It is not safe to use an Air Conditioner(AC) or Air cooler for a newborn baby?

Yes, it is not safe to use an Air Conditioner(AC) or Air cooler for a newborn baby if you do not follow the basic precautionary measures. Pediatricians recommend to keep the baby in cool and airy environment than to let him remain in hot, airless and humid environment.

Babies are delicate and cannot adjust to external weather changes quickly as adults do. This is the main reason for babies to get affected with overheat and associated illnesses such as prickly heat, heat rash, dehydration, heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

It is generally observed that babies sleep well and are comfortable when the room is properly cooled and ventilated. This will nullify the chances of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). Watch out that the room does not become too cold i.e too low than the baby’s body temperature and chill him. This could lead to other health complications.

You need to follow these precautionary measures to keep your baby safe and comfortable in hot summer days while using an AC or air cooler.

1. Ensure the room temperature is between 23 and 27 deg C

External heat changes and humidity variations can have an impact on the functioning of the AC or air cooler. Your room can get too cold very quickly making it uncomfortable for the baby. Baby will be restless due to too much coolness.

• For AC: Set the timer for the duration it takes to cool the room. If your AC does not have an inbuilt timer, you can use an alarm clock for convenience of reminding. If your AC does not have a temperature display, maintain a thermometer in the room to monitor the temperature and manage your newborn baby.
• If your room has an air cooler, leave a window or door partly open to let the flow of air. This is mandatory in monsoon when the weather is humid. As the Air cooler evaporates water to cool the room, it increases the humidity in the air. If the room is closed, the humidity keeps going up, cooling will stop and the room becomes extremely hot and sticky.

In humid weather it is suggested to use a fan or AC in place of an air cooler.

2. No direct blow of cold air from the AC or air cooler

Cover your baby with light layers especially a light cap for his head, small cotton socks to cover his feet. Dress your baby in thin cotton clothes to protect his legs and arms. Use light colors as dark colors will absorb heat. Keeping him covered will avoid direct cold air.

If you are covering the baby with a cloth / thin blanket ensure it does not cover his face ( avoiding suffocation incidents)

Too much of clothes and wrapping him snugly will make the baby uncomfortable, remember basic protection from cold air is sufficient.

Read: How To Keep Your Baby Comfortable and Healthy in Summer

Other watch outs while using AC or Air cooler:

• Service your AC / Air cooler timely to allow clean and efficient cooling. You will not come across surprises like breakdowns during peak summer making your baby sick and inactive.
• Moisturize your newborn baby’s skin as the AC / cooler air will make the skin dry. Few moms place a basin with water in the room to make the room moist.
• Avoid taking your baby to warmer conditions immediately from an AC room. Sudden temperature changes will make the baby feel sick. Ideally you need to switch off the AC and make him get used to the room temperature and then plan to go out in the hot weather.
• If you plan traveling by car, cool down by keeping the windows open for some time and then putting on the AC especially if the car was out in the sun. This will remove all trapped air. The hot air external air blowing in from the windows can be risky and may cause nose bleeding. Avoid direct blast of external hot air.
• If the baby is placed in a cradle ensure there is sufficient air for the baby and there are no obstructions.

You can follow the traditional way to keep the room cool during a power cut, blow with a handmade fan. Place the baby on the floor and dress him with light clothes. Ensure baby’s movement is monitored.

Draw the curtains to avoid direct sun rays. Thick curtain materials will keep the bright rays out. Make the baby become equipped at all weather conditions. It isn’t required to use the AC or air cooler all the time. When it isn’t hot and humid you can use the ceiling fan and maintain temperature of the room.

Keep a close watch on your newborn babies routine and make adjustments to suit your baby’s health. More care should be taken for a premature baby in hot sultry conditions.Concluding with the message that is is safe to use an AC or Air cooler provided you follow basic precautionary measures like room temperature maintenance,etc…

What causes seizures in babies?

Seizures occur when the nerve cells in the brain fire abnormally as a result of nerve damage, problems with the brain’s chemistry, or a high fever. Both nerve damage and brain chemistry irregularities can be caused by a birth defect or by an injury to the brain or nervous system, such as a blow to the head.

