A wintery mix of snow and freezing rain is expected Sunday night through Monday. Amounts are forecasted to remain relatively low; however, anything that falls will likely result in impacts given the very cold air that will already be in place.

The best thing you can do is to have a plan in place to keep your family safe and warm through this first taste of winter.

Take these tips from MedStar on what a winter weather plan should include:

• Make sure that you have important phone numbers, including your health care providers, pharmacy, and veterinarian.
• Assure you have enough medication for several days on hand.
• If you rely on medical devices in your home, have a backup plan in case you lose power for an extended period of time, such as a backup generator or battery pack and backup oxygen bottles.
• Have a communication plan for your family.
• Know how to get reliable information during the storm.
• Gather supplies in case you need to stay home for several days without power.

Dress Warmly

• Make sure newborns are dressed appropriately. Dress them in layers and cover their heads, hands and feet.
• For the most warmth, dress your little ones in wool instead of cotton. Essential winter items include hats and gloves, as well as sweatshirts or T-shirts that can be layered under overcoats or jackets.
• Blue skin, shivering and a cool chest and stomach are signs that children may be dangerously cold. If you see these signs, take action immediately to get kids out of the cold. Seek immediate medical attention if you're not able to warm the body.

Keep an eye out for signs of hypothermia.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hypothermia, or abnormally low body temperature, "is a dangerous condition that can occur when a person is exposed to extremely cold temperatures." 

Warning signs for adults include:

• Shivering, exhaustion
• Confusion, fumbling hands
• Memory loss, slurred speech drowsiness

Warning signs for infants include:

• Bright red, cold skin
• Very low energy

Victims of hypothermia can include babies sleeping in cold rooms.

If the power goes out, be very cautious of carbon monoxide.

During the Texas winter storm in February 2021, Cook Children’s treated 13 patients for carbon monoxide poisoning in one night. 

Here are some tips for keeping your family safe during this time:

• Don’t use anything such as a BBQ grill or propane tank to heat your home.
• Don’t run a vehicle inside of a garage attached to your home.
• Don’t heat your home with a gas oven or stovetop.
• Don’t burn charcoal inside your home.
• Do seek medical attention if you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Do ensure the carbon monoxide detectors in your home are properly functioning and installed in areas that will wake you if it alarms.
• Do check for local resources, such as warming shelters, to keep your family safe.

Signs of carbon monoxide poisoning can include:

• Headache
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Vomiting
• Upset Stomach
• Chest Pain
• Confusion
• Flu-like symptoms

If you have to travel, have a plan in place to keep yourself and your child safe.

Proper car seat use is one of the most critical ways parents can keep their young children safe when driving during inclement weather conditions. Here are a few safety tips to consider:

• Don’t strap your children into their car seats with their heavy coats on. In a crash, padding from a coat or thick layers will flatten out, leaving room under the car seat harness. This increases the risk of a child slipping through the straps and being thrown from the car seat. Instead, dress your child in thin layers. Once buckled up, slip the coat on backward with the sleeves on the child’s arms. This way, the coat acts as a blanket and doesn’t affect the fit of the harness.
• Give yourself extra time to get where you are going. And don't forget to account for traffic. 

• Pack an emergency bag for your car. It’s a good idea to have blankets, warm clothing, hats, and gloves available in case you become stuck in winter weather. You’ll also want to have nonperishable snacks packed away.
• Avoid overpasses if possible. Plan alternate routes to your destination and avoid high traffic areas when possible.
• Give yourself enough space from the car in front of you to gradually brake. When weather conditions are poor, give yourself double the time it normally takes to come to a complete stop.

Inclement weather may cause many of our primary care offices and specialty clinics to close or delay openings. Click here to view closure updates and delayed openings at our Cook Children's locations.

Many counties in North Texas are under an Ice Storm Warning or a Winter Storm Warning. Travel conditions are expected to worsen as additional sleet and freezing rain deteriorates roads areawide. Travel is NOT recommended, according to the National Weather Service. Delay or plan alternate routes for travel. Slow down when driving and allow for additional travel time.

Ice has the potential to accumulate on trees and power lines Wednesday afternoon into early Thursday morning, according to the National Weather Service. Prepare for tree limb breakage and localized power outages in this region.

Dozens of Cook Children’s staff members are preparing for another night of winter weather. About 70 employees are expected to spend a second night at Cook Children’s Medical Center - Fort Worth to ensure they’re ready to take care of the children who need them tomorrow.  

