The CARES airplane harness can be a very useful tool for families flying with children that have special needs. If your child is in the 22-44 lb weight bracket and has physical disabilities, check with your doctor or physical therapist to determine whether the harness will provide sufficient upper body support. If you get the green light, check your bulky car seat and carry the little 6" CARES stuff sack on board instead.
For children with autism or related issues, the CARES harness has been successful in providing a level of security beyond what the lap belt alone does, and families that have used it say that it helps to keep their child calmer during the flight.
For more information on flying with children with special needs, check out this About.com web page that has relevant links to the major airlines.
Little Traveller baby equipment rentals in Calgary sells and rents the CARES harnesses (we ship within Canada). Visit our website for more information or call us at 1-877-242-4067.