Febrile seizures are caused by high fever, they are harmless and common in children between 6 months and 5 years old. You need to ensure the baby has no health problems leading to an infection. Prevent baby from having fever as re- occurrence of a seizure or fits is high when body temperature crosses 101dec C. Constantly monitor baby’s temperature. If you make the baby sleep under a fan you cannot assess the temperature. Externally baby will look OK , but when you keep thermometer under the arm pit you will realize the difference.

Febrile seizures can also occur due to dehydration. Dehydration is a direct result of a previous illness that included sweating and fever. Malnutrition or a body weakened by disease or illness makes small children more susceptible to seizures.

Family history can play a role in toddlers or infants having seizures. If a family member was prone to or had seizures, especially febrile seizures, as a child this trait may be inherited.

What is epilepsy? Is seizure and epilepsy the same health issue?

Epilepsy is a condition that makes people more susceptible to having seizures. A child may have epilepsy if he has had two or more unprovoked seizures. There are many possible causes, such as head injuries, brain development disorders, infections or heredity. Usually, however, there is no detectable cause for a child’s epilepsy.

No , seizure and epilepsy are not the same. Seizure is a result of high fever and epilepsy is an unprovoked seizure.

Some people also refer this condition as convulsion or “fit”. The brain is an amazing, yet delicate structure that is able to send and receive millions of electrical messages within milliseconds. If there is an interruption in this constant flow of messages, the signals become jumbled and confused. These scrambled electrical impulses can quickly spread throughout the brain, causing a seizure. Fortunately, in seizure and convulsion, the brain eventually relaxes back into its usual pattern and the convulsions stop. Apart from some confusion, the person generally returns to normal.

What are the symptoms of a seizure?

The symptoms and degree of seizure varies from baby to baby. It depends on the baby’s physical condition . Listed below are the general symptoms observed for babies during a seizure.

• jerking movements of the arms and legs
• stiffening of the body
• wide open eyes staring at one particular point.
• White foamy saliva coming from the mouth.
• loss of consciousness
• breathing problems or breathing stops
• loss of bowel or bladder control
• falling suddenly for no apparent reason
• not responding to noise or words for brief periods
• appearing confused or in a haze
• nodding the head
• periods of rapid eye blinking and staring
• sleepiness and irritable upon waking in the morning

During the seizure, the child’s lips may become bluish and breathing may not be normal. The movements are often followed by a period of sleep or confusion.

You need to carefully observe your baby’s behavior and inform the pediatrician. This will enable the doctor to assess the situation and diagnose accordingly.

Do seizures cause brain damage?

Minor seizures or Febrile seizures are considered harmless if it lasts for less than 5 minutes. But seizures longer than that need medical intervention as they can damage the brain. Children having repeated seizures with high fever are affected in the long run . They will not be at par with all kids at school. Do not pressurize him to study. The baby’s mental growth will be retarded, the memory of the baby is also affected. Take extra care and do your best  to ensure baby does not get high fever.

What should I do if I think my child has had a seizure?

Consult the doctor and check if the baby has to be brought to the hospital right away. Usually doctors refer for an ElectroEncephaloGraph (EEG) to record his brain’s electrical activity. I had a tough time to watch my baby when the technician was attaching electrodes to my baby’s head, but the procedure is painless. From the results, your doctor will be able to tell whether your child has had a seizure, whether he’s likely to have one again, and whether he needs further tests, such as an MRI or CT scan, or a consultation with a neurologist. There will be crests and troughs on the graph. The technician notes down all baby’s activities in that duration for example: if the baby coughs , sneezes and moves body to eliminate wrong interpretation.

There is nothing you can do at that time. Stay with your child until the seizure stops. Baby will go in for a long sleep as he is exhausted. Follow medical advise and medications religiously.

These are situations in a parent’s life when you need to gear up and stand by each other. Both the parents need moral support. This article is written to prepare you in case a situation develops. Your baby’s going to be fine.