Heat Stroke Killed 3 Georgia Kids in 2011

With temperatures predicting to hit more than 105 degrees this weekend, Prevent Child Abuse (PCA) Georgia, headquartered at Georgia State University, warns parents and caregivers to take extra precautions to prevent leaving children alone in cars.

However hot it seems outside to you, children left alone in a parked car on a hot day can quickly meet their death. In fact, according to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, heatstroke is the leading cause of non-crash vehicle fatalities for children 14 and under. In 2011, 33 children under the age of four died; three of those children lived in Georgia, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

During the summer months, the temperature inside a parked car can reach over 120 degrees in as little as 10 minutes. Direct sunlight and a dark colored car can speed the process. Heat exhaustion can occur at temperatures above 90 degrees and heat stroke may occur when temperatures rise above 105 degrees.

When in a hot car, a child loses body fluids and salts through perspiration, causing heat exhaustion. If not treated immediately, heat exhaustion can lead to heat stroke, which prohibits the body from perspiring. Body temperatures then rise, causing severe damage to the brain, liver, kidneys and, possibly even death.

Unfortunately, even the most conscientious parents can overlook a sleeping baby in the car. “The biggest mistake that people make is thinking that it couldn’t happen to them,” says Carol Neal Rossi, PCA Georgia Director. “As temperatures rise, we just want to remind people of this risk.”

PCA Georgia, along with Safe Kids Georgia, recommends the following safety tips to prevent vehicular heatstroke:

• Never leave an infant or child unattended in a vehicle – even if the windows are partly open, or the engine is running with the air conditioning on;
• Don’t let children play in unattended vehicle. Teach them that a vehicle is not a play area;
• Make a habit of looking in the vehicle – front and back – before locking the door and walking away;
• Take steps to remember not to leave a child in a vehicle;
  • Write yourself a note and place it where you’ll see it when you leave the vehicle.
  • Place your purse, briefcase, or something else you’re sure to need in the back seat so you’ll be sure to see a child left in the vehicle.
  • Keep an object in the car seat, such as a stuffed toy. Once the child is buckled in, place the object where the driver will notice it when he or she leaves the vehicle;
• Always lock vehicle doors and trunks and keep keys out of children’s reach. If a child is missing, check the vehicle first, including the trunk.
• Ask your childcare provider to call you if your child doesn’t arrive as planned for childcare. Make it a habit to call your provider every time your child will be absent.
• If you see a child alone in a hot car, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately. If they are in distress due to heat, get them out as quickly as possible. Cool the child rapidly (not an ice bath but by spraying them with cool water or with a garden hose.)