The Midwest has seen an increase in heat-related illnesses as temperatures have risen earlier than normal this spring. In Indiana, a 3-year-old girl died after being left in a hot car for two hours, and over 200 people at the Indianapolis 500 needed treatment for heat exhaustion. Around the same time in Chicago, the temperature reached 97 degrees, the hottest in five years. With summer temperatures forecast to be higher than average, people are advised to take precautions like staying indoors in air conditioning to avoid heat stroke and other illnesses.

1. Midwest Sees Increase
of Patients with Heat-
Related Conditions
Home Comfort Experts

2. The Midwest has seen many patients in need of medical attention in the past month due to
heat-related conditions. This comes as spring nears its end and summer begins mid-June,
yet areas such as the Midwest are already beginning to feel the onset of increasing
temperature.
Incidents around the Midwest
Last June 4, a 3-year-old Indianapolis girl passed out after being in a hot car long. The
father found her unconscious in the car approximately two hours later. A Madison County
Coroner pronounced her dead due to overheating after her body showed an extremely high
temperature.
This is the first incident of a child dying in a vehicle due to the heat in Indiana this year, a
state that has claimed a spot in the top 30 states with the most child deaths involving hot
cars since 1997. This case is also the ninth confirmed vehicular death due to heat this year,
with four more pending coroner confirmation.
A week earlier, heat-related issues afflicted over 200 audience members of the Indianapolis
500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. These patients received treatment for heat
exhaustion and dehydration. The temperature that day peaked at 90 degrees.
Around the same time, Memorial Day in Chicago saw an “unofficial kick-off to summer” as
heat waves caused the temperature to soar to 97 degrees. It is the highest recorded
temperature in the last five years, and the second hottest temperature ever recorded.

3. Summer-Related Illnesses
With the higher-than-average temperatures of
summer, people are at risk of heat exhaustion,
heat stroke, and other heat-related conditions,
which can be life-threatening if not addressed
immediately. According to the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 618
people die due to extreme heat every year and can
damage the brain and other vital organs.
People living in high-humidity areas and have
obesity, fever, dehydration, and poor circulation
are at risk of heat-related illnesses. According to
the CDC, these conditions can occur anywhere,
including houses with no air conditioning or poor
ventilation. People can avoid these conditions if
they practice different methods that provide relief
from the heat, such as wearing light clothes and
remaining indoors in an air-conditioned area,
especially during high-temperature heat waves.
With temperatures rising as early as now, citizens in the Midwest should start preparing
themselves for the higher temperature expected during the summer months. They should
practice cooling methods and preferably stay indoors to prevent heat-related conditions.

4. Sources:
https://www.homecomfortexpertsinc.com/
https://www.theweathernetwork.com/us/news/articles/heatwave-grips-plains-midwest-
record-temperatures-summer-heat-chicago-milwaukee-minnesota-wisconsin-
michigan/102469
https://www.wthr.com/article/heat-issues-sent-more-than-200-for-treatment-at-indy-500
https://www.in.gov/dhs/2789.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/heat_guide.html