Keeping Newborn Baby Cool in Summer

Hot weather can be dangerous for babies because they are easily affected by the heat. They need to drink regularly, wear light clothing and be kept cool.

ALERT!

If you think your baby is suffering from the heat — that is, they look unwell, are refusing to drink, have a lot fewer wet nappies than usual or are vomiting — see a doctor or call healthdirect to speak to a registered nurse on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria).

Sun safety

Keep your baby cool and protect them from the sun. Babies and young children can't cool themselves as well as adults so they're more at risk of overheating and developing a heat-related illness. The tips below will help keep your child happy and healthy in the heat:

• Babies less than 6 months old should be kept out of direct sunlight. Their skin contains too little melanin, the pigment that provides some protection from the sun.
• Sunscreen is not recommended for babies less than 6 months of age — shade, clothing and hats are best.
• Babies older than 6 months should also be kept out of the sun as much as possible, particularly in the summer when the sun is at its strongest. If you go out when it's hot, attach a parasol or sunshade to your pram or stroller to keep them out of direct sunlight.
• For babies older than 6 months, apply a high factor sunscreen to your baby's skin. Many brands produce sunscreen specifically for babies and young children with a sun protection factor (SPF) as high as 30+. Apply sunscreen regularly, particularly if your baby is in and out of the sea or paddling pool.
• Always test the sunscreen on a small area of your baby's skin to check for any skin reactions.
• Cover your baby's body, arms and legs with clothing, and make sure you put a sunhat with a wide brim or a long flap at the back to protect their head and neck from the sun.

Keeping cool

Follow the tips below to help keep your baby cool and safe during hot weather.

• Playing in a paddling pool is a good way of keeping babies cool. Keep the pool in the shade during very hot weather and supervise the babies carefully at all times. Never leave a baby in water alone, even for a few seconds.
• A lukewarm bath before bedtime is often beneficial.
• Keep your baby's bedroom cool during the day by closing blinds or curtains. You can also use a fan to circulate the air in the room making sure the fan doesn't point towards your baby.
• Keep nightwear and bedclothes to a minimum. If your baby kicks or pushes off the covers during the night, consider putting them in just a nappy with a single layer baby sleeping bag or a well-secured sheet that won't work loose and cover their face or get entangled during the night.
• If you have an air-conditioner, make sure the room does not get too cold; setting the temperature to about 24 to 26 degrees Celsius is low enough.

Travelling with a baby in hot weather

If you need to travel by car in hot weather, try to make the trip in the coolest part of the day, which is usually in the early morning. Make sure your baby is in the shade in the car when you are travelling and keep the car cool using the air conditioner or opening the windows.

Remember to never leave a baby alone in a parked car. Even in mild weather cars can become very quickly too hot for babies.

Don't cover your baby's pram

Many parents will cover the front of their baby's pram to protect them from the sun, unaware this can be very dangerous.

By covering a pram, it can reduce or stop air from flowing around your baby and, like being in a hot car, the temperature can rise quickly and by quite a lot.

It is important that you regularly check your baby when they are in a pram, particularly during hot weather.

Prickly heat

Prickly heat is an itchy rash of small, raised red spots that causes a stinging or prickling sensation on the skin. Babies and children are also more at risk of getting prickly heat because their sweat glands are not fully developed. It is common in hot weather on parts of the skin that stay moist, such as in the nappy area or under the chin. Creams such as zinc and castor oil creams will protect the skin.

The same creams that are used for protecting the nappy area can be used under the chin and on other areas that are prone to prickly heat. Changing the baby's clothes more often and giving tepid baths can also help.

Avoid dehydration

Like adults, babies need to drink plenty of fluids to avoid becoming dehydrated. You know your baby is hydrated if there are 6 to 8 pale wet nappies a day.

For the first 6 months when your baby is only on breast milk or formula, you shouldn't be giving them any water. But during hot weather, you may find your baby may want to feed more than usual but for shorter periods.

Once they are on solids, you can give your baby small amounts of cooled boiled water throughout the day. If your baby wakes at night, they'll probably want milk but if they've had their usual milk feeds, try some cooled boiled water as well.

Heatstroke

Heatstroke occurs when the body can no longer cool itself and starts to overheat. When the core temperature rises above 40 degrees, the cells inside the body begin to break down and important parts of the body stop working.

If left untreated, it can lead to complications such as organ failure and brain damage and it can be fatal.

Symptoms of heatstroke include:

• rising body temperature — a temperature of 40 degrees or above is often a sign of heatstroke
• heavy sweating that suddenly stops — if the body is unable to produce any more sweat and the skin is dry, it's a warning sign that it has become over-heated and dehydrated
• increased thirst (but later, as the baby gets weaker, they may drink less)
• pale, clammy skin
• a rapid heartbeat
• rapid breathing (hyperventilation)
• the fontanelle (soft spot on the baby's heat) is sunken
• smaller amounts of urine passed than usual, and dark coloured urine
• dry mouth and eyes
• headache, muscle cramps
• being sleepy or 'floppy'
• confusion, shortness of breath and vomiting
• coma (not rousing when touched or called)

What to do

If your baby or older child has any of signs above, they need urgent treatment. Call triple zero 000 to request an ambulance or immediately take your baby to an emergency department.

While you're waiting for an ambulance to arrive, move them to a cool area as quickly as possible, remove excess clothing and try to cool them by fanning them. You could also cool their skin with water by placing a damp flannel or sheet on them or spraying them gently.

If they're conscious, give them cool, not cold, water to drink. Keep trying to give them drinks unless they are unconscious and not able to swallow safely. The best drinks are those that are recommended for gastro. Do not add salt to any of the drinks.

Things to remember to prevent heatstroke

• Babies should be kept in a cool, shady place. If they need to be outside, make sure their pram is in the shade cover their pram or pusher stroller with a damp cloth and dress them with cool clothing.
• Babies and young children should never be left alone in a parked car, even for a moment, and even when the car is in the shade.
• Babies are not able to tell you that they are thirsty, so it important that you give them extra drinks in hot weather.
• If your baby starts to be floppy or more irritable, this could be a sign of heat stress and you need to give more drinks and take your baby to be checked by a doctor.

Keeping Newborn Baby Cool in Summer

Source: https://www.pregnancybirthbaby.org.au/babies-hot-in-weather

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