Too hot to handle. Extreme temperatures expected through Thursday evening

Do the scorching temperatures across the Chicago area have you feeling hot and bothered? You will be wiping at your brow for a little longer.

The excessive heat warning for all of Northeastern Illinois will continue until 8 p.m. Thursday, with heat index values expected near 115 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.

Downers Grove Grade School District 58 was scheduled to start the new school year on Wednesday but opted to push back the start of classes until Friday due to the heat.

“Our primary focus is ensuring a safe and conducive learning environment for everyone,” Superintendent Kevin Russell said in an email to parents. “This has been a difficult decision and one we hoped we didn’t have to make. Unfortunately, our classrooms and most areas of our schools are not equipped with air conditioning nor modern HVAC systems, which can cause significant issues for individuals in extreme weather. By postponing the start of school by two days, we aim to provide a more favorable environment for effective teaching and learning.”

Russell said that remote learning would not be possible during the first week of school because students have not yet received their electronic devices, and teachers have not yet instructed students on how to use them for remote learning.

“Finally, the first few days of school are used to build relationships and routines and remote learning is not conducive to that,” he said.

The heat did not impact the schedule for Community High School District 99 students, who started their first day as scheduled on Monday.

Jill Browning, director of communications for District 99, said a letter was sent out earlier in the week to parents regarding the upcoming extreme heat.

“Fortunately, all of the educational spaces at District 99 are air conditioned. Even so, we will be closely monitoring the temperatures in our classrooms. If any areas become too warm, we will relocate students and staff to a cooler space,” according to the letter. For students involved in activities and athletics, District 99 coaches and trainers will follow IHSA guidelines which state programs may be postponed or rescheduled if the heat becomes excessive.”

Heat is the No. 1 cause of weather-related fatalities in the U.S. And those soaring temperatures are most dangerous to older adults and young children who can’t easily regulate their body temperatures, according to the National Weather Service.

To that end, Dr. Michael Cappello, vice-chairman of pediatrics for Advocate Children’s Hospital, said it’s important for parents to protect children from extreme heat as much as possible.

“There are different degrees of heat-related illnesses: heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. With heat cramps, you might get a little sweating, and some muscle pain and fatigue. So you would want to talk to a doctor if that’s lasting a long time,” Cappello said. “Things that are more of an emergency are if you’re getting very tired and hard to wake up, if you’re vomiting a lot, if your temperature’s elevated, or if you’re experiencing persistent dizziness or pass out or feel disoriented.”

He recommends staying indoors as much as possible when summer temperatures get extreme and staying hydrated.

“In this type of weather, you should be drinking a lot of water even if you don’t feel like you need it,” Cappello said. “If you feel thirsty, that’s a sign dehydration is already starting.”

Babies under six months should not be given water, however.

“They should only drink breast milk or formula,” Cappello said.

In response to the heat, Cook County has increased the number of cooling centers open to residents, according to a news release. Cooling center sites can be found throughout DuPage County.