In addition, our facilities crews have worked all day to make sure the roads and sidewalks around the Fort Worth and Prosper hospitals are safe. And our food services and environmental services teams are going above and beyond to make sure everyone working through the storm has clean sheets and warm meals. We are grateful for each and every one of them!

Take these tips from MedStar on what a winter weather plan should include:

• Make sure that you have important phone numbers, including your health care providers, pharmacy, and veterinarian.
• Assure you have enough medication for several days on hand.
• If you rely on medical devices in your home, have a backup plan in case you lose power for an extended period of time, such as a backup generator or battery pack and backup oxygen bottles.
• Have a communication plan for your family.
• Know how to get reliable information during the storm.
• Gather supplies in case you need to stay home for several days without power.

Carbon Monoxide

If the power does go out, be very cautious of carbon monoxide.

During the Texas winter storm in February 2021, Cook Children’s treated 13 patients for carbon monoxide poisoning in one night. Sam Selby, D.O., worked the overnight shift in the emergency department on Feb. 15, 2021 and saw families use propane or diesel-burning engines that are meant for outside use with adequate ventilation.

Dr. Selby described how families used generators inside or too close to their homes or garages to keep warm. Generators emit fumes and can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.

“Carbon monoxide poisoning prevents your blood from being able to bind to or carry oxygen. You suffocate while you are still breathing,” Dr. Selby explained. 

Here are some additional ways to keep your family safe during this time:

• Don’t use anything such as a BBQ grill or propane tank to heat your home.
• Don’t run a vehicle inside of a garage attached to your home.
• Don’t heat your home with a gas oven or stovetop.
• Don’t burn charcoal inside your home. 
• Do seek medical attention if you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Do ensure the carbon monoxide detectors in your home are properly functioning and installed in areas that will wake you if it alarms.
• Do check for local resources, such as warming shelters, to keep your family safe. 

Coats & Car Seats

Don’t strap your children into their car seats with their heavy coats on. In a crash, padding from a coat or thick layers will flatten out, leaving room under the car seat harness. This increases the risk of a child slipping through the straps and being thrown from the car seat. Instead, dress your child in thin layers. Once buckled up, slip the coat on backward with the sleeves on the child’s arms. This way, the coat acts as a blanket and doesn’t affect the fit of the harness.

Pack an emergency bag for your car. It’s a good idea to have blankets, warm clothing, hats, and gloves available in case you become stuck in winter weather. You’ll also want to have nonperishable snacks packed away.

Dressing Warmly

When Outside

• Make sure newborns are dressed appropriately. "A good rule of thumb is to dress newborns in as many layers as you're wearing," said Diane Arnaout, M.D., Cook Children’s Medical Advisor for Digital Health. "That includes covering their heads, hands and feet. Those areas can lose a lot of heat and be harder to keep warm."
• For the most warmth, dress your little ones in wool instead of cotton. Essential winter items include hats and gloves, as well as sweatshirts or T-shirts that can be layered under overcoats or jackets.
• Blue skin, shivering and a cool chest and stomach are signs that children may be dangerously cold. If you see these signs, take action immediately to get kids out of the cold. Seek immediate medical attention if you're not able to warm your body.

Recognizing Hypothermia

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hypothermia, or abnormally low body temperature, "is a dangerous condition that can occur when a person is exposed to extremely cold temperatures." To learn more about the warning signs of hypothermia, click on this site from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Warning signs for adults include:

• Shivering, exhaustion
• Confusion, fumbling hands
• Memory loss, slurred speech drowsiness

Infants:

• Bright red, cold skin
• Very low energy

Victims of hypothermia can include babies sleeping in cold rooms.

At Home

• Don’t put blankets or other loose bedding in your infant’s sleeping environment. Instead, babies should wear one-piece sleepers or sleep sacks to keep warm while avoiding the risk of suffocation. For more information on SIDS, suffocation and co-sleeping dangers, click here.
• Make sure your home has working carbon monoxide detectors on every level, especially near bedrooms. They should be located at least 15 feet away from fuel-burning appliances. You can find more information about carbon monoxide dangers in this Checkup Newsroom story from 2015.
• Have a fire escape plan ready in case of a house fire. Make sure the whole family knows what to do if the unimaginable happens.

