Experts explain the dangers of leaving infants inside a hot car — “This is one of the most dangerous, life-threatening things one can do!”
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Global reports on infant deaths after being left out in cars during the summer have skyrocketed to more than 1000 in the past 3 decades since the first case was reported in 1998.
Although the majority of the deaths were recorded in the US — with 906 deaths reported, according to noheatstroke.org — 10 babies have been reported to have died due to being neglected in cars outside in the scorching heat.
Kidsafe Australia also reported that every year, more than 5000 children were rescued after being left in hot cars.
Research suggested that temperatures inside a closed car can quickly pick up to over 52C even on a mild day, revealing that these smouldering temperatures can cause heatstroke and death.
The graph shows how children can pick up the temperature inside the car, making them susceptible to heatstroke and death. Credit: noheatstroke.org.
Sydney GP and family care expert Dr Sam Saling said that these temperatures are specifically deadly to children.
She explained: “Parents can get frazzled when running around doing school pick-ups, carpooling to extra-curricular activities and completing errands, and leaving a child in the car for just a minute can seem innocent."
“But leaving a child in the car on a hot day is one of the most dangerous, life-threatening things one can do.”
The doctor also said that body temperatures tend to "double after just a few minutes" when a car has its windows up.
“Even with the windows down a few centimetres, this makes little difference,” she said.
“The younger a child is, the quicker it takes for their body temperature to rise, and the greater the effects are of heat stress on their little body."
“Heatstroke is one of the biggest risks. Normally when body temperature rises, either through exercise or a warm environment, the body reacts by sweating."
“This, in turn, cools the body down by sweat reacting with air and evaporating."
“With no circulating air in a closed car, the sweat can’t evaporate – which means that the body loses its self-regulating way to cool down.”
Additionally, excessive sweating due to the scorching heat inside the car can result in severe dehydration, contributing to the health risks of being left outside in the car.
Dr Saling said: “Symptoms of dehydration and heat stroke include hot, red and dry skin, headaches, vomiting, fatigue, confusion, muscle cramps and dizziness."
“The loss of body fluids and electrolytes can, in turn, lead to organ damage, and in severe cases, even death."
“In children, in particular, they often compensate until they are very sick, and if very young, they will not be able to communicate their distress.”
Dr Sam Saling strongly advocates against parents leaving their children inside their vehicles during the scorching summer heat. Credit: Instagram.
A shocking research published by San Jose State University's Department of Meteorology and Climate revealed that in more than half of the cases, the parents simply forgot that they left their babies inside the cars.
To better explain the consequences of parents leaving their children in their cars outside the scorching heat, Kidsafe Australia released a video where Australian chef Matt Moran demonstrated that he can cook a lamb loin in just over an hour-and-a-half inside a car parked on sunny Bondi Beach.
Credit: YouTube/Kidsafe Australia
Matt Moran said in the video: “Australia needs to know it is not safe at any time to leave a kid in a car."
Dr Saling warned: “The best thing to do is to never leave a child alone in a car – windows up or down."
“And if you are a passer-by and spot a child in a car on their own, call for help including emergency services. Even a few minutes can make a huge difference.”
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