TOLEDO, Ohio — The forecast shows temperatures will soar into the 90s this week. It's important to be as vigilant as ever when it comes to heat safety.
With temperatures rising, officials with ProMedica are advising that parents and caregivers be mindful and always check the backseat.
A child's body heats up 3 to 5 times faster than an adult's body. When a child's temperature reaches 104 degrees, major organs start to shut down. And when it reaches 107 degrees, the effects can be lethal.
It only takes a few minutes before temperatures begin to climb to dangerous levels when a car is turned off and the windows are rolled up, which can turn deadly for kids.
Here are a few tips from ProMedica officials before leaving your car:
- Always check the backseat.
- If running errands, never leave a child in the car alone for obvious safety reasons, but especially during hot and humid weather.
- Create a visual reminder that a child is a passenger in your car.
“Parents are going to their child care, preschool and they’re tending to forget them in the back just because they get sidetracked on the way to work. Things that they can look out for is just to kind of remember taking those reminders, acting on it - creating those reminders and then taking action," explained Shacara Sneed, a pediatric injury prevention specialist with ProMedica.
"Maybe putting a book bag or maybe a shoe if you want to drive to work with one shoe, or a diaper bag, anything like that will help you."
Keep in mind, a car's temperature can go be up to 20 degrees hotter than what it actually is outside in as little as 10 minutes.
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