Safe Kids urges caregivers to beware of vehicular heatstroke
Apr. 30—GRAND FORKS — North Dakota Safe Kids Coalitions and Vision Zero urge caregivers not to leave children unattended in vehicles, because they could become one of the 37 children killed on average in the U.S. each year by vehicular heatstroke.
In honor of National Heatstroke Awareness Day, which is May 1, Safe Kids Grand Forks issued a news release warning the public about the dangers of vehicular heatstroke.
"On average, one child dies from heatstroke every 10 days in the United States from being left in a car or crawling into an unlocked vehicle," said Carma Hanson, Safe Kids Grand Forks coordinator. "What is most tragic is that every single one of these deaths could have been prevented."
In 2023, 29 children died from vehicular heatstroke in the United States. More than 965 child vehicular heatstroke deaths have been recorded since 1998.
Hanson says it's necessary for parents and caregivers to teach their children that vehicles are not playgrounds, and playing in or around them is dangerous. Children entering a vehicle without supervision and suffering from heatstroke account for nearly one-quarter of child heatstroke fatalities, the release said.
If a vehicle is unlocked, children could enter and find themselves unable to get out, especially if child locks are activated, according to the release.
Internal vehicle temperatures, which rise quickly, get up to 50 degrees warmer than the temperature outside, the release said. It doesn't need to be hot outside for the vehicle's conditions to be threatening to a child, whose body temperature increases three to five times faster than an adult's.
More than half of child vehicular heatstroke deaths occur when a caregiver forgets them in a hot car (52.6%), and nearly one-third of the victims are infants.
"Anyone is susceptible to forgetfulness," the release said. "In a fast-paced society, routines are often upended at a moment's notice. It is during these moments of hurriedness and change in routine that many of these preventable tragedies occur."
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration advises caregivers to check the back seat every time they exit a vehicle, never leave a child unattended inside a vehicle, always lock the doors, and keep the keys out of reach.
If a bystander sees a child alone in a hot vehicle, Safe Kids recommends making sure the child is OK and responsive and, if they aren't, calling 911 immediately and attempting to get inside the vehicle.
If the child appears to be OK, Safe Kids advises attempting to locate their caregiver or having the facility page the vehicle owner. If more than one person is around, one person can search for the caregiver while the other waits by the car.
Signs of heatstroke include strange behavior, confusion, nausea, a strong rapid pulse or slow weak pulse, no sweating, and red, hot, skin that can be either moist or dry.
If a child exhibits any of these symptoms after being inside a hot vehicle, Safe Kids advises spraying them with cool water or a garden hose, but says to never put them in an ice bath. Call 911 or a local emergency number immediately, the release said.
