Never leave children unsupervised in vehicles, says Plunket

17 October 2013

Never leave children unsupervised in vehicles, says Plunket

Plunket is reminding parents and caregivers not to leave children alone in cars after the latest incident in Porirua.

Plunket Clinical Advisor Allison Jamieson said the risks of leaving a baby or young child alone in a car were significant.

"It’s never safe to leave a child alone in a vehicle, even for a short time. Babies, particularly newborns, can dehydrate quickly and become very distressed."

Ms Jamieson said the circumstances behind the latest incident were not clear, but that caring for a baby could be overwhelming, especially for those without ready family support.

"All parents know how stressful looking after a baby can be at times, and it’s important for parents and caregivers to know that there are numerous support groups out there for parents. They don’t have to go it alone.

“If they are in a place where there is a Plunket Family Centre, there's an opportunity to get some extra support or Plunket nurses are available 24 hours, 7 days on PlunketLine - 0800 933 922”.

ENDS

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