As the summer heat rises, many parents instinctively keep their children indoors, believing it’s the safest option. However, soaring indoor temperatures can pose a significant risk for kids, even when they’re out of direct sunlight.
Recently, in Edmonton, Canada, temperatures climbed above 90 degrees, prompting Claire Johnson to keep her one-year-old son Leo and her three-year-old daughter Mia inside. After some playtime, Mia went to her room for a nap. When Claire checked on her 90 minutes later, she was shocked to find Mia unresponsive.
“She was drenched in sweat, her face was red, and she seemed completely out of it,” Claire recalled in an interview with TODAY. Upon noticing how hot Mia’s room felt, Claire quickly called for help. Paramedics arrived and discovered that Mia had a dangerously high body temperature of 104 degrees, and the room itself was a sweltering 122 degrees. Mia was suffering from heatstroke.
Fortunately, the paramedics were able to revive her by administering sugar to elevate her blood sugar levels. “It took 15 minutes to wake her up,” Claire said, relieved. “She was incredibly lucky. We were probably just moments away from something much worse.”
Grateful for her daughter’s recovery yet shaken by the incident, Claire took to Instagram to share her experience, aiming to raise awareness about the dangers of indoor heatstroke. “This clearly shows that a child doesn’t need to be outside to suffer from heatstroke,” she emphasized. She explained that since Mia had gone to her room alone, Claire had no idea how excessively warm it was. “I had no clue how hot it had gotten until I found her, soaked in sweat and unresponsive.”
Claire’s home lacks air conditioning, and she usually considers her living environment safe, especially when temperatures rarely exceed 80 degrees. On that particular day, she had opened the windows for ventilation and drawn the shades to keep the sun out, thinking she was taking proper precautions. However, the paramedics informed her that without a fan circulating the air, her daughter’s room was as hazardous as a hot car. “It’s something you wouldn’t expect in your child’s bedroom,” she said. “You start blaming yourself. ‘Why did I let her nap alone?’”
As temperatures soar above 90, simply staying indoors might not safeguard against heat-related illnesses, even if you’re positioned in front of a fan. The CDC warns that electric fans provide little relief when it’s sweltering outside. Instead, they advise taking a cool shower or relocating to an air-conditioned space. For a refreshing escape, consider visiting the library or spending time in a shopping mall during heatwaves, and remember: it’s perfectly okay to skip cooking and order pizza!
Mia fully recovered from her frightening ordeal, but Claire remains acutely aware of how fortunate they are. “I’m still shaken, and I can’t imagine what might have happened if I hadn’t gone to check on her,” she admitted.
She hopes other parents heed her warning: “Please take this as a reminder to check the temperatures in your home. Rooms can be just as dangerous as a hot car.”
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Summary
Claire Johnson’s alarming experience with her daughter Mia’s heatstroke serves as a stark reminder about the risks of indoor heat during summer. Parents should be vigilant about monitoring their children’s environments, as excessive heat indoors can be as dangerous as being outside in the sun.