On scorching summer days last year, Lyndsay MacKay would pick up her 16-month-old son from daycare to find him in just a diaper, his skin clammy and his hair sticking to his head. Sometimes, he would collapse in her arms, even nodding off at the dinner table on occasion. MacKay, a mother from Toronto and an early childhood education professor at Humber Polytechnic, acknowledged the efforts of the daycare staff, such as using ice cubes and popsicles, dimming the rooms, and applying cool cloths to keep the infants and toddlers comfortable. However, she expressed concern that despite these measures, the children still felt overheated, sweaty, and drained, barely coping through the day.
MacKay is part of a growing movement of parents, educators, health professionals, and legal advocates nationwide advocating for a maximum indoor temperature in daycares, likely set at 26 degrees Celsius, similar to the standards adopted for long-term care facilities in Ontario.
Infants, toddlers, and preschool-aged children, like seniors, are more vulnerable to heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion and heatstroke due to their higher metabolism and less efficient sweat glands, making it harder for them to regulate body temperature. Dr. Kirstin Weerdenburg, a pediatrician at Halifax’s IWK Health Centre, emphasized the importance of recognizing signs of heat illness in young children, which can manifest as fatigue, flushed skin, irritability, and difficulty walking. She highlighted the need for caregivers to be vigilant about unusual behaviors in children on hot days, as heat-related conditions can escalate quickly, requiring prompt attention.
Amy O’Neil, the executive director of Toronto’s Treetop Children’s Centre, emphasized the stress educators face in monitoring children for signs of heatstroke, underscoring the necessity of proper indoor cooling systems in daycares for child safety. O’Neil advocated for government regulations to address high indoor temperatures during extreme heat, calling it a safety issue rather than a matter of comfort. She shared her experience of installing air conditioning in her childcare center in 2019, acknowledging the significant cost implications but prioritizing the well-being of the children under their care.
The move towards ensuring safe indoor temperatures in daycares reflects a broader concern for the health and safety of young children during extreme heat conditions, with advocates pushing for regulatory changes to protect the well-being of the most vulnerable in childcare settings.
