If it happens in winter when we could least imagine it, in summer with high temperatures these events become more common than we would like. It should never be done, but especially when the heat comes, do not leave children locked in the car since they can suffer a heat stroke in a few minutes.
And it is that a child inside a car parked in the sun in summer and without ventilation can reach 42 or 43 degrees of body temperature and even reach death in the interval of 30 to 60 minutes. Neither forgetfulness, recklessness, ignorance, nor think that it only happens to others or it is very difficult to happen: there are no excuses.
According to data from the United States, since 1998, at least 623 children have died as a result of a heat stroke, when they were unattended inside a vehicle. In that country, every ten days a child dies who has been left alone in a car in the sun; and, for every little one who dies, hundreds of others are rescued before a misfortune happens.
In fact, the car in summer becomes a trap for babies and children, and this has been remembered these days by the Spanish Association of Pediatrics and the MAPFRE Foundation, which warn of the risks of heat stroke in children inside the car. And we don't talk only about when outside temperatures are around 40 degrees, with much less heat there can be serious risks.
As they say, a minor who remains alone in a vehicle for only 10 minutes in a row at a moderate outside temperature, around 25 degrees, has a good chance of suffering a heat stroke and dizziness, vomiting, headache and tachycardia, which is more frequent among children than adults and is repeated very frequently when the hottest months arrive.
This external heat can increase the temperature of closed cars to exceed 40 degrees inside, putting children's lives at risk. The fact that we lower the windows a little barely reduces the temperature inside. In a few minutes, you can easily reach 50 or 60 degrees inside the vehicle, which in some of its exterior elements reach up to 80 degrees. Come on, you touch it and you burn.
And this also happens inside the car, since skin damage can occur from a temperature of 45 degrees Celsius. The internal elements of a vehicle (dashboard, seats, steering wheel, gearshift, etc.), can reach temperatures close to 70 degrees if they are not protected by a lens hood.
In short, in two and a half hours, without ventilation, the interior temperature of a car is 88% higher than the outside.
Tips to avoid heat stroke in the car
For all this we are reminded that do not leave children alone in the car for a minute, any setback that prevents us from returning to the car in the expected time can happen, many things can happen because children are not safe alone. It would also be necessary to ensure that the car is closed and locked (doors and trunk) so that children do not access it and lock themselves up without us noticing.
Another advice not to forget that we carry a child in the back (yes, it happens) is to leave some personal object that we need: bag, phone, keys ... so that yes or yes we see the baby or child and take it out when we leave the car. We must pay special attention when we change routines (if there is a change of schedules, if one of the parents goes instead of the other taking the child ...), since then it is easier for a mistake to happen.
As always, education matters, as soon as they grow up they have to talk to our children and teach them that the car is not a safe place to play (neither running nor standing), the trunk is for carrying luggage and they should never access it, no they have to get in the vehicle without our permission ...
According to the Professional Association of Firefighters (APTB), heat stroke ends every year with the lives of many people. For this reason, if we observe children or elderly people (two of the most vulnerable groups) inside a vehicle, at risk of heat stroke, the first thing to do is to notify emergency services, that is to 112.
Also recommend try to open the car, always safely, for example by breaking the glass of a window that is as far away from the child as possible to avoid injury.
Heat stroke or thermal shock is one of the most severe cases of hyperthermia and in summer they are not uncommon. In children it can also occur if they are exposed to situations with high humidity and high temperatures, without adequate protection or hydration, due to a bad practice of physical activity ...
Recall that the majority of victims of hyperthermia are less than five years old (those under one year of age are the most vulnerable), which is mainly due to the fact that their body temperature increases much faster than in an adult. Your respiratory system, which is still developing, also makes the most vulnerable children to heat.
Therefore, when temperatures rise, you have to keep children well hydrated and protect them from extreme temperatures, in any situation (car, beach ...), keep them in the shade, do not go out in the hottest moments, protect your skin ...
We leave you with this shocking video which shows what happens when leaving a child locked in the car:
