Having a baby also means you must always be alert to everything that can happen. It’s a fragile life, just beginning, that needs your constant attention. But even with all this care, it is inevitable that, as with everything in life, some problems will arise, such as hypothermia in babies. Hypothermia can cause real distress for uninformed parents, but the good news is that this type of problem can be prevented and resolved if proper care is taken. In order for you to better understand how it affects babies and why, you first need to understand what hypothermia is and what its types are.

What is Hypothermia?

Hypothermia is simply the term used when a person’s body temperature is below 35°C (95°F). This usually happens when the body loses more heat than it produces internally, which can lead to serious consequences depending on the degree of hypothermia and how long someone remains at this temperature1. Hypothermia can be divided into three stages: The first is when the body is between 1 and 2 degrees Celsius below 35, the second between 2 and 4, and the third below 4°C. Each of these stages has different symptoms, with the third being the most dangerous, possibly leading even to death. When we talk about hypothermia in babies, we also need to discuss the types of hypothermia that exist and how they can affect a person’s body, so it’s easier to understand how this problem specifically affects babies2.

Types of Hypothermia

We can classify hypothermia into three types to better define the severity and stage in which the problem presents itself. These three types are:

  • Acute hypothermia
  • Subacute hypothermia
  • Chronic hypothermia

We’ll talk a little more in-depth about each of these types to better understand how hypothermia in babies can happen and what dangers it brings.

Acute Hypothermia

Acute hypothermia happens when the body loses far more heat than it can produce. It typically occurs due to a long period of exposure to cold, such as during a storm or in snow, for example.

Subacute Hypothermia

The main characteristic of this type of hypothermia is that the drop in body temperature does not happen suddenly, as it does with acute hypothermia, but gradually. It takes place over a longer period, usually when a person goes days without warming up, causing their temperature to slowly fall to a critical stage.

Chronic Hypothermia

When we talk about chronic hypothermia, we’re talking about a type caused by other problems, such as illness, for example, causing the body temperature to naturally drop as a symptom.

Causes of Hypothermia in Babies

Once we understand that babies’ bodies are much more sensitive than ours, we also realize that their bodies have much more difficulty maintaining a stable temperature when there is any kind of exposure to cold or even an illness that makes the body colder. Because of this, hypothermia in babies is much more common than in adults, as is also the case with the elderly, precisely because of bodily frailty. Some of the main causes of hypothermia in babies are:

  • Very long baths;
  • Delay in changing the baby’s clothes;
  • Exposure to cold environments without proper protection;
  • Side effects of certain medications.

How to Prevent Hypothermia in Babies

While we know that hypothermia in a baby can be a serious problem, we also understand it’s something that can be avoided by taking proper precautions. The main one is to try to avoid cold environments for babies as much as possible because, as mentioned earlier, their bodies have a harder time maintaining body temperature. Of course, it’s often impossible to avoid the cold, but it’s important to know how to protect the baby, paying special attention to the baby’s head, since a significant amount of body heat can escape from this region, as happens with the feet as well. Also, pay attention to your baby’s bath time, never letting the water get too cold or leaving them exposed too long without being dried and changed3.

When Should You See a Doctor?

The discussion about when to see a doctor in these cases depends on many factors. Ideally, you should seek help as soon as any change is noticed, so treatment can happen as quickly as possible. But it’s important not to confuse a brief chilly moment with hypothermia, and especially not to panic when your baby feels a bit colder. Many times, exposure to cold makes the baby’s skin feel cooler, but this doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a case of hypothermia. It’s also important to know beforehand what is causing hypothermia in the baby—whether it’s a side effect of medication or if it’s simply due to exposure to cold environments—so it’s easier for a doctor to solve the problem. Issues like hypothermia in babies can happen to anyone, but it’s important to understand that it can be prevented from becoming a major issue and also that there are ways to treat it and help your baby get well as quickly as possible. If a baby experiences such problems, it does not mean the parents are inattentive or careless, but rather that a problem has arisen and needs to be resolved. As we mentioned at the start of the article, there are many concerns that parents have every day for their babies, and it is almost inevitable that some unforeseen event will occur. This is part of everyone’s lives, not only as experience but also as a learning process. See also: Child Malnutrition – Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Photo: moisemarian