'Look before you lock'

Heatstroke deaths increase for kids under age 5 left unattended in cars
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Pediatrician Dr. Michaelle Antoine of Crystal Run Healthcare reminds parents and caregivers to "look before they lock" their cars, especially in hot weather, to prevent the tragedy of children dying from heatstroke.Shutterstock

You almost wonder how it continues to happen. But it does, and a quick search on the web brings up story after story, year after year; as of this writing, 24 children under the age of 5 have died by being left unattended in a hot car, says the Department of Geosciences at San Francisco State University.

And, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the numbers of children dying in cars because of heatstroke are actually increasing year after year. Why does this happen?

One reason, according to Kids and Cars, a child safety advocacy group, could be that the dangers of front airbag deployment have sent kids to the back of the car, where they can be left forgotten.

What if your baby has heatstroke?

You'll need to bring your baby's internal temperature down as quickly as possible. Time is of the essence - a child suffering from severe heatstroke can easily slip into unconsciousness.

• First, call 911. Then undress your baby completely and lay him down in a cool area. If you're outside in the sun, find some shade, but, if at all possible, move him into a cool room.

• While you're waiting for the ambulance, sponge down your baby's body with a washcloth or rag dipped in cool water, and fan him. You can use an electric fan or simply fan him with something in your hand, like a magazine.

• Talk to your baby reassuringly to keep him calm. Don't give him anything to drink. And though you may be tempted to give your baby acetaminophen, it won't lower a temperature caused by heatstroke.


Excessive heat harms quickly

One typical scenario involves the parent or caregiver forgetting to drop their child off at day care and continuing with their errands while the child is locked in the car.

That's why Dr. Michaelle Antoine, pediatrician for Crystal Run Healthcare, reminds all her parents at the beginning of summer to "look before they lock." Antoine knows all too well the harm that can happen in just minutes when a child is left in a car — especially since children's internal temperatures can rise three to five times the rate of an adult, and a car's interior can heat up by almost 20 degrees in the first 10 minutes.

"Children left in a motor vehicle for a short time can quickly have their body temperature go to 103-105 degrees F and higher, which can lead to clammy skin, fatigue, irritability and ultimately to heatstroke, which is a severe form of heat illness with seizures and a loss of consciousness."

It's good to remember that even on cooler summer days when temps are in the 70s, the inside of a car can still surpass a temperature of 110 degrees F, even with the windows open.

Create reminders

Parents can create reminders to check the back seat in a number of ways. Toss their cellphone, briefcase, or pocketbook in the back seat — out of reach of the child of course — to force themselves to visually check the back seat before leaving the car.

Another way is to coordinate with the day care center staff so that if a child doesn't show up as scheduled, a phone call is made to the parent. Or, get a large stuffed animal that can sit in the child's car seat when empty, and then placed in the front seat when traveling with the child.

Unfortunately, according to Kids and Cars, devices meant to alert drivers that a child is in the back seat haven't proved reliable by Consumer Reports and should be avoided.

Since some fatalities have occurred by children simply locking themselves in the car while playing, parents should also keep the car keys out of children's reach.

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