Keeping children safe, hydrated and healthy in a heatwave

London is baking again, and when the heat sits over the city like this the little ones feel it long before they can tell you. Babies and toddlers heat up faster than adults, they can't cool themselves as well, and they won't always ask for a drink. So the job falls to us to stay a step ahead.

None of what follows is medical advice — just the practical things forty years of hot summers in Islington have taught me. If you're ever genuinely worried about your child, ring NHS 111, or 999 in an emergency.

Keep the fluids going

In this weather, don't wait for a child to ask — offer drinks little and often through the day.

Water is best for over-ones. Offer a few sips every twenty minutes or so when it's really hot, not one big drink an hour.
Babies under six months need more frequent milk feeds (breast or formula) — that's their water too. Cooled boiled water can be offered between feeds if needed.
Watch the nappies. Fewer wet nappies, or very dark wee in an older child, is the early sign they need more fluid.
Sneak water in through food — cucumber, melon, strawberries, oranges and a cool yoghurt all count.

A frozen lolly made from milk or watered-down fruit also does the job, and turns hydration into a treat.

Stay out of the worst of the heat

The sun is strongest between 11am and 3pm. We don't stop going out, we just shift it: park and garden play first thing and again in the early evening, with the hottest part of the day spent somewhere shady and cool.

Find the shade — under a tree, a pram parasol, the shadier side of the street.
Bring the buggy fan or just a hand fan; a fine water spray on the skin cools beautifully.
Never drape a blanket or muslin over a pram to make "shade." It traps heat and stops air moving — use a proper clip-on parasol or sun shade instead.

Sun protection on little skin

Under-sixes shouldn't be in direct sun for long stretches — keep babies under six months out of it altogether.
A wide-brimmed or legionnaire hat that shades the neck, plus loose, light cotton clothing.
A high-factor (SPF 30+) children's sunscreen, on well before you go out and topped up — especially after water play.

The muggy evenings are the hard bit

Hot nights are often what unsettle children most, because an overheated bedroom makes sleep miserable.

Keep curtains and blinds closed on the sunny side during the day to keep rooms cooler.
Open windows once it's cooler outside in the evening to get a through-draught going.
Less is more at bedtime — just a nappy and a light vest, or a low-tog (0.5) sleeping bag. No need for a blanket.
A cool bath before bed takes the edge off. Pop the cot or bed away from the window and out of direct sun.
Feel the back of the neck or chest, not hands or feet, to judge if they're too warm. Clammy and hot means strip a layer off.

Signs a child is getting too hot

Trust your instincts, and look for:

Flushed, clammy skin, or being unusually drowsy, floppy or irritable
Refusing drinks, or far fewer wet nappies than normal
A headache or dizziness in an older child who can tell you

If you see these, move them somewhere cool, give small sips of water, loosen clothing and cool the skin with a damp cloth. If they don't pick up quickly, seem unwell, or you're worried at all, ring NHS 111 — and 999 if a child is very unwell.

And the one that's never worth the risk

Never leave a child in a parked car, not even for a minute with the windows cracked. Cars turn into ovens astonishingly fast in this weather.

We keep your routine going whatever the weather

On days like these we slow the pace right down, keep the water flowing, and move our day around the heat — quieter, shadier mornings and water play in the garden rather than long trips out. If you'd like to see how our setting runs, our daily rhythm is here, or send me a message and I'll call you back.