In the fast-paced society that we live in, our daily routines are essential; they are what help us get things accomplished. When changes in our routine occur—even small ones—it is easy for us to lose focus and forget things, important things. No one wants to believe that they could forget about their child amid such changes, but it happens to good parents. Unfortunately, terrible stories and data prove that any parent can forget their child in the car on a hot day.

The inside temperature of your car can rise almost 20 degrees Fahrenheit in the first 10 minutes after it’s turned off. Pair that with the fact that a child’s body temperature heats up nearly five times faster than an adult and in only a few short moments a child can become dangerously overheated. Even cool temperatures in the 60s can cause the inside temperature of the vehicle to rise to well over 110 degrees inside. In 2013, a total of 44 children died in the U.S. after they were left in a vehicle, and since 1998 the number of deaths has totaled more than 600.

Children die as a result of being left unattended in a vehicle in one of three ways:

  • 52 percent are “forgotten” by a caregiver
  • 29 percent are playing in an unattended vehicle and became trapped
  • 18 percent are intentionally left alone

Why are children at risk?

  • Their small bodies absorb heat more quickly.
  • Perspiration doesn’t cool infants and children as well as adults.
  • They can’t change their environment.
  • They can’t remove clothing or get out of the vehicle.

What doesn’t work?

  • Prior air-conditioning does little to prevent temperatures from rising. In five minutes the car’s interior temperature reaches that of the outside air.
  • Leaving the windows open doesn’t prevent the child from overheating.

With hotter days on the way experts estimate that one child will die every 10 days from heatstroke in the U.S. alone after being left in a vehicle. Again, most of these children have loving, protective and attentive parents whose routines are changed up.

It is vital to take steps to protect your children from these preventable deaths and injuries. While parents believe they could never possibly “forget their child in a vehicle,” the truth is that is the most fatal mistake any parent can make. Vehicular heatstroke is misunderstood, and is not limited to any certain “type” of parent. Remember, it only takes a moment to “look before you lock.”

Tips

  • The best way to remember a child is to leave something you will need at your next destination in the back seat. This could be a purse, briefcase, gym bag, cell phone or something else you always carry. You can set the alarm on your cell phone or computer calendar as a reminder to drop your child off at childcare.
  • Teach children not to play in any vehicle. Once children get inside, they can be quickly overcome by heat and not know how to problem-solve and climb out.
  • If you see a child alone in a vehicle, the best thing you can do is to call 911 (EMS) immediately. Wait by the vehicle so EMS can find you quickly. EMS personnel are trained to assess a situation and determine if the child is in danger.
  • Know the symptoms of a heatstroke: dizziness, disorientation, agitation, confusion, sluggishness, seizure, hot/dry skin that is flushed but not sweaty, loss of consciousness, rapid heartbeat or hallucinations.