Hot Daycares: Heatstroke Signs Every Parent Should Know

A CBC News investigation published this week found that parents, educators, and health advocates across Canada — including in Ontario — are pushing for mandatory maximum indoor temperatures at daycares, after reports of infants and toddlers arriving home "sweaty, sticky, and exhausted" from hours in unairconditioned classrooms. Ontario currently has no maximum-temperature rule for licensed child care, even though it introduced mandatory air conditioning for long-term care homes in 2021.

With Environment and Climate Change Canada forecasting 2026–2030 to be the hottest five-year stretch on record, this isn't a one-week problem. Here's what Ontario parents need to know about heat illness in babies and young children — and how to get care quickly if it happens.

Why young kids overheat faster than adults

Infants, toddlers, and preschoolers are at higher risk of heat exhaustion and heatstroke than older children or adults, for a few physical reasons:

Higher metabolism means their bodies generate more internal heat.
Less efficient sweat glands make it harder for them to cool down.
They can't self-report. Babies and young toddlers can't tell a caregiver they feel overheated, so early symptoms are easy to miss until things get worse.

Dr. Kirstin Weerdenburg, a pediatric emergency physician, notes that even preschoolers often can't recognize or explain what they're feeling — caregivers have to watch behaviour and physical signs instead.

Warning signs to watch for

Heat illness in kids exists on a spectrum, from mild heat exhaustion to life-threatening heatstroke. Watch for:

Flushed, hot, or unusually sticky skin
Fatigue or unusual sleepiness (falling asleep at odd times)
Irritability or acting "out of character"
Trouble walking or apparent dizziness
Refusing fluids, or being too tired to drink
Little or no urine output, dry mouth, no tears when crying

If a child is acting unusual on a hot day — even without an obvious fever — it's worth taking seriously rather than waiting to see if it passes.

Home care vs. when to see a doctor

Mild heat exhaustion can often be managed at home: move the child to a cool, shaded or air-conditioned space, remove excess clothing, offer small sips of water or an electrolyte drink, and use cool cloths on the skin. Symptoms should start improving within 30–60 minutes.

See a doctor the same day if a child:

Isn't improving after cooling down and fluids
Has been unusually sleepy, irritable, or "off" for several hours
Is refusing to drink and shows signs of mild dehydration

A walk-in clinic or your child's family doctor can assess a child quickly without an ER wait, and Canclinics' live listings show which nearby clinics are open now. For infants and toddlers specifically, a pediatric clinic can help distinguish heat-related fatigue from other causes.

When it's a 911 / ER emergency

Call 911 or go straight to the nearest emergency department if a child shows any of the following:

Body temperature of 40°C (104°F) or higher
Confusion, seizure, or loss of consciousness
Skin that is hot and dry (not sweating) despite the heat
Persistent vomiting, or inability to keep fluids down
Signs of severe dehydration: sunken eyes, no urine for 8+ hours, extreme lethargy

Severe heatstroke can affect the kidneys, liver, and heart, so it should never be treated as "wait and see." Check live ER wait times at hospitals near you before you go, so you know what to expect at the door — including McMaster Children's Hospital in Hamilton.

What parents can ask their daycare or child-care provider

Ontario's Child Care and Early Years Act sets minimum winter heating standards but is silent on maximum summer temperatures. Advocacy groups, including the Canadian Environmental Law Association, are calling for a 26°C indoor maximum, similar to the standard already used in Ontario long-term care homes. Until that becomes law, parents can reasonably ask their provider:

Is there air conditioning, or a cooling plan, for hot days?
What's the indoor temperature typically like on a heat-warning day?
What's the protocol if a child shows signs of overheating?

Beyond heat: wildfire smoke and air quality

Hotter summers have also brought more wildfire smoke days, which compound the risk for young lungs that are still developing. On poor air-quality days, young children should limit outdoor play, and any child with new or worsening cough, wheeze, or breathing difficulty should be seen promptly — a walk-in clinic can help same-day, or the ER if breathing is laboured.

FAQ

Is 26°C really too hot for a baby indoors? Health researchers point to 26°C as an appropriate maximum for older adults; children's bodies may need an even lower threshold because they generate more heat and cool down less efficiently. There's currently no legal maximum for Ontario daycares.

My toddler seems tired but not obviously sick — should I worry? On a hot day, unusual sleepiness, irritability, or clumsiness can be early heat-illness signs, especially if a child can't yet describe how they feel. Move them somewhere cool, offer fluids, and watch closely; see a doctor the same day if they don't improve within an hour.

Can heat illness in kids come on quickly? Yes. Because young children's temperature regulation is less efficient, mild heat exhaustion can progress toward heatstroke faster than in adults, particularly in a closed, unairconditioned room.

Where can I find a same-day clinic near me? Use Canclinics search to find walk-in clinics, family doctors, and pediatric clinics open now near your postal code, along with live ER wait times if a hospital visit is needed.

Find a walk-in clinic, family doctor, or check current ER wait times near you at Canclinics.ca/search.

This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. If your child is showing signs of severe heat illness, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department immediately.

Author: CanClinics Team