Welcome to the Board, Emma.

Will your daughter be sufficiently distracted by a new toy or video?

Sorry I didn't see this sooner. Hope you were able to navigate home safely.

You may not feel like it, but you are a hero.

Welcome to the board Emma. I am sorry you are facing this today. When you put your daughter in the seat I am assuming she doesn't keep the seat belt on correct? The only thing I can think of is having child safety locks put in the back first or simply take off the handles. Second you may want to place some form of a barrier between the front and back seat so she cannot get to you while your driving until this is worked out? Third, check with the car company to see if there is some form of safety belt locks you can invest in so she can't get out of the seat?

Whatever you decide and figure out, hang in there. Do they have her on medication or behavior modification therapies? You said your new the diagnosis so maybe, if she's on meds, they haven't had a chance to get into her system yet.

I will say a little prayer for your child and for you and your husband. God bless you as parents. The love you have shines through your words.

Any time your child misbehaves dangerously, in the car...

YOU PULL OVER and refuse to continue.

When he/she goes back to her/his seat...and you buckle him/her in...
and all is normal...you continue.

Any verbal attempt to stop the misbehavior will likely fail.
Stop the car. And show her you will not tolerate this.

This is called logical consequences...and if you Google that term, you will
find it is an older technique, but very useful. You don't need an accident in the car by any means.

great advise mrs d. but you have always been one of the very wise ones

There has to be special seat belt just for this scenario.

Does any one know of a special needs child restraints website?

maybe some of these will have something-
Special Needs
www.TheMorganProject.org Do you have child w/ special needs? Get support, grants, free equipment

AAP Children's Health Topics: CAR SAFETY SEATS AND TRANSPORTATION ...
My child has special health care needs. What is the safest way for him to ride in ... Child Care, Child Neglect, Child Restraints, Child with Special Needs ...
www.aap.org/healthtopics/carseatsafety.cfm - 39k - Cached - Similar pages

Safe Kids USA: Preventing accidental injury. Special Needs
The child restraint system should meet FMVSS 213. Standard child restraint devices may be used for many children with special health care needs, and, ...
www.usa.safekids.org/tier2_rl.cfm?folder_id=2020 - 42k - Cached - Similar pages

Medical Library Search
Remember that some children with special needs are able to use standard child restraints such as infant-only seats, convertible seats, forward-facing ...
http://www.medem.com/.../article_dis..._typ=NAV_SERCH - 14k - Cached - Similar pages

Automotive Safety Program
Children with Special Health Care Needs. Conventional Restraints. For purposes of this section, conventional restraints are defined as child safety ...
www.preventinjury.org/SNTrestraints.asp - 136k - Cached - Similar pages
more
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&c...nt&btnG=Search

Thank you all so much for responding. She's not on any serious meds yet and won't be for the next 3 months - we'll be travelling and the doc is wary of trying new stuff while we're away.
First - the video usually works but didn't yesterday. During an anger fit, all reason is (seems) gone. Can't do anything logical.
Second - yes, there's no way she can actually jump since all the override buttons are on so I'm not worried about that.
Third - Stopping the car is logical and right and we did but in the future I'm worried since we live in the desert and we can't sit in a car for longer than ten minutes without the engine and her fits usually last an hour. Also, her little brother - excuse me while I burst into tears - I'm scared for her little brother.

This situation might never arise again but if it does, I need a plan. I'm driving them today - if it happens, I might have to call 911. Jo - thanks for all those links, I'll look into them. If I had a safety lock, that might work. Or a barrier to keep her in the back row away from her brother and me. Or I could do as I did yesterday and require that my husband come with us everywhere we go ... not!

Sorry this is such a long post.

I know they have barriers for animals but I am not sure if that is a legal issue. Gosh, I wish there was something we could come up with to help. Cry it out, I know your worried and scared. Hopefully she'll get on meds or you'll find some new therapy that will help her. In the meantime, let's all pray that you will not have to experience this again.