Hot summer days have claimed the lives of at least 15 children in the United States this year due to heatstroke, often caused by being left unattended in cars. Aspirus Health urges caregivers to never leave children alone in a vehicle, even briefly. In cases where a child is found alone in a car, calling 911 immediately is advised.
Heatstroke, also known as hyperthermia, is the leading cause of non-crash, vehicle-related deaths among children. It occurs when the body cannot cool itself quickly enough, resulting in dangerously high body temperatures. Young children are particularly vulnerable because their bodies heat up three to five times faster than adults’. Since 1998, at least 976 children have died from heatstroke in vehicles according to NoHeatStroke.com.
Amanda Tabin from Aspirus Wausau Hospital states: “Cracking a window doesn’t lower the temperature in a vehicle as much as people think it will, so the best practice is to make sure you don’t leave any kids (or pets) in a vehicle unattended – even for a minute.”
Aspirus Health recommends remembering ACT to prevent these incidents:
A: Avoid leaving a child alone in a car and keep your car locked when not in use.
C: Create reminders by placing an item like a stuffed animal or personal belongings that must be retrieved before exiting the car.
T: Take action by calling 911 if you see a child alone in a car. Emergency personnel can handle these situations and potentially save lives.
More information on preventing child heatstroke deaths can be found at www.safekids.org/heatstroke.
