On the news this week there was a story about a 5 month old left in a car. I don't know about you, but the weather here in Georgia has been sweltering! It doesn't cool off at night and it is uncomfortable right at the start of the morning. To know that this poor child was left in the car and could not scream out for help and eventually died is heartbreaking. Yes, the caregiver says it was an accident. And that is usually the case but I'm begging you as a parent, to take a moment and read these tips:
Top Tips for Preventing Hyperthermia
- Dial 911 immediately if you see an unattended child in a car. EMS professionals are trained to determine if a child is in trouble.
- Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle, even with the window slightly open.
- Place a cell phone, PDA, purse, briefcase, gym bag or whatever is to be carried from the car, on the floor in front of a child in a backseat. This triggers adults to see children when they open the rear door and reach for their belongings.
- Set your cell phone or Blackberry reminder to be sure you dropped your child off at day care.
- Set your computer calendar program, such as Outlook, to ask, “Did you drop off at daycare today?”
- Have a plan that if your child is late for daycare that you will be called within a few minutes. Be especially careful if you change your routine for dropping off little kids at day care.
- Teach children not to play in any vehicle.
- Lock all vehicle doors and trunk after everyone has exited the vehicle – especially at home. Keep keys out of children’s reach. Cars are not playgrounds or babysitters.
- Check vehicles and trunks FIRST if a child goes missing
You can get more info about this and other ways to prevent injuries to your kids at Safe Kids.org
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