In the Car

• Don’t put your child in a car seat with a heavy coat on. In a crash, padding from a coat or thick layers will flatten out, leaving room under the car seat harness. This increases the risk of a child slipping through the straps and being thrown from the car seat. Instead, dress your child in thin layers. Once buckled up, slip the coat on backwards with the sleeves on the child’s arms. This way, the coat acts as a blanket and doesn’t affect the fit of the harness.
• If using a blanket over a newborn in a car seat, tuck it several inches below the child’s chin to ensure it won’t become a source of suffocation.
• Be mindful of road conditions which may increase the risk of a collision. 
• Pack an emergency bag for your car. It’s a good idea to have blankets, warm clothing, hats and gloves available in case you become stuck in winter weather. You’ll also want to have non-perishable snacks packed away.

When Outside

• Make sure newborns are dressed appropriately. "A good rule of thumb is to dress newborns in as many layers as you're wearing," said Diane Arnaout, M.D., FAAP, a Cook Children's pediatrician in Willow Park. "That includes covering their heads, hands and feet. Those areas can lose a lot of heat and be harder to keep warm."
• For the most warmth, dress your little ones in wool instead of cotton. Essential winter items include hats and gloves, as well as sweatshirts or T-shirts that can be layered under overcoats or jackets. “Infants have the same temperature intolerance as adults, but they lose more heat through their heads,” said Frank McGehee, M.D., a Cook Children’s pediatrician at Fort Worth (Magnolia). “A hat is one of the most important pieces of winter clothing for infants.”
• Blue skin, shivering and a cool chest and stomach are signs that children may be dangerously cold. If you see these signs, take action immediately to get kids out of the cold. Seek immediate medical attention if you're not able to warm the body.

Recognizing Hypothermia

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hypothermia, or abnormally low body temperature, "is a dangerous condition that can occur when a person is exposed to extremely cold temperatures. Stay safe this winter by learning more about hypothermia, including who is most at risk, signs and symptoms, and what to do if someone develops hypothermia." To learn more about the warning signs of hypothermia, click on this site from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Warning signs for adults include:

• Shivering, exhaustion
• Confusion, fumbling hands
• Memory loss, slurred speech drowsiness

Infants:

• Bright red, cold skin
• Very low energy

Victims of hypothermia can include babies sleeping cold rooms.

The Houston Chronicle reports the child was left in the back of a daycare bus by a driver and chaperone following a field trip. The bus arrived at 3 p.m. and the child was not discovered until around 6:30 p.m. when his father arrived to pick him up.

Deputies on the scene believed the boy may have fallen asleep during the 12-minute drive from the park back to the daycare and he did not wake up as more than the 20 other kids were taken inside.

The temperature inside the bus was recorded at 113 degrees, but that reading was taken after rescuers opened the doors.

Harris County Precinct 1 Constable Alan Rosen said the bus driver and chaperone could face criminal charges, but that would ultimately be up to the Houston Police Department detectives and prosecutors with the county’s District Attorney’s Office.

“This was really just gross negligence,” Rosen said. “As a result, a child lost his life.”

The child was the twenty-sixth pediatric vehicular heatstroke death in the nation this year, according to noheatstroke.org. There have been 769 child vehicular deaths in the U.S. since 1998.

Texas leads the nation in children dying from pediatric vehicular heatstroke with 17 deaths in the past 20 years.

“Every time we hear of a child dying in a hot car, it’s heartbreaking for all of us,” said Sharon Evans, Trauma Injury Prevention coordinator at Cook Children’s. “It’s especially devastating because these deaths are preventable."

A child dies from heatstroke about once every 10 days from being unattended in a hot vehicle. Heatstroke is the leading cause of non-crash vehicle fatality for kids 14 and younger. In more than half of these deaths, the caregiver forgot the child was in the car or the child climbed into an unlocked car to play and couldn't get themselves out.

Heatstroke, or hyperthermia, occurs when the body isn’t able to cool itself quickly enough and the body temperature rises to dangerous levels.

Young children are particularly at risk as their bodies heat up three to five times faster than an adult’s. When a child’s internal temperature gets to 104 degrees, major organs begin to shut down. And when that child’s temperature reaches 107 degrees, the child can die.

Because of this, and because cars heat up so quickly – 19 degrees in 10 minutes – tragedies can happen faster than you think. Symptoms can quickly progress from flushed, dry skin and vomiting to seizures, organ failure and death.

“Heat is much more dangerous to children than it is to adults,” Dana Walraven, Community Health Outreach manager at Cook Children’s and Safe Kids Tarrant County Coordinator. “When left in a hot vehicle, a young child’s core body temperature may increase 3 to 5 times faster than that of an adult. This could cause permanent injury or death.”

