2012 Heat Stroke Prevention Campaign

General Motors is providing funding to help prevent children's death. Dozen of children die from Hyperthermia (also known as heat stroke) every year due to children being left unattended in vehicles. To help prevent these tragic deaths, the General Motors Foundation and Safe Kids Buckle Up are launching the 2012 Never Leave Your Child Alone in a Car campaign to arm parents and caregivers with preventive tips and tactics.

 "Kids react differently to heat than adults," says Dr. Leticia Ryan of Children's National Medical Center, Emergency Medicine and Trauma Services. "Infants and young children haven't fully developed the internal systems regulating body temperature, putting them at much greater risk for organ failure and death when exposed to excessive heat. We see this all too often in the emergency room, and it's absolutely devastating."

 "Whether you are a parent or caregiver, or just a concerned bystander, you can help save lives," says Kate Carr, President and CEO of Safe Kids Worldwide. "We are urging everyone to ACT..."

AVOID:

• Never leaving your child alone in the car, even for a minute.
• Consistently locking unattended vehicle doors and trunks. 

CREATE REMINDERS:

• Establish a peace-of-mind plan. When you drop off your child, make a habit of calling or texting all other caregivers, so all of you know where your child is at all times.
• Place a purse, briefcase, gym bag, cell phone or an item that is needed at your next stop in a back seat.
• Set the alarm on your cell phone or computer calendar as a reminder to drop your child off at childcare

TAKE ACTION:

• Dial 911 immediately and follow the instructions that emergency personnel provide – they are trained to determine if a child is in danger. 

Sourced from CBS tv. 

To see more about preventing heat stroke in deaths, please visit Safe Kids