It’s summer time! While your thoughts are likely all around how you plan on enjoying the warm weather, did you know summer heat can also raise your level of risk, or that of your loved ones, in sustaining a traumatic brain injury? Over 50% of brain injuries are preventable and to help lower your risk I am tackling a few myths that may be giving you a false sense of safety on how to keep the children in your life brain injury free.
Myth: It’s okay to keep kids in car seats when you are just running into the store or house for a quick errand.
Fact: The temperature inside a vehicle can rise a lot more quickly than you may think, leading to brain damage and possibility death in a matter of minutes. The Canada Safety Council cites research that showed that a car exposed to the sun on a 35°C (95°F) day increased to over 50°C (122°F) in only 20 minutes. Leaving the car window slightly open to allow for airflow made no difference to how quickly the temperature became dangerously hot.
Children are susceptible to extreme heat, with their core temperature increasing three to five times faster than that of an adult.
Prevention Tips:
1. If you do need to run a quick errand while children are in the car, ensure an adult remains present so the ignition and air conditioner can remain on to keep the temperature at a safe level.
2. As an alternative, park in the shade in a safe location and leave the doors open to allow outdoor air to circulate. It’s important an adult also be present and remain with the vehicle.
Myth: Loving parents, grandparents and relatives would never forget a child in the car.
Fact: It’s conservatively estimated that each year between 4-6 children die of heatstroke in a car in Canada with the number of children deaths in the U.S. averaging as high as 37 each year.
Prevention Tips:
1. It’s easy to become distracted and be in a hurry when you’ve arrived at your destination. Before locking your vehicle always do a quick check in the back seat to ensure that no child gets accidently left behind.
2. Consider leaving a visual clue such as a stuffed animal on the passenger seat as a reminder that a child is in the back.
Myth: It’s okay not to lock the door to the car on a hot summer day when you are only going to be a short distance away.
Fact: Children of all ages are curious in their play especially really young ones who have an interest in exploring the unknown. This means that a parked car with an open door window may look inviting as the perfect spot to play that is out of sight of the adults.
Prevention Tip:
1. Keep the doors of all parked vehicles locked and the windows rolled up to prevent children from entering to play and inadvertently becoming trapped.
I wish you and your loved ones a safe, happy and healthy summer!
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