In Ussel, in the south-east of Corrèze, a 13-month-old baby was found inanimate in a vehicle parked in full sun, this Friday, June 20.
Locked in the cabin for more than 5 hours
According to the first observations, the child was locked up for 8 am, more than five hours in overwhelming heat, in a hermetically closed car, in the parking lot of a commercial area.
Dramatic conditions since in full sun, the cabin of a car can quickly reach 60 ° C. The child, taken care of in critical condition by the firefighters, was transported in absolute emergency to the Limoges University Hospital. The Tulle prosecution opened an investigation to clarify the circumstances of this drama.
Transported in absolute emergency to the Limoges University Hospital
Recall that in Corrèze, that day, the heat was particularly strong, the department was even placed in heat wave yellow. To forget a child in these circumstances can therefore quickly turn into drama, as Dr. Gérald Kierzek, emergency doctor and medical director of True Medical reminds us.
“Leaving your child alone in a car, even with the windows open, it does not make sense, it’s criminal. You should never leave a child without surveillance. The car is an oven and with the heat, a child dehydrates very quickly”.
Indeed, in young children, the thermal regulation system is still immature. Their body warms up to five times faster than that of an adult. “”The smaller the baby, the greater the risk“Insists the doctor again. In a situation of extreme heat, the danger is therefore immediate.
“Forgotten baby syndrome” can concern anyone
It is difficult to imagine that a parent can forget their child in a car. However, studies carried out in 2020 on these tragedies reveal that, in the majority of cases, adults involved have normal psychic and cognitive capacities. This phenomenon can affect everyone, men and women, regardless of their social status. However, certain elements such as stress, excessive fatigue or unforeseen events modifying the progress of the day may increase the risk of such incidents.
Child left alone in a car: what are the risks?
For lack of time, out of convenience or oblivion, some parents sometimes leave their children in the car. This is a serious mistake, because it is a serious danger to children.
In addition to the risk of dehydration, the car can be the scene of many accidents.
A child alone in a car could be tempted to put small objects in his mouth (like keys, pen caps, toys, traffic jams, pins …) and swallowing them. Without the surveillance of an adult, he could choke.
Other dangerous situations can also occur, such as the flight of the vehicle or an accident. Without the presence of an adult, the child is not protected and could undergo serious injuries.
Some devices that can avoid the worst
Each summer, despite the prevention campaigns, similar dramas occur. However, solutions exist, sometimes imposed by law. In Italy, for example, parents are forced to install an alarm system in the car seats of children under the age of 4.
This device detects their presence and triggers a sound or visual alert, inside and outside the vehicle.
The Waze application also allows you to program an alert on your phone, in order to think about getting your child out of the car. Other simple tips, such as putting an essential object (handbag, telephone …) at the back of the vehicle can also help. Because as Dr. Kierzek reminds us, “a drama has happened quickly”.