Doctors Say Strollers Can Endanger Your Child In Hot Weather
Brandon Richard
PHILADELPHIA (CNN) -- Parents have heard the warnings about leaving young kids in hot cars, but what about strollers?
Doctors say strollers can be dangerous for children in hot weather.
Some parents like to cover the top of the stroller with a blanket, screen or net to provide shade and keep bugs away, but doctors say that could block air-flow, increasing the risk of heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
They also say parents should ask themselves if their child is getting enough air circulation.
"If you think about it, they're not getting air circulation on the back side, they're only getting something from the front," said Dr. Heather Edgley, an ER physician tech. "When it's hot outside, it's much better to use a light colored stroller that will allow more air flow and less heat trapping."
Because babies and some toddlers can't let you know how they're feeling, doctors say it is important to pay attention to them and look for signs of heat exhaustion.
They include:
- Red, burning skin
- Rapid breathing
- Sudden irritability
- Excessive thirst
Doctors say it's also important to take children out of their stroller for frequent breaks to cool off.
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