A Canadian mother is warning other parents about the dangers of indoor heatstroke after her daughter endured a frightening ordeal.

Jennifer Abma of Edmonton, Alberta, told "Today" that she was keeping her daughters inside when a heatwave hit their town. The family home doesn't have air conditioning, because it's usually not needed in their region of the country, according to "Today."

Her 3-year-old daughter, Anastasia, went upstairs to take a nap a few weeks ago after playing with her 1-year-old sister.

An hour and a half later, Jennifer went to check on the her and discovered the room was roasting hot. She panicked when she couldn’t wake Anastasia.

How to Recognize and Treat Heat Stroke

Jennifer shared a photo of the scary moment in an Instagram post that has since been deleted. In the photo, Anastasia’s skin is red and swollen.

“THIS is clear proof a child doesn’t need to be in the sun to get heatstroke,” Jennifer wrote.

First responders quickly arrived and discovered Anastasia's blood sugar was dangerously low and her body temperature was at 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to "Today."

“They administered sucrose and in minutes she started crying, clearly scared,” Jennifer wrote.

The temperature inside the room was around 122 degrees.

“Hopefully other parents can take something from this & make sure you are checking the rooms in your house because they can be as dangerous as a hot car,” Jennifer wrote.

She said she's grateful for the first responders' swift action to revive her daughter.

“We definitely had god on our side yesterday,” Jennifer wrote.

The Dangers of Extreme Heat

About the Author

Keep Reading

Blooper celebrates the Atlanta Brave’s 5-0 win over the New York Mets during a MLB game Wednesday, June 18, 2025 at Truist Park. This year, the venue is a first-time host of the MLB All-Star game. (Daniel Varnado for the AJC)

Credit: Daniel Varnado for the AJC

Featured

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens (right) tours the Vine City neighborhood with his senior advisor Courtney English (left). (Matt Reynolds/AJC 2024)

Credit: Matt Reynolds