Officials Speak Out on Heatstroke Prevention in Children

Wednesday marks National Heatstroke Prevention Day, though for many, the day came too late.

Already, 24 children have died this year after they were left in a hot car, according to the San Francisco State University Department of Geosciences. Furthermore, many of those who survive do so with of long term health issues, including permanent brain damage, blindness and hearing loss.

"I'm deeply concerned that we will lose more children to a cause that is 100 percent preventable," David Strickland, administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration wrote today on Fast Lane, the US Department of Transportation's blog. "That's where you come in."

Heatstroke deaths and injuries in children are not purely the result of leaving a child in a car while a parent runs into a store for a quick errand. Many are the result of a child climbing into an unlocked vehicle to play. Problems can also arise when individuals unaccustomed to transporting children forget they are there after they fall asleep.

"If we can increase awareness of the dangers of heatstroke and spread easy-to-follow tips, we can reduce the number of these incidents and their consequences," Strickland continues.

These include:

- Never leaving children unattended in a vehicle, even if the AC is on.

- Do things that will remind yourself that a child is in the vehicle.

- Never let children play in an unattended vehicle.

- Set a reminder on your cell phone to alert you to be sure you dropped your child off at daycare.

- Always lock the car doors and truck behind you and keep the keys out of reach.

- If a child is missing, check the car.

- Have a plan with a childcare provider so they will call you if your child does not show up by a certain time.

- If you are having someone else drop your child off somewhere, make sure they call you afterward to ensure everything went according to plan.

- If you see a child along in a hot vehicle, call 911. If they are distressed due ot heat, get them out as quickly as possible. Cool them off rapidly, such as with a garden hose.