Summer is here! As usual we are experiencing high temperatures and lots of sunny days. Kids and adults need to remember to hydrate and utilize measures in order to stay cool in this intense heat. It is also imperative to remember that leaving a child in a car for any period of time is very dangerous.
We are in a world of go-go-go! Distractions are all around us and it is very important that we take measures in order to keep our kids safe. Here are some precautions I suggest:
- When you exit your vehicle, always check the back seat to make sure your child is not in the car.
- If there is a change in routine, be extra vigilant about making sure you know who is dropping off and picking up your child.
- I usually put my purse in the back seat of my car, so when I exit my car, I have to open the back seat door in order to retrieve it. This serves as a double-check on my end.
- Teach your children from an early age that the car is not a place to play.
- Keep your keys out of reach from children in order to prevent them from entering the car without your knowledge.
- Most importantly if you see a child unattended in a car, please take action. Stay with the child until parent arrives. If the child is in distress or unresponsive, call 911.
Heat stroke is the leading cause of vehicle-related deaths (other than motor vehicle crashes) in children under age 15. Here is something that might surprise you-it doesn’t have to be hot outside for a child to experience heat stroke from being left in a vehicle. Cars heat up quickly and the inside temperature of a car can increase 20 degrees in just 10 minutes. It may feel cool outside, but the radiating heat can cause the car’s internal temperature to rise rapidly. In addition to this, children do not self-regulate their temperatures as effectively as adults do, therefore they are already at increased risk of heat related problems.
If you have a young child, take some time to sit down and think of some precautions that will work for you and your family to keep your little one safe!
Little Spurs Pediatric Urgent Care opened in 2006 in San Antonio, Texas. With multiple locations in San Antonio and Dallas, they are open seven days a week with extended evening hours and see walk-in patients or through an online check-in system. They accept most commercial insurance and Medicaid plans. More information about Little Spurs Pediatric Urgent Care can be found at www.littlespurspedi.com.
