Hyperthermia, Your Child and Car Safety
Hyperthermia and car safety…your child and the heat
We’re coming into August and heat waves in much of the United States. Along with the heat comes the senseless death of many babies, ages 2 and under, in locked cars. Medically it’s known as hyperthermia. How could such a thing happen? Is it possible to forget you have a baby in the car or were parents going to be gone for only ‘a minute’ and it was inconvenient to wake them…take them along.
Cars can heat up above 100 degress quickly when left parked in the summer. Before we get disgusted by the caregivers who could ‘forget a chid’ in their car, keep in mind we all have brains that can go on cruise control if we are stressed, in a hurry and not focused. Sound familiar? Tell me you haven’t been this way at least once in your life. There have been over 24 deaths so far this year of children left in cars. Yes, some had the windows partially left open. Imagine how the parent felt as they remembered what happened after they had gone into cruise control in their minds or thought they could beat the clock leaving the child in the car for that short minute. We’re also talking caregivers that are watching your child for you or fathers who do not have the child in their backseat on a normal basis.
Car Facts for “How Hot Is It?”
Tips on How You Can Remember
Understanding that it is possible to forget, here are some helps for remembering:
- Put a note or sticker on a place you look in your car when you turn the motor off. There is a sticker that can be purchased Forget Me Not which has a website to read more.
- Put a stuffed animal in the child seat when the child’s not in it. When the child is in the seat, place the stuffed animal in the front seat near you for a reminder. Use a good-sized stuffed animal to get your attention!
- Keep the diaper bag in the front seat to remember
- The Child Minderalerts you if your child is left in the safety seat and you go more than 15 feet without remembering your child. If you are a grandparent looking for a good gift for that new grandbaby, this would be one that could go to the top of my list!
It’s not worth taking the chance and it is worth remembering!
Do you walk by cars peeking in windows to see if any child has been left behind?
Do you have memory joggers that help alert you regarding your child in the backseat?
What will you do to remember that you have a sleeping child in the car?
Even school bus drivers have been known to have the occassional kindergartener fall asleep on the bus that they forget is there as they park their vehicle for the day.