Blog: Hyperthermia: Lessons Learned

Posted by: Torine Creppy at Apr 17, 2012 12:00 AM CDT

Keywords: Education

| Send This | Article Link

In my job I work with data and I work with families. The data show us what needs to be done; the stories from families tell us how to best do it.

Universally, the families I’ve worked with whose children have overheated and died in hot cars are smart, caring, responsible, “good” parents. They NEVER thought “it” could happen to them. In almost all of the cases, there was a breakdown in communication or a change in routine.

In this busy world, more parents are working full days and juggling a lot — that includes getting everyone out the door — to childcare, work, appointments — in the morning. When parents travel, the schedule changes. When someone’s home sick, the schedule changes. Add in multiple children, a little sleep deprivation, and schedules can change more often than they stay the same.

Routine, in other words, is not a reliable device to make sure your child gets to childcare safely. We must rely more on habit. They are different. A habit is just something you do by default — no matter what the circumstance.

For me, it’s the text or call I get from my husband every day after he has dropped our son at school. He sends the same message to my parents, for extra peace of mind.

Every family needs a plan — a habit — that works for them.

There have been 527 hyperthermia deaths since 1998. Even more staggering are the 450 near misses reported in 2011 in one Florida county alone.

So, what can you do? Here’s our best advice.

Simply put, if you see a child in a car alone, ACT. Together, we can cut down the number of deaths and near misses by remembering to ACT.

Avoid heat stroke-related injury and death by:

Never leaving your child alone in the car, even for a minute.
Consistently locking unattended vehicle doors and trunks.

Create reminders and habits that give you and your child’s caregiver a safety net:

Establish a peace-of-mind plan. When you drop off your child, make a habit of calling or texting all other caregivers, so all of you know where your child is at all times.
Place a purse, briefcase, gym bag, cell phone or an item that is needed at your next stop in a back seat.
Set the alarm on your cell phone or computer calendar as a reminder to drop your child off at childcare.

Take action if you see an unattended child in a vehicle:

Dial 911 immediately and follow the instructions that emergency personnel provide – they are trained to determine if a child is in danger.

At Safe Kids, we feel ACT is your best defense. If anything comes along that is better, I’ll be quick to write a follow-up post here. For now, please share ACT with every family you know. That act alone, may save a life.

Blog: Hyperthermia: Lessons Learned

Learn More About How to Prevent Heat Stroke (Hyperthermia)

Comment on this Blog Post: