Hyperthermia Weather is Here - Be Prepared - Ask Patty

July 05, 2008

Hyperthermia Weather is Here - Be Prepared

As summer gets into full swing, the hot weather rolls in. And that means hot cars. And hot cars mean danger to our children in the form of hyperthermia. If you’re not familiar with hyperthermia and you have small children, you need to know what you’re up against.

Hyperthermia is when your body temperature rises well above normal. You’ve probably heard it called heat stroke. It can be deadly for children. Last year, we gave you some products that can remind you to grab your baby out of the back seat. And we featured an article that explained more about prevention.

And as the hot weather arrives, we’d like to remind you again that high temperatures can be dangerous for your children. Remember the following safety tips:

Never leave your kids unattended in the car.
Cracking your windows doesn’t help the car’s internal temp.
Temperatures in a car can increase 20 degrees every thirty minutes.
Children’s bodies warm 3-5 times as fast as an adult - so while being in the heat may not seem like long to you, it can be deadly for a child.
We lose an average of 36 children per year to heat stroke - don’t let yours be one!

Check and double-check your car before you leave it. Make sure your kids (and pets) are NOT inside. We saw too many stories of deaths due to hyperthermia last summer. Let’s try to change that this year.

Image: aussiegall

By Becky Scott
Contributing Editor