Heatwave plan - stay cool in yours ..

[Ruthierhyme]

The heatwave plan for 2011 has been published on the DoH website.

The plans are aimed at SHA and Local Authority chief executives. The information below are quotes taken from the plan and may help practitioners update or plan their environment and activities for play.

One of the high risk factors for heat related harm that helps early years settings apply the heat wave plan to their policy & procedures is:
Page: 16 of the Heat wave plan for England PDF

1. Inability to adapt behaviour to keep cool: having Alzheimer’s, a disability, being bed bound, too much alcohol, babies and the very young.

'quote pg 13:

Young children produce more metabolic heat, have a decreased ability to sweat and have core temperatures that rise faster during dehydration.
'quote pg 13:

certain medications can cause the body to overheat.


Protective factorsThe key message for preventing heat-related illness and death is to keep cool!The best ways to do this include the following.

Stay out of the heat:

• Keep out of the sun between 11.00am and 3.00pm.
• If you have to go out in the heat, walk in the shade, apply sunscreen and wear a hat and light scarf.
• Avoid extreme physical exertion.
• Wear light, loose-fitting cotton clothes.

Cool yourself down:

• Have plenty of cold drinks, and avoid excess alcohol, caffeine and hot drinks.
• Eat cold foods, particularly salads and fruit with a high water content.
• Take a cool shower, bath or body wash.
• Sprinkle water over the skin or clothing, or keep a damp cloth on the back of your neck.

Keep your environment cool:

• Place a thermometer in your main living room and bedroom to keep a check onthe temperature.
• Keep windows that are exposed to the sun closed during the day, and open windows at night when the temperature has dropped.
• Care should be taken with metal blinds and dark curtains, as these can absorb heat – consider replacing or putting reflective material in-between them and the window space.
• Consider putting up external shading outside windows.
• Have your loft and cavity walls insulated – this keeps the heat in when it is cold and out when it is hot.
• Use pale, reflective external paints.
• Turn off non-essential lights and electrical equipment – they generate heat.
• Grow trees and leafy plants near windows to act as natural air-conditioners (see Box 4).
• Keep indoor plants and bowls of water in the house as evaporation helps cool the air.
• If possible, move into a cooler room, especially for sleeping.

Look out for others:

• Keep an eye on isolated, elderly, ill or very young people and make sure they are able to keep cool.
• Ensure that babies, children or elderly people are not left alone in stationary cars.
• Check on elderly or sick neighbours, family or friends every day during a heatwave.
• Be alert and call a doctor or social services if someone is unwell or further help is needed.

Box 3: Heat-related illnesses

Page: 16 of the Heat wave plan for England PDF

The main causes of illness and death during a heatwave are respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, there are specific heat-related illnesses including:
• Heat cramps – caused by dehydration and loss of electrolytes, often following exercise.
• Heat rash – small, red, itchy papules.
• Heat oedema – mainly in the ankles, due to vasodilation and retention of fluid.
• Heat syncope – dizziness and fainting, due to dehydration, vasodilation, cardiovascular disease and certain medications.
• Heat exhaustion – is more common. It occurs as a result of water or sodium depletion, with non-specific features of malaise, vomiting and circulatory collapse, and is present when the core temperature is between 37ºC and 40ºC. Left untreated, heat exhaustion may evolve into heatstroke.
• Heatstroke – can become a point of no return whereby the body’s thermoregulation mechanism fails. This leads to a medical emergency, with symptoms of confusion; disorientation; convulsions; unconsciousness; hot dry skin; and core body temperature exceeding 40ºC for between 45 minutes and eight hours. It can result in cell death, organ failure, brain damage or death. Heatstroke can be either classical or exertional (e.g. in athletes).
Whatever the underlying cause of heat-related symptoms, the treatment is always the same – move the person to somewhere cooler and cool them down.

Page 18 explains the many reasons why trees and plants can help plan staying cool.
Apple tree search on Amazon

Children in the sun poster

www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk
Looking after children in early years settings guidance - Health protection Agency
Drinking water standard
Saving water in schools

Summer themed outline set from the store helps open topics for discussion
sun awareness, how to stay cool, promotes children's right to information and creative expression



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Please add on with resources you've found help to keep children's environment and play spaces cool ..