BE CAREFUL WITH KIDS, CARS, HEAT.

Byline: Carol Rock Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - The deaths of two youngsters in Lancaster on Tuesday serve as a shocking reminder of the danger to children from the soaring temperatures of summer.

According to the national SafeKids campaign, an average of 25 children die every year from heat stroke. Since 1996, 175 children have died, with children under the age of 3 accounting for more than 90 percent of those deaths.

While experts continually remind drivers that the temperature inside a locked car can go from 60 to 120 degrees in 30 minutes, a child's core body temperature increases three to five times faster than an adult's.

``I think because there is more education available to the community, we don't see as much of these kinds of incidents,'' said Katherine Alo, coalition coordinator for SafeKids' Los Angeles office. ``In light of the situation in Lancaster, obviously we have more work to do.''

Valencia pediatrician Loraine Stern said that even if children are left for a short while, they stand to suffer long-term adverse health effects.

``Depending on how long they've been in the heat, the ambient temperature and the color of the car, it can take only a few minutes to injure a child,'' she said. ``If the outside temperature is 85 or 90, it can quickly reach 110 degrees. Smaller infants are more susceptible to the temperature and could be in danger in minutes.

``I remember once I was in a supermarket parking lot and saw a black SUV with a little boy inside. He was sweating. I got him to open the door and take his shirt off. I wiped his face down, but I didn't have my cell phone with me.''

The child told the doctor his father was in a nearby store. Ten minutes later, the father emerged.

``I will always regret that I didn't take the child into the store and call the police,'' she said.

Stern said anyone coming upon a similar situation should not hesitate to call the police. ``Get the child out of the car if you can, take them into a cool place and call 911. You should not confront the parents,'' she said.

The national SafeKids campaign suggests the following safety tips when traveling with children in the car:

--Never leave your child in an unattended car, even with the windows down.

--Teach children not to play in and around cars.

--Always lock car doors and trunks, even at home.

--Be wary of child-resistant locks. Teach older children how to disable the locks if they become trapped in a motor vehicle.

--Check to make sure all children leave your vehicle when you reach your destination.

--Don't overlook sleeping infants.

--If your child gets locked inside a car, call 911 immediately.

Carol Rock, [phone]

carol.rock(at)dailynews.com