As a heat dome bakes much of the United States and wildfire smoke compounds air quality concerns across the Midwest and Northeast, pediatricians and public health officials are urgently reminding caregivers that infants and young children face heat risks that are fundamentally different from and more severe than those faced by older children and adults. Babies and toddlers cannot regulate their body temperature effectively, cannot ask for water, cannot recognize when they are overheating, and depend entirely on the adults around them to notice danger and respond.
The consequences of missed signals are severe. In 2025, 31 children died of heat stroke after being left in hot vehicles, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, as reported by the Associated Press. Heat stroke in infants can develop within minutes when environmental conditions turn dangerous, and it can be fatal before symptoms are obvious to a distracted caregiver.
