Latest blog Heatwave! is ready to be read online here https://www.fireflyfriends.com/uk/blog/heatwave/
Since the Dude was tiny he’s struggled to cope with hot weather. We dreaded summer during his early years, it was a never-ending battle to try and keep him comfortable and not over-heating… a guaranteed seizure trigger.
The poor child was in and out of seizure constantly. He loathed it, we loathed it. It was miserable.
During the summer of 2014, when he was 3, we were on holiday with my parents.
Those who remember that year will remember that although it wasn’t record breaking as such it WAS consistently very warm all summer.
Sam was lethargic, seizures were off the scale and we’d exhausted all the usual suggestions for keeping the little chap cool. In desperation, an online order to Argos was made for a small, toddler-size paddling pool.
Knowing how much this child HATED being in anything but the warmest of waters, we were not overly optimistic that he’d tolerate it, but as I say we were desperate.
It was a game changer. He spent that summer happily lying in his pool, splashing about, keeping cool. His seizures calmed down, he slept better, he was happier. We have never been without a pool since.
This July, the UK is due to turn into a hot box for a few days as temperatures soar to over 30 ֯C – today has hit 38 ֯C. I am currently typing this at 22.14, and its STILL 27 ֯C out there.
I won’t lie; while I like the weather hot and sunny I was more than a little concerned about how my boy would cope.
Last year, as he’s now substantially bigger than he was, we had to upgrade his old inflatable pool to a larger one and its been up and ready for the last couple of days in preparation for this heatwave.
We still use other methods to tackle the – he has a fan in his room, we keep his curtains firmly closed during the day, and when its as hot as it is currently a bowl of ice/water in front of his fan works wonders at cooling the air.
But just like when he was teeny, the thing that reliably helps him cope in this weather is getting in a pool.
It brings his core temperature down, he gets to play and splash about, and best of all he uses his limbs. Doesn’t sound much does it, but for him its huge.
He builds strength playing in the water, learns how to control his arms/legs. Its physio, by the backdoor, and I strongly approve!
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