Hypothermia in a baby: what, symptoms, how to confirm and what to do

Hypothermia in babies is a relatively common situation, especially in premature babies, as their body surface in relation to their weight is much larger, making it easier to lose body heat, especially when they are in cold environments. This imbalance between heat loss and the limitation to produce heat is the main cause of hypothermia in healthy babies. Baby hypothermia is considered when the body temperature is below 36.5 ºC.

It is important that the baby’s hypothermia is identified and treated according to the pediatrician’s guidance, as this way it is possible to avoid complications such as hypoglycemia, high blood acidity and respiratory changes, which can put the baby’s life at risk. Therefore, it is important that newborns are kept warm immediately after birth.

Symptoms of hypothermia in baby

The main symptoms of hypothermia in babies are:

• Cold skin, not only on the hands and feet, but also on the face, arms and legs;
• Change in the color of the baby’s skin, which may become bluer due to the reduction in the size of the blood vessels;
• Decreased reflexes;
• Vomiting;
• Hypoglycemia;
• Decrease in the amount of urine produced during the day.

In addition to observing the signs and symptoms of hypothermia, it is important to measure the baby’s body temperature using a thermometer that should be placed in the baby’s armpit. If hypothermia is not identified or treated, the baby may develop life-threatening complications, such as respiratory failure, changes in heart rate and increased blood acidity.

When is hypothermia

Hypothermia is considered a temperature below 36.5ºC and can be classified according to temperature as:

• Mild hypothermia: 36 – 36.4ºC
• Moderate hypothermia: 32 – 35.9ºC
• Hipotermia grave: below 32ºC

As soon as a decrease in the baby’s body temperature is identified, it is important to dress the baby with appropriate clothing, in an attempt to regulate the body temperature, in addition to consulting the pediatrician so that the best treatment can be indicated and complications can be avoided.

What to do

When observing that the baby’s temperature is below ideal, strategies should be sought to warm the child, using appropriate clothing, a hat and a blanket. The baby should be taken to the hospital to start treatment as soon as possible if the baby does not warm up or has difficulty sucking, decreased movement, tremors or bluish extremities.

The pediatrician must evaluate the baby and identify the cause of the decrease in temperature, which may be related to a cold environment and inadequate clothing, hypoglycemia or other metabolic disorders, neurological or cardiac problems.

The treatment consists of warming the baby with appropriate clothing, a pleasant room temperature, and in some cases it may be necessary to place the baby in an incubator with direct light to raise the body temperature. When low body temperature occurs due to a health problem, it must be resolved as soon as possible.

How to dress your baby properly

To prevent the baby from getting hypothermia, it is recommended that the baby is dressed in clothing appropriate to the environment, but newborn babies lose heat very quickly, and therefore should always wear long-sleeved clothing, long pants, a hat and socks. Gloves are necessary when the ambient temperature is below 17ºC, but care must be taken not to put too much clothing on the baby and cause overheating, which is equally dangerous for infant health.

So, a good way to find out if the baby is wearing the right clothes is to place the back of your own hand on the baby’s neck and chest. If there are signs of sweating, you can eliminate a layer of clothing, and if your arms or legs are cold, you should add another layer of clothing.