Safe Kids recommend the “ACT” method to prevent tragedy to your child or to a child you see left in a car:

• A: Avoid heatstroke-related injury and death by never leaving your child alone in a car, not even for a minute. And make sure to keep your car locked when you’re not in it so kids don’t get in on their own.

• C: Create reminders by putting something in the back of your car next to your child such as a briefcase, a purse or a cell phone that is needed at your final destination. Another idea is to take off one of your shoes and place it in the backseat. This is especially important if you’re not following your normal routine.

• T: Take action. If you see a child alone in a car, call 911. Emergency personnel want you to call. They are trained to respond to these situations. One call could save a life.

  Click to learn more about vehicle/car safety here.

It was a horrible reminder of the deadly consequences of what can happen when a child is left alone in a car.

Texas leads the nation in children dying from hypethermia after being left alone in an automobile with 55 deaths since 2010. Since 1998, 744 children have died nationally as a result of vehicular heatstroke.

For the Trauma department at Cook Children’s, statistics are much more than numbers. They represent very real, too often tragic consequences.

“Every time we hear of a child dying in a hot car, it’s heartbreaking for all of us,” said Sharon Evans, Trauma Injury Prevention coordinator at Cook Children’s. “It’s especially devastating because these deaths are preventable.”

Evans admits to frustration that these deaths continue to occur, but she’s encouraged by a law that could save children’s lives.

The "HOT CARS Act of 2017" would require the U.S. Department of Transportation to enforce that all new cars would be equipped with various alert systems to remind adults a child is in the back seat. The bill is currently attached to another that has passed the House and Senate committee. It’s awaiting a vote on the Senate floor.

To learn more about the hot car legislation, click here.

Already this year, two children have died after being left alone in a car. A 1-year-old child died in Miami in February when the temperature was 81 degrees and a child died this month in North Charleston, S.C., when it was 84 degrees outside.

“We’ve seen children die in the winter months before,” Evans said. “There is never a safe time to leave your child in a car. We hope people will take extra precaution and know that there's never a safe way or time to leave a child in the car.”

Hyperthermia, also known as heatstroke, is the leading cause of non-crash, vehicle-related deaths for children. It occurs when the body isn’t able to cool itself quickly enough and the body temperature rises to dangerous levels.

Young children are particularly at risk as their bodies heat up three to five times faster than an adult’s. When a child’s internal temperature gets to 104 degrees, major organs begin to shut down. And when that child’s temperature reaches 107 degrees, the child can die.

Because of this, and because cars heat up so quickly – 19 degrees in 10 minutes – tragedies can happen faster than you think. Symptoms can quickly progress from flushed, dry skin and vomiting to seizures, organ failure and death.

“It truly doesn’t have to be a ‘hot’ day in Texas for a death to occur,” said Dana Walraven, Community Health Outreach manager at Cook Children's. “The temperature inside a vehicle can quickly climb over 20 degrees hotter than outdoor temperature. So even a cool day in Texas can become dangerous very quickly. Since children’s body heat rises three to five times faster than adults, it’s important to know that temperatures can become deadly any time of year.”

For More Information About This Topic:

• Hot Cars Act
• Vehicle/Car Safety
• Trauma Services at Cook Children's
• Community Outreach at Cook Children's

A child dies from heatstroke about once every 10 days from being unattended in a hot vehicle. Heastroke is the leading cause of non-crash vehicle fatality for kids 14 and younger. In more than half of these deaths, the caregiver forgot the child was in the car or the child climbed into an unlocked car to play and couldn't get themselves out. 

“What’s heartbreaking is that this is a serious public health issue that is 100 percent preventable,” said Dana Walraven, Community Health Outreach manager at Cook Children’s and Safe Kids Tarrant County Coordinator. “Every mom and dad out there must realize it can happen to you. Texas leads the nation in child heat-related car deaths.”

So if you saw a baby alone in a car, what would you do to help?

According to Safe Kids Worldwide, a national online survey found that almost 2 out of every 5 parents said they had seen a young child left alone in a parked car in the last year. Some reported that they took action. Others reported they did nothing.

What should you do if you see a child in a hot car?

First and foremost, call 911.

“Each situation is unique. It’s best to call 911, describe the situation and take direction from them,” said Lonny Haschel, Staff Lieutenant with Texas Department of Public Safety and Texas Highway Patrol.

In a situation where someone spots a child in a hot car, every second counts. The inside of a car can rise 20 degrees in 10 minutes and keeps getting hotter with each passing minute. And cracking the window doesn’t help.

