Rising summer heat could mean fatal car temps for some

As temperatures rise, so does the danger of heat stroke if children or pets are left in hot cars.

This past week, this video went viral of a North Carolina man who sat in his 90-degree car to show his viewers what children would feel like if left in a hot car during these summer months.

You can watch that video here:http://bit.ly/TW2UGQ

But, it was about 90-degrees outside, meaning he was sitting in a car that could have easily reached temperatures up to 20-to-30 degrees warmer than the outside temp.

Pediatrician at the Pocatello Children’s Clinic Dr. David Denton said he finds over 50% of cases where kids are left in cars because the parent has forgotten to take them out as the head into the store.

So, he suggests placing a purse in the back seat or even a small toy in the front seat to remind parents to take their precious cargo out of the car before heading out.

“We see an increase in people who have heat disease from exercising or just being out in this heat too long,” Denton said. “Heat disease could range anywhere from heat stroke, heat exhaustion, etc., and putting yourself in a car increases the risk of those significantly since cars are huge conductors of heat.”

He said infants and children tend to feel the heat quicker than adults, and they also have a tough time cooling down.

Denton added, once the body loses the ability to regulate its temperature, we could be looking at more severe consequences.

“It can happen so quickly. Just ten minutes in a car, you could increase the temperature 20-to-30 degrees that fast, and if it’s already 90-degrees outside, you’re talking about putting your kid in something similar to an oven,” Denton added.

In some cases, this could lead to brain damage, cardiac arrest, seizures, or even death.

Pocatello Police Department’s Dianne Brush said the dept. receives calls every summer about people leaving children or pets in the car.

“Those temps just go up so quickly,” Brush said. “Please don’t leave any children or pets in there, even for a minute, even with the windows down. The temperatures do become extreme.”

So far, there have not been any reported cases in Idaho this year, but in 2013 there was one reported death of a toddler left in a car in Ammon.