Heatstroke, Kids and Cars: The Heartbreaking Reality

Did You Know?

The bodies of young children heat up three to five times faster than an adult’s body! In just 10 minutes, the hot temperature inside of a car can rise approximately 20 degrees. And, cracking a window does not help! 

Too many babies and young children have died while unattended in hot cars. And the sad fact is their deaths were preventable. One is too many and yet on average a child dies every 10 days from heatstroke in a vehicle. 

• Never leave a child alone in a car, not even for a minute!
• Do not let a sleeping baby continue to rest while you run a quick errand.
• Always remove babies and children from the car first. The groceries and luggage can wait. 
• Look in the backseat before you lock the doors.
• Keep car doors and trunks locked; keep keys and fobs out of reach, so kids can't get in cars on their own.

Resist the temptation to unload items into your home, make a quick delivery or purchase or visit with someone while a child is left unattended in the car. Even in cooler temperatures, leaving a child in an unattended car is unsafe.

Many times when a child dies from heatstroke in a car, it is because the caregiver forgot the child was in the car. Changes in routine can make it easier to forget that you are driving with a sleeping or quiet baby or child in the backseat.

“Children die in hot cars, and it is 100% preventable,” says Dr. Damilola Joseph, WakeMed Children’s Emergency Department Medical Director. “Everyone should know, practice and teach others about ACT steps to prevent these deaths.”

Reduce the number of deaths from heatstroke by remembering to ACT.

• Avoid heatstroke-related injury and death by never leaving a child alone in a car, not even for a minute. And make sure to keep your car locked when you’re not inside so kids don’t get in on their
  own.  
• Create reminders. Keep a stuffed animal or other memento in your child’s car seat when it’s empty and move it to the front seat as a visual reminder when your child is in the back seat. Or place and secure your phone, briefcase or purse in the backseat when traveling with your child. 
• Take action. If you see a child alone in a car, call 911. Emergency personnel want you to call. They are trained to respond to these situations.

This article is adapted from Families First magazine. Subscribe to our magazine today.