CHILDREN'S SAFETY

Extreme heat and heat-related illnesses are especially dangerous for infants and young children. During the summer months, children can easily lose body fluids and become dehydrated. Their skin can also be burned by touching hot surfaces, such as pavement, hot sand, metal slides, or car doors.

The hot summer sun can be dangerous for children. A child can sunburn easily, even on a cloudy day. Bad sunburns and too much time spent in the sun without skin protection have been linked to a higher risk of skin cancer later in life.

Parents, teachers and other educational professionals who manage or work in schools or early years settings should pay attention to local weather forecasts and alerts, so they know when to take extra precautions. We encourage you to download Environment and Climate Change Canada’s (ECCC) WeatherCAN app to receive weather alert notifications in your area.

Recommendations for Schools and Childcare Centres on Hot and Humid Days

• Schools and childcare centres should establish policies and plan for extreme temperatures.
• Staff should be aware of the signs and symptoms of heat-related illnesses, and promptly follow first aid procedures when necessary.
• Staff should role model appropriate safety behaviours for children.
• Staff must keep children hydrated: Provide and encourage children to drink plenty of water.

Symptoms of Heat-Related Illnesses

Children require additional attention and monitoring as they may not always recognize or be able to communicate the symptoms of heat-related illnesses, which include:

• Dizziness or fainting
• Nausea or vomiting
• Headache
• Rapid breathing and heartbeat
• Extreme thirst
• Fatigue
• Leg or stomach cramps
• Cool, moist skin
• Decreased urination with unusually dark yellow urine

If a child experiences any of these symptoms, move them to a cool place and offer water, remove extra clothing and fan them to cool them down. If the symptoms continue, call 911 immediately.

Measures to Keep Children Safe Outdoors

• Avoid or limit direct exposure to the sun.
• Avoid bringing children outside between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• Encourage children to wear a wide-brimmed hat (or one with a back flap), UV-protective sunglasses, and light, loose-fitting clothing.
• Encourage them to stay in the shade as much as possible.
• Have children practice low-intensity physical activities, preferably in the shade.
• Use sprinklers or water activities to cool them down. Reapply sunscreen after these activities.

Skin Protection

To protect children’s skin, apply sunblock or broad-band sunscreens with high sun protection factors (at least SPF 30 and an ultraviolet A (UVA) rating of 4 or more stars). Sunscreen should be applied generously and reapplied every 2 hours and after activities that remove it, such as swimming or towelling. Sunscreens and insect repellents are not recommended for infants under six months of age.

Measures to Keep Children Safe Indoors

• Ensure indoor temperatures are comfortable.
• If possible, close windows during the day when it is hotter outside than inside, while considering the need to maintain adequate ventilation and air quality.
• Shade sun-facing windows if possible, and close indoor blinds or curtains to keep the heat out.
• Switch off all electrical equipment, including computers, monitors and printers, when not in use – do not leave equipment in “standby mode” as this generates heat.
• If possible, use classrooms or other spaces which are less likely to overheat, and adjust the layout of teaching spaces to avoid direct sunlight on children.
• Use oscillating fans to increase air movement if temperatures are below 35°C (above this temperature, they may be counterproductive).
• Consider rearranging play times to avoid teaching during very hot conditions.
• Encourage children to eat normally and drink plenty of water.
• During periods of high temperatures, if it is safe and appropriate, open windows early in the morning to allow stored heat to escape from the building.

Car Safety

The temperature inside a car can increase quickly, creating an environment that could seriously harm or even kill a child. When the outside air temperature is 23°C, the temperature inside a vehicle can be extremely dangerous – more than 50°C. Opening the vehicle’s windows slightly will not decrease the temperature to a safe level.

Why Parked Cars Are Dangerous

Young children, especially infants, are much more sensitive to heat than adults. They have a smaller body surface area and do not regulate their body temperatures as quickly as adults. Rising temperatures inside a car can produce significant heat stress on children, causing severe dehydration, heat exhaustion, or heat stroke that may result in serious illness or death.

What Parents and Caregivers Need to Know

• Never leave your child in an unattended car, even with open windows.
• Teach children not to play in, on or around cars.
• Always lock car doors and trunks when parked in the driveway or near your home so children don’t play in them and become trapped.
• Check to make sure that all children leave the vehicle when you arrive at your destination. Pay special attention to sleeping infants and young children.
• Check the temperature of your child's safety seat surface and safety belt buckles before putting your child in the car. Your child's skin can be severely burned in one second if it touches car seat surfaces that are over 65°C.
• Keep car keys out of reach and sight of children.
• If your child gets locked inside a car, call 911 immediately.