A.C.T. To Prevent Heat-related Car Deaths

Each year in the U.S., an average of 38 children and hundreds of dogs die from hyperthermia (heatstroke) in hot cars. While our initial reaction may be these are cases of blatant cruelty or negligence, the truth is many are due to tragic error on the part of otherwise loving, competent caregivers. The point? Yes, it’s possible this could happen to you.

“In addition to fatalities in hot cars, every summer we see a handful of children in the emergency room suffering from hyperthermia,” says Dr. Gale Osgood MRMC Emergency Department Medical Director. “Often, they’ve been left for only minutes in a car and parents return to find them suffering from rapidly-increased body temperatures. There are far too many close calls, and it’s completely preventable.”

There are a couple of misconceptions that contribute to these tragic episodes. First, there’s the assumption that if it’s cool outside, it can’t get very hot inside, and this is not accurate. It can be a mere 70 degrees outside, and on a sunny day a car can reach 100 degrees within 15 minutes. The perception that ‘cracking the windows’ will somehow keep the temperature in a safe range is another dangerous myth – open windows have little effect on internal car temperatures on a sunny day. Body temperatures for children and dogs rise three to five times faster than an adult’s, and brain damage or death can occur in a matter of minutes. Heat illness represents a continuum of illness from mild fatigue to the more severe, heat stroke, which is differentiated by the presence of confusion or an altered mental status.

It’s true that some children and pets are knowingly and negligently left inside hot vehicles. But in most cases, hot car deaths are a result of an adult’s disastrous lapse in memory. Working parents are often tired, stressed and running on auto-pilot on their way to and from work or errands. The risk is particularly high when the child is sleeping in the back seat, or when the adult is traveling a path outside their normal routine. Experts suggest you can reduce the risk by remembering to A.C.T.:

A = AVOID. Avoid heatstroke-related injury and death by never leaving your child alone in a car, not even for a minute. Be sure to keep your car locked when you are not in it, so kids don't climb in on their own.

C = CREATE. Create a reminder by putting something in the back of your car next to your child, such as a briefcase, a purse, a shoe or a cell phone that is needed at your final destination. This is especially important if you are not following your normal routine.

T = TAKE ACTION. If you see a child or dog alone in a car, call 911 and stay with the victim. Emergency personnel are trained to respond to these situations, and one call could save a life. If help does not arrive quickly and you note signs of immediate distress such as lethargy, poor coloring or heavy breathing, engage witnesses and do what is necessary to ensure the victim’s safety.

“In the event you or someone you know experiences signs of heatstroke, start cooling immediately with ambient air conditioning and spray water mist, cool drinks if tolerated,” says Dr. Osgood. “Dial 911 or proceed immediately to the nearest ER. Heat stroke can be serious, even life threatening.”

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