Does air conditioning have any effect on newborns?

The weather is hot in the summer, and even if you stay indoors, you have to turn on the air conditioner at all times to relieve the heat. There is no problem for adults to use air conditioning. If you feel cold, you can turn up the temperature of the air conditioner to a temperature that suits you. Will it have any effect if newborns use air conditioning like adults? Generally speaking, newborns can use air conditioning for a while, but the temperature must be controlled and the time should not be too long, otherwise it may cause the newborn to catch a cold.

① Although it is necessary to cool down in summer, babies also need to keep warm in summer. Because newborns have thin skin, less subcutaneous fat, and a body surface area that is much smaller than that of adults, they dissipate more heat, produce less heat, and their temperature regulation center is not yet fully developed. Therefore, when the temperature is too low, the newborn's body temperature is easily affected by the indoor ambient temperature, resulting in the body temperature not rising. In severe cases, it can cause subcutaneous fat to coagulate and harden, leading to scleredema and even life-threatening.

②For babies, body temperature should be kept within the normal range, that is, armpit temperature 36℃ to 37℃, rectal temperature 36.5℃ to 37.5℃, and avoid cold wind blowing directly on the baby. Baby clothing should be loose and made of cotton. It is best not to wear too much clothing, and the baby should not sweat when the baby is at rest. Keeping premature babies warm is particularly important. Those with low body weight need to be hospitalized and use an incubator to keep them warm.

③At the same time, it should be noted that if the baby stays in an air-conditioned room for a long time, it is easy to catch a cold. Nowadays, many babies’ upper respiratory tract infections are mostly related to air conditioning. In addition, babies’ immunity and resistance are relatively low compared to adults. If they stay in an air-conditioned room all day and the air is not circulating, babies are prone to fever, upper respiratory tract infection, tonsillitis, cough, runny nose, sinusitis and other symptoms.

④ In order to prevent your baby from catching a cold due to air conditioning, the recommended optimal air conditioning temperature in summer is 27 to 28 degrees Celsius. It is best to put a basin of water in the room when sleeping to keep the room moist, and open the windows frequently for ventilation. In addition, some parents, after finding that their baby has symptoms such as a slight fever, are so scared that they dare not use air conditioners or electric fans. However, they do not realize that the high ambient temperature will cause the baby's body temperature to remain high, their resistance to decline, and their condition to worsen.

⑤Air-conditioned rooms often have their doors and windows tightly closed, and low-temperature air flows around, causing natural air to not circulate, making it impossible for hidden bacteria to spread. In addition, using air conditioning for a long time can easily cause dizziness or chest tightness, and babies are more likely to suffer from diarrhea or colds due to the cool wind. Parents should not let their babies stay in air-conditioned rooms for a long time, and the air-conditioning temperature should not be too low.