Rare cause of cerebral damage: Child with heatstroke found inside an enclosed vehicle

Abstract

Many children suffer from preventable diseases. Heat stress is one of the neglected causes of mortality and morbidity. We report here the clinical features of a 3-year-old boy who suffered from near-fatal heatstroke in an enclosed car. He developed multiple organs failure, including neurological insult, acute renal failure, and disseminated intravascular coagulation. Although life-threatening complications were treated with supportive measures and conventional external cooling in the intensive care unit, neurological sequelae persisted. This type of heatstroke is almost always preventable. Similar to many other pediatric emergencies, it can be lifethreatening and may result in severe untoward outcomes.