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This is literally a hot topic, and it's not something I like writing about. Being a mother of three, I always get my heart broken when I hear stories of young children being left inside a car while their parents go shopping or wait to pay for gas, especially when some of them die under the scorching sun.
Of course, many were simply forgotten by their distracted mom or dad, even though they love their kids to death (sorry for the pun). My goal here is to raise awareness about the dangers of leaving children inside a vehicle during a heat wave.
Four-wheel oven
Everyone knows that a car interior that sits under a hot sun rapidly turns into a oven, even when the outside temperature remains under 30°C. A 2008 study by Dr. Oded Bar-Or, sponsored by General Motors of Canada, showed that the internal temperature of a vehicle can exceed 50°C in just 40 minutes by a weather of 35°C.
Cracking the window
In the middle of summer, rolling the windows down a couple of minutes before stepping into a car barely makes a difference, so don't think that cracking a single window will help your kids breathe easily inside.
A quick stop
Leaving a child under 7 unattended inside a car is worth a fine of $60 in Quebec (how ridiculously low is that?). It doesn't matter if you want to let Junior sleep, or if you go out for just a few minutes; anybody -- including Mr. Sun -- could take your kid away from you. Do the test: Try to stay in your car for 15 minutes with the windows up and the engine off in stifling heat. I guarantee that you won't make it, so why put your little ones through that inferno?
Heat stroke
Sitting behind the wheel, you turn around and notice that your kid's skin is all red and hot. Stop immediately and give him or her some water, both for drinking and hydrating. If he or she is not perspiring, call 911. Anyone suffering from a heat stroke no longer perspires because their thermoregulation system stopped working.
Other symptoms include:
Tips to prevent kids from being left in the car
The best advice I can give you is to keep your wallet or purse on the back seat, so when you leave your car you won't forget anyone inside. Also, develop a certain routine, like systematically checking your rearview mirror when you turn the engine off.
Always think safety first, especially in hot weather. And if you happen to spot a child who's been left alone in a car, the least you can do is to contact emergency personnel immediately. That alone could save his or her life.
Of course, many were simply forgotten by their distracted mom or dad, even though they love their kids to death (sorry for the pun). My goal here is to raise awareness about the dangers of leaving children inside a vehicle during a heat wave.
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Four-wheel oven
Everyone knows that a car interior that sits under a hot sun rapidly turns into a oven, even when the outside temperature remains under 30°C. A 2008 study by Dr. Oded Bar-Or, sponsored by General Motors of Canada, showed that the internal temperature of a vehicle can exceed 50°C in just 40 minutes by a weather of 35°C.
Cracking the window
In the middle of summer, rolling the windows down a couple of minutes before stepping into a car barely makes a difference, so don't think that cracking a single window will help your kids breathe easily inside.
A quick stop
Leaving a child under 7 unattended inside a car is worth a fine of $60 in Quebec (how ridiculously low is that?). It doesn't matter if you want to let Junior sleep, or if you go out for just a few minutes; anybody -- including Mr. Sun -- could take your kid away from you. Do the test: Try to stay in your car for 15 minutes with the windows up and the engine off in stifling heat. I guarantee that you won't make it, so why put your little ones through that inferno?
Heat stroke
Sitting behind the wheel, you turn around and notice that your kid's skin is all red and hot. Stop immediately and give him or her some water, both for drinking and hydrating. If he or she is not perspiring, call 911. Anyone suffering from a heat stroke no longer perspires because their thermoregulation system stopped working.
Other symptoms include:
- Very high body temperature -- up to 41°C (106°F)
- Accelerated pulse
- Shortness of breath
- Headaches
- Confusion and other odd behaviour
- Unconsciousness
Tips to prevent kids from being left in the car
The best advice I can give you is to keep your wallet or purse on the back seat, so when you leave your car you won't forget anyone inside. Also, develop a certain routine, like systematically checking your rearview mirror when you turn the engine off.
Always think safety first, especially in hot weather. And if you happen to spot a child who's been left alone in a car, the least you can do is to contact emergency personnel immediately. That alone could save his or her life.