Hyperthermia
What is Hyperthermia? Hyperthermia is commonly called heatstroke or sunstroke, and it happens quickly, often fatal, to children left in vehicles. Almost 70% of children left in a vehicle are forgotten, or left by caretakers who believe the child will be okay in the vehicle.
Another 18% of children crawl into the vehicles themselves. A 2005 study found that over 90% of children in cars were forgotten by their relatives, most often by parents themselves. It can and does happen to people who think they would never forget their child.
How it Happens
A child’s body temperature rises 3-5 times faster than that of an adult. And even if it’s 70 degrees outside, the inside of a car can reach dangerous temperatures in just minutes. Vehicles’ temperatures rise more than 40 degrees in an hour, and leaving windows open doesn’t help keep the vehicle cooler. Many children overheat, causing permanent brain damage or death. An average of 36 children a year die from hyperthermia in vehicles.
Internal Car Temperature Video
With changes to routine, parents can simply forget that they were supposed to drop off a child at day care and will instead go straight to work. Especially with stressed-out or distracted brains, it is easy to forget even the most important things, including your child.
Tips for Prevention
- Place something in the backseat like your hand bag, briefcase, or lunch sack so you’ll be visually reminded that your child is in the back seat as well.
- Keep a stuffed animal in the car and when your child is in the back seat, place the animal in the front as a visual cue to yourself.
- Use drive-thru services when available.
- Use a day care call system where your provider will call you if your child has not been dropped off.
- Encourage employers to place signs at building entrances calling attention to easily-overlooked children in the back seat.
Legislation
