The issue of child heat risks has come into focus following the tragic deaths of two children who were found dead inside a vehicle, with the President of the Cyprus Paediatric Society urging caution until investigations are completed.
Call for calm as investigations continue
Speaking on the programme Protoselido, President of the Cyprus Paediatric Society Dr Michael Anastasiades expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy and stressed that no safe conclusions can yet be drawn regarding the exact cause of death.
He explained that authorities are still awaiting the results of the post-mortem examination and other tests before determining what happened.
“We cannot put forward any version of events while the investigations and forensic examinations are ongoing in order to determine the exact cause of death,” he said, while extending his sincere condolences to the children’s family and loved ones.
High temperatures pose serious dangers
Referring more broadly to child heat risks, Dr Anastasiades warned about the dangers linked to exposure to extreme temperatures, particularly for young children.
He explained that a closed vehicle acts as a “metal box”, where temperatures rise rapidly and can create extremely dangerous conditions for the human body.
“The conditions inside a closed vehicle are truly exhausting, especially for vulnerable individuals such as young children,” he said.
He added that prolonged exposure to such temperatures can initially cause heat exhaustion and loss of consciousness before progressing to multi-organ failure and cardiac arrest.
Prevention remains essential
Dr Anastasiades stressed the need for preventive measures during periods of extreme heat, noting that children should avoid exposure to the sun during midday hours, remain in cool or air-conditioned environments and stay properly hydrated.
He added that similar precautions should be taken for elderly individuals and urged people to ensure air-conditioning systems are functioning properly.
“Forgotten child syndrome”
When asked about incidents involving children being left inside vehicles, Dr Anastasiades said the condition is recognised in medical literature as a distinct syndrome often referred to as “forgotten child syndrome”.
However, he avoided specifying an exact timeframe in which death can occur, stressing that many factors influence the outcome, including environmental conditions and temperature levels.
“It is not possible to determine an exact timeframe,” he said.
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