During scorching summer days last year, Lyndsay MacKay would pick up her 16-month-old son from daycare only to find him in a diaper, his skin clammy, and his hair sticking to his head.
He would practically collapse into her arms, sometimes even nodding off at the dinner table.
MacKay acknowledged the efforts of the daycare staff, who tried to keep the children cool by putting ice cubes in water tables, offering popsicles, dimming the rooms, and using cool cloths on the infants and toddlers.
However, she expressed concerns about the children’s well-being, stating that they seemed overheated, sweaty, and drained by the end of the day.
A growing number of advocates, including parents, educators, and health professionals across Canada, are pushing for a maximum indoor temperature standard in daycares, likely around 26 degrees Celsius, similar to what’s required in long-term care facilities in Ontario.
Signs of Heat-Related Illness
Young children, like seniors, are more vulnerable to heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Their higher metabolism generates more body heat than adults, and their less efficient sweat glands make it harder for them to cool down. Additionally, infants and toddlers cannot communicate when they are too hot.
Dr. Kirstin Weerdenburg, a pediatrician, emphasized the importance of recognizing behavioral and physical signs of heat illness in young children, such as fatigue, flushed skin, irritability, and difficulty walking.
While mild cases of heat-related illness can be managed at home with fluids and a cool environment, severe dehydration may necessitate medical intervention, including IV fluids for babies and young children.
Addressing Heat Concerns
Amy O’Neil, the executive director of Treetop Children’s Centre in Toronto, highlighted the challenges faced by educators in monitoring children for signs of heatstroke, emphasizing the need for a safe environment, which includes maintaining appropriate indoor temperatures.
She emphasized that regulating maximum indoor temperatures in daycares is not just about comfort but a matter of safety. O’Neil advocated for government intervention to establish clear standards for indoor temperatures during extreme heat.
Despite promises from Ontario Premier Doug Ford to consider setting maximum indoor temperatures for daycares, there has been no visible progress on the issue.
Regulatory Gaps
Current regulations in various provinces lack specific guidelines on maximum indoor temperatures in daycares, although some regions mandate heat sources in winter. In British Columbia, licensed daycares are required to provide a safe environment without a specified indoor temperature limit, but health authorities recommend a 26-degree Celsius threshold.
Advocacy groups are calling for legislation to establish maximum indoor temperature limits in daycares, citing the need for data collection and monitoring of classroom temperatures to ensure children’s safety.
Climate Challenges
Rising temperatures and increased wildfire incidents pose additional challenges for daycares like Tree of Life Nature Play School in Victoria. Kate Lawes highlighted the impact of extreme heat and wildfires on children’s activities and the need for caution when planning outdoor excursions.
Lawes shared how her daycare coped with extreme heat events, including the purchase of a heat pump to regulate indoor temperatures. She emphasized the importance of ensuring a comfortable environment for children to prevent heat-related illnesses.
With improved cooling systems in place, both educators and parents are relieved to see children thriving in a safer and more comfortable environment.
