As hot as it feels outside to adults, it might feel even hotter to children, and that means taking extra precautions to keep them safe this summer.
Younger children are especially at risk during a hot summer because they produce more heat while at rest and they don’t sweat as efficiently as adults. They also have a higher ratio of body surface area to mass, so they also absorb more heat.
The best advice, experts say: Use common sense and don’t underestimate the danger of excessive heat.
To remind you to not leave toddlers unattended in a hot carseat even for a quick errand, leave your wallet, purse or phone in the back seat. Looking in the back seat before you leave the car is a helpful reminder to take your toddler with you.
Do you leave windows open at home? Be sure to not leave furniture or chairs under open windows. Children can climb through even small openings.
Pools are a great way to keep children cool, but never leave toddlers and young children unattended. An inch of standing water can be fatal.
For more tips on keeping children safe in the heat, check out www.safekids.org or www.ggweather.com/heat.
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There has been so much publicity about the dangers of leaving your dog unattended in your car during the summer heat. Too bad the press we get about children is after they have died in a car after being left there by parents who want to “party” or parents who change a routine and forget children in the back seat.