Released June 9, 2008

STILLWATER, Okla. – Although it can be tempting for parents and other caregivers to leave young children in a car while they run into the store for a quick errand, it can be a deadly mistake.

The temperature in a parked car, even one with the windows rolled down, increases rapidly, said Debbie Richardson, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension Service parenting assistant specialist. This can still occur on relatively mild days with temperatures in the 70 or 80 degree range.

“When the outside temperature is 80 degrees, the inside of a vehicle can reach deadly temperatures of 125 degrees within an hour. If it is 93 degrees outside, the internal car temperature can jump to 125 degrees in just a matter of minutes,” Richardson said. “When left in a hot vehicle, a young child’s core body temperature can increase three to five times faster than that of an adult. This extreme heat can cause permanent injury or death.”

Extreme heat affects infants and small children disproportionately. Heat can quickly overwhelm their small body and affect the body’s ability to regulate temperature.

In the last 10 years, there have been at least 365 children nationwide, most of whom were age 3 and younger, died after being left in a hot vehicle. Eleven of these tragedies have occurred in Oklahoma.

“When parents and caregivers get home from running errands, check to make sure all children are out of the car,” she said. “As tempting as it may be to leave a sleeping child in the car while you unload groceries or other packages, it simply isn’t safe to do so.”

To help prevent heat-related deaths and injuries in the car, follow these suggestions by Safe Kids USA:

• Never leave a child in an unattended car, even with the windows open.
• Teach children not to play in or around cars.
• Always lock car doors and trunks, even at home, and keep keys and remote entry devices out of children’s reach.
• Watch children closely around cars, particularly when you are loading and unloading.
• Beware of child-resistant locks. Teach older children how to disable the driver’s door locks if they unintentionally become entrapped in a vehicle.
• Check to make sure all children leave the vehicle when you reach your destination.
• Do not overlook sleeping infants or toddlers. Get in the habit of checking the back seats. Put a note, sign or object near the driver’s seat as a reminder or place something that you will need at your next stop - for example a purse, your lunch, gym bag or briefcase - on the floor of the backseat where the child is sitting. This simple act could help prevent you from accidentally forgetting a child.
• Be especially careful if you are dropping off infants or children at day care and that is not part of your normal routine. Have your day care provider contact you if your child does not show up on a day he or she is expected.

Also, make sure to check the temperature of the car seat surface and safety belt buckles before restraining children in the car. These can easily cause skin burns. Use a light covering to shade the seat of a parked car.

“If a child is left in a hot car for any dangerous amount of time, the first thing to do is call 911 for help,” Richardson said. “Take the child out of the car and if he is alert, give him some cool water. If he’s not breathing or has no pulse, administer CPR until emergency help arrives. The heat in Oklahoma can be extreme, so it is vital for parents and caregivers to be aware of the possible dangers a child can face if left unattended in any vehicle.”

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http://www2.dasnr.okstate.edu/Members/trisha.gedon-40okstate.edu/heat-in-parked-cars-can-be-deadly-for-children-1

Contact: Trisha Gedon, (405) 744-3625, trisha.gedon@okstate.edu