Most parents know the rules when it comes to protecting their children from the summer sun.
Keep cool and hydrated while outside.
But Jennifer Abma never thought it was possible for her child to suffer from heatstroke while inside.
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Abma thought she was doing the right thing by keeping her daughters Ariel and Anastasia, who were 1 and 2-years-old at the time, inside on a 90-degree day in Edmonton, Canada in 2017.
But Abma found Anatasia covered in sweat and red hot about an hour after the toddler went down for a nap.
What’s worse was that the child wouldn’t open her eyes.
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“It felt like she had just been lit on fire,” Abma told CBS News. “It was like walking into a sauna. I never realized a bedroom could do that to a kid.”
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It was the family’s first summer in the house and they don’t have air conditioning.
But Abma had the windows open in every room.
“When the rest of your house is cool you expect the whole house should be like that,” she said.
Direct sunlight was beaming into her daughter’s room making the temperature rise above 100 degrees.
Abma immediately dialed 911 and the paramedics responded within minutes.
They treated the child, who had a 104-degree fever, for heatstroke. Her blood sugar had also fallen dangerously low.
“Her sugars were 1.2 and a kid’s sugar level should be above 4,” Abma said.
Paramedics cooled the child off with ice and gave her some sucrose.
Thankfully, she was awake and crying within 5 minutes. Her temperature went down after about 15 minutes and she was declared to be OK. The paramedics saved Anastasia’s life.
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“She was minutes from death,” her mom said.”If they were 10 to 15 minutes later I don’t think she’d be here. For a kid to be out that long — I don’t think she was going to come around,” Abma said.
The paramedics asked that Abma shared her story so that others can be warned about the dangers of heatstroke.
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Asma said she’s glad her story went viral so she can warn other parents.
“Make sure you are checking the rooms in your house because they can be as dangerous as a hot car,” she warned. “I’m shook and I can’t imagine what would have happened if I didn’t go check on her.”
https://www.facebook.com/CityofPhoenixAZ/photos/a.126625954097073/3083928865033419/?type=3
HealthyChildren.org warns that a heat index of 90°F can pose a health risk to children.
During weather like this, it’s best to keep your children in an air-conditioned space.
If you don’t have air conditioning, you should find a safe space and plan to go there when it gets hot.
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You should make sure your child is hydrated and drinks water regularly even if they aren’t thirsty.
Infants should be fed extra bottles of breast milk or formula when it’s hot out.
It’s also best to keep your children in lightly colored and lightweight clothing that is absorbent since children have a lower capacity for sweating than adults do.
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When it’s higher than 90°F, make sure your children rest and aren’t overexerting themselves.
Give them a bath, water mist, or go swimming to cool them off.
If you suspect that your child might be suffering from heatstroke symptoms you should contact your pediatrician right away.
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