Chicago Carbon Monoxide Death   

Child Victim in Chicago Carbon Monoxide Death

A ten-year old girl was the victim in the Chicago Carbon Monoxide Death which occurred on 1/13/2025, with another child hospitalized.

By Joy Reddit

Today we learned of yet another Chicago carbon monoxide death.

Once again the specter of CO hit Chicago. A ten-year-old girl lost her life and another 12-year-old boy was hospitalized. NBC Chicago news reported that “Sources confirm to NBC Chicago the 10-year-old child went into cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead at Swedish Hospital, and the 12-year-old is being treated there in serious condition. Chicago fire officials reported the readings were around 300 parts per million, which can be fatal over several hours.”

https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/carbon-monoxide-exposure-albany-park/3644667/

A 10-year old child is the latest Chicago Carbon Monoxide Death.

How Does Carbon Monoxide Effect Children Differently?

Promoting awareness and prevention related to carbon monoxide poisoning is important for all ages, but it is also important to be aware that children are at a greater risk for carbon monoxide poisoning. This is because children have a faster respiration rate than adults. Simply speaking, this means that the levels of carbon monoxide in the body of a child being exposed to carbon monoxide will increase faster than an adult in the same environment. As a result, children will start to exhibit symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning sooner than adults in most scenarios.

The most common symptoms which should arouse suspicion, but are not immediately conclusive, are nausea, vomiting, headache, fatigue, dyspnea (labored breathing), confusion, abdominal pain, visual changes, chest pain and ultimately, unconsciousness. Nausea and vomiting are the most frequently reported. Other symptoms can include, weakness or clumsiness, fast or irregular heartbeat, or loss of hearing.

The biggest clue to these non-specific symptoms being the result of carbon monoxide poisoning is the timing of multiple people getting sick. Only an environmental exposure would explain multiple people getting sick simultaneously. While food poisoning is the other possibility, carbon monoxide should always be considered.

See this prior Blog post which discusses Carbon Monoxide in Children in greater detail.

It appears that the cause of the carbon monoxide poisoning has not been determined in this specific case.

Whatever the cause may have been, we cannot stress enough the importance of being vigilant related to the proper maintenance of fuel-burning appliances. If maintenance of fuel-burning appliances is out of your control, at the very least, please be certain that you have a properly functioning and properly placed carbon monoxide detector in all sleeping areas as well as near all fuel-burning appliances.

What Should You Do if You Suspect that You Have Been Exposed to Carbon Monoxide?

If you do not have a carbon monoxide detector and you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, GET OUT of the space and call 911 immediately. Follow the same exact instructions if the carbon monoxide detector in your space goes off.

• Step 1: Evacuate the Premises Immediately.
• Step2: Call 911
• Step 3: Seek Medical Attention
• Step 4: Identify and Address the Source
• Step 5: Reset Your Detector

See this post for mor on What to Do if Your Carbon Monoxide Detector Goes Off?

Please share this information to raise awareness of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning and what to do at the first sign of suspicion of carbon monoxide poisoning.