For a lot of parents, car safety is a pretty straightforward thing. It’s all about making sure your baby is seated in a car seat, and that the seat is installed according to the instructions. However, did you know that parents also need to protect their baby from oxygen deprivation?
3-month old dies from oxygen deprivation during a car ride
Parents Kirsti and Christopher went out with their toddler and 3 month old baby Harper to go shopping at their local shopping center where they stayed for around 3 hours. At around half past 6, the family had an hour and 45 minutes in transit because of the rush hour. When they got home, the new born stayed in the car seat for another 15 minutes as they get the toddler ready for bed.
After being in the car seat for 2 hours, Harper was put on her mat. Her lips suddenly turned blue and her jaw clenched. After a couple of seconds, white foam came out of her nose and mouth. During the horrifying 5 minute journey to the hospital, the parents couldn’t say if she was breathing.
Doctors were able to resuscitate Harper, she had suffered a seizure.
While Harper was found to be in great health and her car seat completely safe, doctors warned that any tot who spends more than one hour in a car seat can suffer oxygen deprivation. Now the couple are determined to raise awareness of this danger.
Safety tips to prevent oxygen deprivation in babies
Here are some safety reminders for parents to prevent oxygen deprivation:
- If going on a long car ride with your little one, take breaks every 30 minutes to ease your child’s breathing.
- Make sure that the clothes that they are wearing are not too tight, and the straps on the car seat are just right.
- Don’t let your baby sleep for a long time inside the car.
- As much as possible, avoid taking long car rides with newborns. Wait until they’re a bit older just to be safe.
- Make sure to buy the right car seat for your baby, and install it properly.
- Constantly monitor your baby’s health during the car ride.
Source: The Sun
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