An Australian mum told parents that covering a stroller with a blanket could lead to a “rapid” rise in temperature and put their babies at “increased risk of heat stress”.
Nikki Yurkutz, executive director of children’s group Tiny Hearts Education, issued a warning after a three-year-old boy died in a hot car in Sydney on February 2.
Yurkuts shared a video on Instagram showing the temperature before and after the stroller was covered.
“Our children are also more sensitive to heat than adults, putting them at higher risk of heat stress.”
If you cover the stroller, it “reduces air movement” and can quickly cause temperature spikes, she says.
“You also can’t keep an eye on your baby when she’s covered to watch for these signs of heat stress,” she said.
She then covered the stroller and left it in the sun for 15 minutes – now the thermometer reads 46.4°C.
“I see it so often, it’s so frustrating,” one said. “It’s great to learn about this and look forward to sharing this knowledge.”
The follower added that they used muslin — a plain cotton fabric — for their first child, but bought it for their second after seeing Jurkuts’ Special Colors post a few years ago.
Another added: “Sometimes when I see a stroller covered, I want to step in and say something (in a friendly way).
He wrote before the third: “I will never understand this! Apply sunscreen to children so they don’t get sunburned, pull up the visor so it doesn’t hit them directly on their faces. They need fresh air, not suffocation.”
One Instagram user did his own testing, claiming that the temperature of their stroller was 61.5°C in the “sun part” and 35°C in the “shaded part of the stroller”.
“I’m not saying it’s safe to cover a stroller,” the user said, “but directional curtains can shade kids and allow air to circulate, which is better than exposing delicate baby skin to the relentless Australian sun.”
“The two numbers you got are still definitely not suitable for having a baby,” one replied.
“I understand that they are upset that the temperature is taken in the shade and not in the shade, but the child’s temperature cannot be higher than 32 degrees.”
Post time: Feb-12-2023