Why are there parents who forget their children in the car?

2023-05-31 19:58:20

As spring and summer arrive, so do the high temperatures. And although, by being hydrated or dressing lightly we can avoid the effects of heat. There are other situations that are deadly and inexplicable; For example, Why are there parents who forget their children in the car?

It seems inevitable that, in hot weather, the news does not read or hear news such as “little one is forgotten inside the car”, “dehydrated pet is forgotten”… This forces us to ask ourselves, is it negligence or is there a scientific theme behind?

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Baby dies inside a car while the mother attended mass

Through various reports, media in the United States denounced the death of an 11-month-old girl, who after staying in a car for 3 hours while her parents attended a religious service in Florida.

The incident occurred in the town of Palm Bay, southeast of Orlando. Where at about one in the afternoon, the police received notice of a little boy who was unconscious inside his parents’ car.

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Why are there parents who forget their children?

For years experts have tracked and analyzed the circumstances surrounding this type of death. According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, It is estimated that a child dies from vehicle heat stroke every 10 days.

And although it is hard to believe, such forgetfulness is not caused solely by negligence. According to a study by NoHearStroke and Consumerreports, The parent’s brain plays a role in these accidents.

The memory involves two elements the prospective (helps us remember what we have to do in the future) and the semantics (which is the mind’s autopilot). When any of this fails, due to the interruption of stress or change of dynamics, catastrophic forgetfulness can be caused.

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What is it that happens in the brain that makes us forget responsibility?

According to the psychologist and neuroscientist, David Diamond, from the University of South Florida, these incidents are not caused by negligence but by a change in our routine, which makes the functions of memory of our brain they are altered And in some cases we are not able to remember very important things.

The above has been so studied that today it has a name: Forgotten baby syndrome.

How to avoid forgotten baby syndrome?

He “Forgotten Baby Syndrome”” refers to a situation where a caregiver accidentally forgets or neglects an infant or toddler in a car, which can have tragic consequences. Here are some steps you can take to avoid this type of situation:

1. Set Visual Reminders: Place a visual object, such as a toy or stuffed animal, in the front seat of the car next to you. This will remind you that the baby is with you in the car and will prevent you from forgetting it when you leave.

2. Establish routines and protocols: Create a clear, established routine for taking your baby to daycare, a caregiver’s home, or anywhere else. Be sure to always follow the same procedure, such as checking the back seat before get out of the car.

3. Communication between caregivers: If multiple people are caring for the baby, be sure to establish clear communication between them. Use reminders, text messages or calls to confirm that the baby has been left in a safe place.

4. Keep personal items in the back seat: Place your necessary personal items, such as a purse, wallet or cell phone, in the back seat next to the baby. This will force you to look behind you before getting out of the car.

Remember that the “Forgotten Baby Syndrome” It is a serious problem and we must take all the necessary precautions to avoid it. It is always important to be vigilant and aware of the safety of our loved ones, especially when it comes to babies and young children.

If you want to know how to take care of your baby, we invite you to watch the following video: