By Lori Watkins
Extremely hot weather can cause serious health effects such as heat exhaustion, heat stroke or even death.
Infants and young children are especially sensitive to the effects of extreme heat and rely on others to keep them safe.
Know the risks and consequences of leaving kids alone in hot cars!
Even great parents can forget a child in the back seat, but caregivers who are unaccustomed to transporting children are especially prone to forgetting. Think about the last time your routine was interrupted. Maybe you forgot something or were afraid you might forget something. Or maybe you decided to leave your child alone in the car, thinking “I’ll just run into the store for a minute.”
In either case, it’s important to know the risks and consequences associated with leaving kids in cars — especially hot cars. In just 10 minutes, a car can heat up 20 degrees Fahrenheit and cracking a window does little to keep the car cool. With temperatures in the 60s, your car can heat up to well about 110 degrees.
A child’s body temperature can rise up to five times faster than an adult’s and heatstroke can happen when the temperature is as low as 57 degrees outside. A child dies when his or her body temperature reaches 107 degrees. The consequences of leaving a child in a parked car are heat-related injury or death of a child, misdemeanor with fines as high as $500 and imprisonment, or a felony offense if bodily harm results from leaving kids alone in a hot car. Currently, Ohio does not have a law regarding leaving children alone in a car.
If you see a young child locked in a parked car for more than 5 minutes there are certain steps as a bystander you should follow. First make sure the child is okay and responsive, if not, call 911 immediately.
If the child appears okay, you should attempt to locate the parents or have the facility’s security or management page the car owner over the PA system.
If there is someone with you, one person should actively search for the parent while the other waits at the car.
If the child is not responsive and appears in great distress, attempt to get into the car to assist the child, even if that means breaking a window. If the child is in distress due to heat, get the child out of the car as quickly as possible.
Cool the child rapidly (not in an ice bath) by spraying the child with cool water.
Five tips to protect infants and children from heat-related illness:
1. Never leave infants or children in a parked car. Never!
2. Dress infants and children in loose, lightweight, light-colored clothing.
3. Make sure your child is drinking more water than usual and don’t wait until they are thirsty to give them more.
4. Regularly apply sunscreen on your child as indicated on the package.
5. Seek medical care immediately if your child has symptoms of a heat-related illness
Lori Watkins MSW, LISW is the Project Director at Help Me Grow, a program through the Board of Development Disabilities that offers home visiting and early intervention to Clermont County families.