Do I need to keep my newborn baby away from air conditioning? My family is afraid that my baby will be cold or that air conditioning is not good for his lungs, so they don't want him to sleep in it. (Minh An, 33 years old, Quang Ninh )
Reply:
If the baby is born on time and weighs enough, then the air conditioner can help the baby sleep better. If the baby is premature, the family should wait until the baby is 1-2 months old and the doctor assesses that the baby is healthy enough before using the air conditioner.
In case your baby is sick or has a fever, air conditioning will help your baby feel comfortable and cool down. However, the family needs to monitor your baby's body temperature regularly and take him to the nearest medical facility if he does not respond to antipyretics or has a high fever that does not go down.
When letting your baby sleep in an air-conditioned room, families should keep the room temperature at 26-28 degrees. The reason is that newborns do not have the ability to regulate their body temperature as well as older children or adults. If the temperature is above 28 degrees, the baby will get hot, sweat, have a rash, and increase the risk of sudden death. If it is lower than 26 degrees, the baby will catch a cold and get sick.
Full-term babies can sleep in air conditioning at a temperature of 26-28 degrees Celsius. Photo: Freepik
Families should not let the air conditioner blow directly on the baby. The baby's respiratory system is not yet fully developed, so it is susceptible to respiratory diseases. Families should adjust the air conditioner to the lowest level, not point the air vent directly at the baby, and set it to rotate to circulate the air in the room. Families should turn on the ventilation fan or turn the fan on low.
Lying in an air-conditioned room often makes your baby prone to dry skin and dry nose. Mothers should breastfeed their babies frequently, use saline drops to moisten the nose, and apply appropriate moisturizing lotion to the baby's skin. When the baby sleeps, mothers should dress the baby in cool, warm clothes and change wet diapers frequently to avoid colds and diaper rash.
Do not let your baby sleep in the air conditioner 24/7. When the weather is cool, you can open the room window and turn on the fan to circulate the air. To avoid sudden changes in the ambient temperature, before going out, parents should turn off the air conditioner to reduce the cold, then open the room door for about 2-3 minutes to let the baby gradually adapt to avoid heat shock.
Before using the air conditioner, the family should clean it to kill mold, bacteria and pathogens that remain in the air conditioner. Parents also need to clean and sanitize the baby's bedroom regularly and wash the air conditioner periodically.
MD.CKII Pham Le My Hanh
Head of Neonatology, Neonatal Center
Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City
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