16 children have died due to heatstroke so far this year in the United States.
Often, it’s because they got left alone in a car.
Amada Tabin, Safe Kids & Injury Prevention Coordinator at Aspirus Wausau Hospital, says cars can quickly get dangerously hot.
“One risk factor is just plain that new parents are really tired and exhausted, have a lot on their mind. So that can be a risk factor in relation to leaving a child in a hot car. Another is changes in your habits or your typical routine. That can throw people off sometimes and cause a child to be left in a vehicle unintentionally” said Tabin.
Tabin says to call 911 if you see kids or pets unattended in a hot vehicle.
“The 911 operator will guide you on next steps. They’re trained to provide guidance based on the conditions that you’re seeing within that child and the distance that first responders are away from the scene.’
She suggests creating reminders to help prevent leaving a child in a car seat, like having a teddy bear in the front seat that goes in the child seat when you remove the child.
