Yesterday, was our first day of school and this year we are walkers. Even though we're just a street over from our Elementary, by the time we arrived back home our faces were red, our throats were dry, and sweat dripped off our brow. Do I REALLY have to say how hot it is out there?

The New School year brings lots of families on the road via car, bus, and walking in school zones. Since we're new to the crosswalk, my first bit of advice is slow down guys! My second bit of advice comes straight from our Car Safety Event we hosted just over a week ago with Chevy and Safe Kids USA.




Diana from Safe Kids USA joined us to show us how to properly install different size car seats, along with strapping in your child correctly. The most common mistakes Diana sees during car seat installation inspections (available locally):

1. Straps that are too loose on child
2. Retainer clip is often too high or too low, should be at arm pit level
3. Straps at the wrong level; should be at or above the shoulder depending on vehicle installation.

As I mentioned above it is HOT outside. All this week we're hitting triple digit temperatures, so Diana urges parents to look for signs of child heat exhaustion which include: Redness of face, dizziness and nausea. Here are a few ways to treat infant/child heat exhaustion.

4. Take child to a cool place
5. Use cool water to sponge child’s face
6. Remove child’s outer clothing
7. If not effective call EMS (9-1-1)
8. Children’s body temperature increases 3 to 5 times faster than adults’ temperature. So, do not forget a child in the car!


9. It is NEVER a good idea to hold a child in your arms while in the car.
10. Best to train babies from the beginning to stay seated, tightly strapped-in to car seat. It will be harder to tighten straps to appropriate level even 3-5 months later and it will increase their willingness to stay seated in a booster seat as they grow.

• Texas Children’s Center for Childhood Injury Prevention
• Community Family Centers—Monument Chevrolet
• Montgomery County—Tree of Life Lutheran Church
• Northwest Harris County—Cypress Creek EMS
• ADVANCE Early Head Start—Park Temple Baptist Church
• Brazoria County—Pearland EMS
• Friendswood Police Department
• Fort Bend County—Missouri City Police Department
• Harris County Sheriff’s office storefront locations

Disclosure: This post made possible by Chevy, Safe Kids Houston, and representing PR agency. Opinions, stated, are always my own and never wavered by products received nor compensated unless, otherwise, stated.
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