Heatstroke occurs when the body is no longer able to cool itself quickly enough. Young children are particularly at risk as their bodies heat up to 3 to 5 times faster than an adult’s. Children can’t cool their bodies fast enough to handle the heat and once the child’s temperature reaches 107 degrees, he or she is at risk of death.

Over the weekend, two children died in Phoenix, Ariz. A 7 month old died when the temperature was 101 degrees. The following day a 1 year old died when it was 103 outside.

But it doesn't need to be over 100 degrees for the car to heat up quickly enough for deadly consequences. On July 27, 2017, a 4-month-old baby died in a hot car in Laramie, Wyo. and it was 84 degrees outside.

“It truly doesn’t have to be a ‘hot’ day in Texas for a death to occur,” Walraven said. “The temperature inside a vehicle can quickly climb over 20 degrees hotter than outdoor temperature. So even a cool day in Texas can become dangerous very quickly. Since children’s body heat rises three to five times faster than adults, it’s important to know that temperatures can become deadly any time of year.

Young children are particularly at risk as their bodies heat up three to five times faster than an adult’s. When a child’s internal temperature gets to 104 degrees, major organs begin to shut down. And when that child’s temperature reaches 107 degrees, the child can die.

Because of this, and because cars heat up so quickly – 19 degrees in 10 minutes – tragedies can happen faster than you think. Symptoms can quickly progress from flushed, dry skin and vomiting to seizures, organ failure and death.

Leaving a child alone in a hot car is not only extremely dangerous, but against the law. A person commits a criminal offense in Texas if he or she knowingly leaves a child in a motor vehicle for longer than 5 minutes knowing that the child is :

1. Younger than 7 years of age and;
2. Not attended by an individual in the vehicle who is 14 years of age or older.

According to noheatstroke.org, 32 children have died in the U.S. as a result of being left in a car. In all of 2015, 24 kids died. 

On Sept. 21, 2016, a 7-month-old baby died in a hot car in Huntsville, Ala. The temperature was 94 degrees. The following day, a 4-month-old child died in Geronimo, Okla. The temperature at the time was 96 degrees. 

As anyone who lives in a state like Texas can attest, summer-like temperatures can occur even in winter. But it doesn’t take a scorching hot day for a child to be in danger. Heatstroke deaths have been recorded in 11 months of the year in nearly all 50 states.

“It truly doesn’t have to be a ‘hot’ day in Texas for a death to occur,” said Dana Walraven, Community Health Outreach manager at Cook Children’s and Safe Kids Tarrant County coordinator. “The temperature inside a vehicle can quickly climb over 20 degrees hotter than outdoor temperature. So even a cool day in Texas can become dangerous very quickly. Since children’s body heat rises three to five times faster than adults, it’s important to know that temperatures can become deadly any time of year.

Heatstroke, also known as hyperthermia, is the leading cause of non-crash, vehicle-related deaths for children. It occurs when the body isn’t able to cool itself quickly enough and the body temperature rises to dangerous levels.

Young children are particularly at risk as their bodies heat up three to five times faster than an adult’s. When a child’s internal temperature gets to 104 degrees, major organs begin to shut down. And when that child’s temperature reaches 107 degrees, the child can die.

Because of this, and because cars heat up so quickly – 19 degrees in 10 minutes – tragedies can happen faster than you think. Symptoms can quickly progress from flushed, dry skin and vomiting to seizures, organ failure and death.

“We still have to get the word out that there’s never a safe time to leave your child in the car,” said Sharon Evans,Trauma/Injury Prevention coordinator at Cook Children’s, said. “We’ve seen children die in February. We hope people will take extra precaution in never leaving a child in the car.”

Safe Kids Worldwide says that heatstroke is the leading cause of non-crash, vehicle related deaths for children and that young children are particularly at risk as their bodies heat up three to five times faster than an adults’.

It’s hard to imagine someone forgetting a child is in the car, but human error, and people make these mistakes during their busy day-to-day lifestyle. Safe Kids recommend the “ACT” method to prevent tragedy to your child or to a child you see left in a car:

• A: Avoid heatstroke-related injury and death by never leaving your child alone in a car, not even for a minute. And make sure to keep your car locked when you’re not in it so kids don’t get in on their own.
• C: Create reminders by putting something in the back of your car next to your child such as a briefcase, a purse or a cell phone that is needed at your final destination. This is especially important if you’re not following your normal routine.
• T: Take action. If you see a child alone in a car, call 911. Emergency personnel want you to call. They are trained to respond to these situations. One call could save a life.