CARES Available at Adaptivemall.com, a Leading Website for Equipment for Children with Special Needs

Posted on October 30, 2009

CONTACT:  KidStuff Public Relations 

Lisa Orman  608-767-1102 or lisa@kidstuffpr.com

CARES IS A LIFESAVER FOR FAMILIES WHO TRAVEL

Child Aviation Restraint, Now Available at Adaptive Mall, Gives Parents More Freedom When Flying

Burlington, VT (October 9, 2009) - Anyone who has ever flown with a child knows what a process packing for the day can be. First, there are the snacks, then the toys, and don’t forget all of the wet wipes and, of course, the child’s favorite teddy. The last thing parents need to be concerned about when flying with children is dragging their car seat or a special brace through the airport. The CARES Child Aviation Restraint System takes away that worry with a convenient 1-lb device that is easy to use and easy to transport.

CARES is an FAA-approved 1 lb. harness-type safety device that fits into a 6-inch stuff sack, adjusts to fit virtually all airplane seats, and takes one minute to install. It is certified universally for children 22-44 lbs. (1-4 years old) who are in their own plane seats, and is certified for all phases of flight – taxiing, take off, turbulence and landing. In a breakthrough decision, the CARES device was recently approved by the FAA for older children with special needs who are over the 44 pound original limit. These parents can file a request with the FAA to use the CARES, and once they have this “exemption” need not reapply for future flights. The child must use the CARES in an airplane seat that has no one sitting behind him who might need to brace against that seat. This development not only allows families with special needs children to travel more freely, but it provides those children with much needed added protection during flights.

Before the invention of CARES, families had to lug a bulky car seat onto planes to ensure their little ones were secure. Often times, their car seat wouldn’t fit properly and would need to be checked planeside, leaving the child less secure than everyone else on the plane.

“I have to say that CARES was a tremendous help and convenience. With the CARES harness stored in its small stuff sack and placed in our carry-on, we were able to simply place our bags on the X-ray belt and proceed through security and the entire airport without any special effort. The real moment of truth came when we discovered our gate had changed to an entirely different wing of the Phoenix airport—and was supposedly already boarding. Countless people-movers later, exasperated from prodding-on my two little girls at my pregnant-lady pace, I was ever so thankful to have a 1 lb. CARES harness tucked in my diaper bag rather than the weight and bulk of a car seat” -Shelly Rivoli, Travels With Baby Blog

Nine years ago CARES was invented and patented by Louise Stoll, a grandmother, who watched her 7-months pregnant daughter deboard a plane with a wriggling toddler on her hip, a diaper bag in her hands and a car seat slung over her shoulder. Stoll took one look at the situation and knew that “there had to be a better way!” It took her seven years to obtain a patent, find a partner to manufacture a prototype, and get the device approved by the FAA for all US airlines. The pocket-or-purse-sized CARES, retailing for $74.95, has wowed judges nationally and internationally including winning the Good Housekeeping Magazine 2008 Good Buy Award-- one of 8 winners picked from the 2000 evaluated. It has also won the Dr. Toy 100 Best Children’s Products and 10 Most Socially Responsible Products of 2008; NAPPA Gold for Parenting Resources, the Crystal Cabin Award which recognizes innovative airplane cabin concepts; an iParenting Media Award for Excellent Products; a National Parenting Center Seal of Approval; an Editor’s Choice Award from the Family Review Center; the Toy Man of Seal of Approval, Award of Excellence and eChoice Award; a Parent Tested, Parent Approved Seal of Approval; and the Mr. Dad Seal of Approval.

In addition to award recognition, CARES is now approved by Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and for use on Air Baltic, Air France, Cathay Pacific, Czech Airlines, El Al, EVA, Japan Airlines, KLM, Korean Airlines, Olympic Airlines and Swiss International Airlines. To date, more than 45,000 CARES have been sold worldwide. The multi-award-winning child aviation seatbelt is now available at www.adaptivemall.com, a leading website for equipment for children with special needs. The device is also available at select specialty retailers and e-commerce stores throughout the US, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe, the Philippines, Japan, Singapore and Australia.