Child Heatstroke Prevention: #checkforbaby

The National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) is in the middle of their Heatstroke Campaign, urging caregivers to #checkforbaby every single time you leave the car. They noted 39 child deaths in the year 2016 alone. That’s a 63% increase in heatstroke deaths of children from 2015. Summer time is supposed to be filled with pool-time visits, trips to the park, and ice cream treats. It’s important to remember that with all the fun activities to cool off this time of year, temperatures inside a vehicle can rise quickly.

Within just 10 minutes, a car’s temperature can increase by 20 degrees. That’s enough to kill a small child, especially when the child cannot communicate risk. Children are at a higher risk than adults for heatstroke. Keep in mind that a child’s body temperature can rise five times faster than an adult’s. According to the NHTSA, heatstroke begins when the core body temperature reaches around 104 degrees. Death of a child can occur when their body temperature reaches 107 degrees.

It’s easier than you may think for your child to be at risk. It isn’t always a case of accidentally forgetting your child in their car seat. Remember to keep your keys away from reach, and always lock your doors. A car can be viewed as a fun playground and they don’t realize the dangers of being inside a car in Summertime heat.

Seven hundred children have died between 1998 and 2016 from vehicular heatstroke in the United States. Sadly, more than 50% of those deaths were tragedies of simply forgetting a child was in the car. Distractions are all around us. Think about getting a phone call right before exiting your car. When you may be used to your child being in school and not with you, it can be easy to go about a daily routine. Of course, no parent or caregiver ever imagines leaving a child in a hot car, but unfortunately, it does happen.

The NHTSA offers simple advice during Summer months to be 100% sure your child isn’t left in a hot car that will lead to heatstroke:

• Write a reminder note about the child and put it on the car door or dash to see it when you leave the car
• Set a reminder on your cell phone to alert you to check that you dropped your child off at daycare
• Place a purse, briefcase, or cellphone in the back next to the car seat to remind yourself that your child is in the car
• Keep a familiar object in your child’s safety seat, such as a stuffed toy, so when you remove it after buckling up your child, you can place the object in the front seat as a reminder to always check the back for your child
• Never let kids play in an unattended vehicle or leave a child alone in a car, even if you leave the windows partly open or the air conditioning on – even for just a few minutes. *Taken from NHTSA.gov/heatstroke

If you happen to be a bystander and see a child left in a car unattended, get involved. If the child seems okay, try to first find the parents. If the child appears to be in distress, call 911. Dispatchers will walk you through directions to help save the child. Most states offer a “Good Samaritan” law to protect your rights in the event something happens. So, please, help save a child’s life from heatstroke if you find yourself in that situation. Let’s work together! You can visit the Parents’ Central portal for more information on heatstroke prevention.

Remember to #checkforbaby