VCU Medical Center and SAFE KIDs of Virginia offer safety tips regarding children, cars and heat stroke

By Anne Buckley

RICHMOND, Va. -- Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center and SAFE KIDS of Virginia on Wednesday issued a list of safety precautions to help prevent heatstroke deaths of children in unattended cars.

Each summer brings reports of children dying in hot, parked cars, and the deaths can be prevented, said Angela Mickalide, program director of the National SAFE KIDS Campaign. Many of the deaths occur when a child is left behind or forgotten by an adult, while others occur when a child gains access to an unlocked car and cannot get out.

Corri Miller-Hobbs, SAFE KIDS of Virginia coordinator at VCU Medical Center, said children can die within minutes in an overheated car. And children are more vulnerable to the heat than others, added Karen Stewart, coordinator of VCU Medical Center's Pediatric Trauma Injury Prevention program.

"This is because a child's body temperature increases three to five times faster than an adult's and children are not able to dissipate heat as efficiently as adults," Stewart said. 

VCU Medical Center and SAFE KIDS on Wednesday issued these tips:

* Never leave a child unattended in a motor vehicle - even just for a few minutes.
* Contact authorities if you see a child left unattended in a motor vehicle.
* Keep vehicles locked, especially at home, and keep the keys out of children's reach.
* Make sure all children leave the vehicle upon arrival at a destination. Be especially careful when transporting children on a specific day or time that is not part of the normal routine.
* In the case of sleeping infants, place a purse or briefcase on the floor of the rear seat near the child to ensure re-entry to the back seat before leaving the vehicle.
* Teach children not to play in, on or around vehicles.
* Watch children closely around vehicle, especially when loading and unloading.