Hypothermia or hypothermia is a condition in which the body temperature falls below the normal range. It can occur in adults and infants, but neonatal hyperthermia is a concern because infants cannot maintain body temperature. If not detected early, low body temperature in infants can be a serious problem. It rarely leads to death in many babies.
How do you know if your baby has a low temperature? According to the guidelines issued by the World Health Organization (WHO), essential care is required during childbirth and the body of the newborn is not yet developed to regulate body temperature in the first days after birth.
The average body temperature of an infant is between 35.5°C and 37.5°C, 36.6°C and 38°C when measured orally, 36.6°C and 38°C when measured accurately, 35.8°C and 38°C when measured through the ear, and between 36.5°C and 37.5°C when measured in the armpit. . Your baby is said to be hypothermic when his body temperature falls below 36.5.
Symptoms of hypothermia in infants
It is important to detect the symptoms of hyperthermia in your baby early as this will help in early detection. Below are some of the early signs that indicate the cold stress phase. Mothers need to pay close attention to these symptoms.
Is the baby’s body less warm?
The legs get cold before the body gets cold. In addition to this, weakness during breastfeeding or inability to suckle, slow reaction, weak and shallow cry, beyond this stage, the baby is likely to catch a cold, which is a sign of lethargy, slow, shallow, irregular sweating; slow heart rate; low blood sugar; Metabolic acidosis. These are the symptoms to watch out for.
Is the baby’s body less warm?
Other serious symptoms of hyperthermia include facial and extremity flushing, central cyanosis, and skin stiffness on the back and extremities. These symptoms can be dangerous and conditions that may require medical attention. These things are very important. Let’s look at some of the causes of low body temperature in infants. Let us see what are the reasons behind this.
Prematurity and low birth weight
Infants born at less than 28 weeks’ gestation with a birth weight of less than 1,500 grams have a 30 to 78% risk of hypothermia. Premature and low-birth-weight babies are more likely to develop hyperthermia.
Is the baby’s body less warm?
If a baby is born prematurely or at low birth, the baby should be wrapped in polyethylene (to prevent drying) immediately after birth. An incubator can be used to keep the baby warm. If you pay attention to all these things, it will help your baby’s health too.
Environmental factors
Environmental factors at birth can cause the newborn to lose body heat, leading to hypothermia. Within the first minute after birth, the baby’s skin temperature drops by 3 to 4 degrees. Leaving the baby unattended after birth, delaying drying and wrapping, and bathing the baby soon after birth can increase the risk of hypothermia in newborns. So be careful.
Hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia can also cause hyperthermia in infants. It is a condition where blood sugar or glucose levels are low in the body. Babies can be hypoglycemic at birth or later. It is commonly seen in intrauterine growth restricted (IUGR) babies of diabetic mothers and preterm babies at 34-36.6 weeks. It should be very careful.
infection
In some cases, hypothermia is a symptom of severe infection in infants. Two such infections are meningitis and neonatal sepsis. Meningitis is a bacterial infection that causes inflammation of the spinal cord. It can cause a fever in some babies and a drop in body temperature in others. Along with hyperthermia, you may also experience symptoms such as irritability, lethargy, feeding difficulties, respiratory difficulties, and seizures.