Remember Kids in the Backseat

Summer is here and it is hot outside.  The Georgia Department of Public Health reports that forgetting to get your child out of the backseat of your car can be very dangerous.  The primary vehicle-related killer of children 14 and under in the United States, outside of crashes, is heatstroke. From 1998 to 2018, almost 800 children died from vehicular heatstroke, and 54% were forgotten by a caregiver.  Child heatstroke occurs most often during the summer, but heatstroke fatalities can occur in vehicles parked in shaded areas, vehicles with the windows rolled down and when temperatures are less than 80 degrees. A car can heat up by 20 degrees in 10 minutes.  Caregivers should never leave a child alone in the car, look in the back seat every time you leave the car, and always lock the car and put the keys out of reach. Signs of heatstroke include red, hot and moist or dry skin; no sweating; nausea; confusion; or acting strangely. If a child shows these signs after being in a hot car, spray the child with cool water. Never put a child in an ice bath, instead call 911.