Heat Health Advice for those with children

It is important for children to be able to enjoy the outdoors during the nice weather, however when it is very hot for long periods of time your child’s health could be at risk. For this reason, it is so important to keep your child cool.

Did you know?
Children heat up much faster than adults and don’t sweat as much as adults do – so they find it harder to stay cool, and are more at risk of heatstroke. Your child needs your help to keep cool. Being too hot for too long can cause heat exhaustion or heatstroke. Heatstroke is particularly dangerous for children and can even be fatal.

To stay healthy in the heat, your child needs to:

1. Drink plenty of fluids
If your baby is under 6 months old, you will need to offer them their usual breast or formula milk feeds more often so they don’t become dehydrated. Make sure to drink plenty yourself if you are breastfeeding, as your body needs to stay well-hydrated to produce milk.

Older children need to drink plenty of cold drinks, especially if they are playing or exercising outside. Give them something to drink before they start to feel thirsty.

2. Wear light-coloured and loose-fitting clothing
Remember to give your child a hat or cap to wear to keep the sun off their face. Sprinkling cold water over your child’s skin and clothes can help them to stay cool.

3. Stay cool at home
Keep the blinds or curtains closed on the windows of your child’s room during the day to keep the sun out. If it is safe to do so, keep some windows open at night time when the air is cooler.

It is advisable to use a room thermometer to check that the room your baby sleeps in is between 16°C and 20°C. Your baby or child should not sleep in direct sunlight.

4. Cool down at times
Take a break from the heat outside and spend some time inside and in the shade where it is cooler. Stay out of the heat between 11am and 3pm, when it is warmest and the sun is strongest.

A lukewarm bath or shower before bed can also help your child to stay cool.

5. Stay in the shade
Keep your child in the shade when playing outside, especially if they are outside between 11am and 3pm. Use the shade cover on your baby’s pram to keep them out of direct sunlight, but never close or cover it completely – air needs to circulate.

6. Wear sunscreen
Make sure your child is protected with sunscreen that is factor (SPF) 50 or higher. Cover any areas that aren’t already protected by clothing, and don’t forget to re-apply. Remember however, that sunscreen will protect your child from the sun, but it won’t protect them from the heat.

7. Never be alone in the car
Never leave your children alone in the car for any length of time, no matter how short, even if your car is in the shade. A parked car can heat up by at least 10°C in just 10 minutes. Opening a window is not enough to keep a car cool.

8. Stay connected
If your child has any health problems, or additional needs, chat to your GP or your pharmacist to find out if they are more at risk from the heat. Check out the HSE website mychild.ie to find out more about the signs of dehydration, heat exhaustion and heatstroke.

Never be afraid to ask for help. If you are worried, seek medical advice from your GP or pharmacist, or in an emergency dial 112/999 and ask for an ambulance.

Created: 8 September 2023