Kids face higher risk of heat-related illnesses: How to prevent hot car deaths

Mike Randall, Middletown Times Herald- Record
·2 min read

Heat stroke and other heat-related illnesses pose even more danger for kids than adults.

According to the New York State Health Department, a child's body temperature rises three to five times faster than an adult's. And, according to the National Safety Council, about 37 children die each year from heat stroke due to being left in a hot vehicle.

Heat stroke begins when the body's temperature reaches 104 degrees Fahrenheit. A child can die when their body temperature reaches 107 degrees Fahrenheit, the New York State Health Department said.

How hot does a parked car get?

Vehicles can heat up fast when they are in the sun, and they will stay hot even if the windows are open, the engine is running or the air conditioning is on, even if you are parked in the shade.

In just 10 minutes, the heat inside a car can make it a deadly place to be.

More: Left in a hot car for 4 hours: Monticello woman charged in 2-year-old's death

Tips for keeping kids safe from hot cars

According to the health department, more than half of all children who have died in hot vehicles were forgotten by a parent or caregiver, so they and other experts suggest these tips for keeping children safe:

  • Always check the back seat of your vehicle before you leave it. Put your purse, coat, backpack or briefcase in the back seat to help you remember.

  • Put a toy or stuffed animal in the front seat when a child is in the back seat as a visual reminder, or put a sticky note on the dashboard to remind you to check the back seat.

  • Teach children that a vehicle is not a play area. Always lock your vehicle and keep the keys out of a child's reach.

  • If you see a child in a hot car, call 911 immediately and follow the instructions you are given. Emergency personnel are trained to respond to such situations.

  • As soon as the child is out of the car, spray the child with cool water - not an ice bath.

Mike Randall covers breaking news for the Times Herald-Record and the Poughkeepsie Journal. Reach him at mrandall@th-record.com.

This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: Hot car deaths: Why heat-related illnesses are more deadly in kids