As temperatures are getting higher and higher this summer, a common summer stroller mistake could be putting babies at risk, BabyCenter are reporting
What’s the risk? – Covering a stroller with a blanket to shield your baby from the sun.
Scientists are reporting that even the thinnest cloth draped over a stroller could have a furnace like effect! In fact doing this, can actually cause the temperature inside the stroller to skyrocket to dangerous levels.
“It gets extremely hot down in the pram, something like a thermos,” pediatrician Svante Norgren told the Swedish newspaper, Svenska Dagbladet. “There is also bad circulation of the air and it is hard to see the baby with a cover over the pram.”
The newspaper decided to do a stroller experiment of its own, just to see what would happen.
Here’s what it found:
Without a cover: The temperature inside the a stroller left out in the heat was 22 degrees Celsius (71.6 degrees Fahrenheit.)
With a thin cover: In 30 minutes, the temperature rose to 34 degrees Celsius (93.2 degrees Fahrenheit.) And after an hour, it was at 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit.)
Who would have thought something as innocent as covering your baby’s stroller with a blanket on a hot day could be a recipe for disaster?
The thing is, young children are especially at risk for overheating and even heatstroke.
What parents can do to avoid heatstroke in babies:
- Dress your baby in lightweight, loose-fitting clothing.
- Try to keep your baby in the shade when outside — and check to make sure that he’s staying cool during car rides.
- Give him more fluids than usual on hot days.
- If the temperature is especially hot, keep your baby inside if you can.
- If your home is very hot and you don’t have air conditioning, seek comfort at a public library, the mall, or a community shelter provided especially for relief from the heat.