in use so the seat stays warm.
- Strap your infant into the car seat wearing normal clothing while you're still inside. Cover the infant carrier with a blanket or special fitted cover, designed for an infant carrier. Be careful that the fitted cover does not include a layer that goes under your infant.
- Have your toddler or child wear their coat to the car and then take it off before buckling them into the car seat. Turn the coat around and place it over the child, or have a blanket on hand for use while riding in the car seat. Put the coat back on after you've arrived at your destination.
- Don't forget hats, socks, shoes, and mittens or gloves. These items help keep you child warm and won't get in the way of the car seat harness. Add a blanket on top of the buckled harness for added warmth and safety.
Expectant Parent Resources
The Arkansas Children’s expectant parent pages will help you find neonatal intensive care resources, research study opportunities with the Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center, what to expect during the first month of a baby’s life and much more.
View expectant parent informationRelated Content
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Hospital Services
Expectant Parent
The Arkansas Children’s expectant parent pages will help you find neonatal intensive care resources, research study opportunities with the Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center, what to expect during the first month of a baby’s life and much more.
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Hospital Services
Injury Prevention Programs
Safety and injury prevention information, including car seat safety and product recalls, from the Injury Prevention Programs at Arkansas Children's.