Should a child with a fever lie in an air-conditioner?

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Nguyen Thi My Linh - Neonatologist - Pediatrics - Neonatology Department - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital. Specialist Doctor I Nguyen Thi My Linh has 12 years of experience in diagnosing and treating pediatric diseases.

Children with fever can still lie on the air conditioner because the cool temperature will help fight the fever faster. However, parents need to pay attention to the rules when letting the baby lie down in the air conditioner to protect the health of the child.

When it comes to summer, the weather is hot for a long time, so families often have to put their children in air-conditioned rooms. However, the use of air conditioners for young children must comply with the necessary principles to avoid harm to the health of children. The abuse of air-conditioner, inappropriate use of air-conditioner will easily cause the baby to suffer from respiratory diseases such as bronchitis, rhinitis, pneumonia, sore throat, ... if the child has a predisposition to asthma. In addition, children lying in an air-conditioned room for a long time are also prone to dry skin, dehydration, creating conditions for bacteria to attack, causing respiratory diseases.
Improper use of air conditioners can easily dry out the respiratory tract, leading to difficulty breathing, fever and diarrhea,... in young children. Besides, if parents let their children spend too much time in the room instead of going out, the child will not be able to synthesize vitamin D from the sun, leading to fussiness, night sweats, and poor sleep. At night, resistance declines. At the same time, due to not being able to play, run and jump, children consume little energy, so they often have poor appetite and have anorexia.

According to doctors, children with fever can still lie down in the air conditioner normally because the air conditioner brings a cool and pleasant atmosphere, making the baby more comfortable. The air conditioner helps circulate cool air in the room, allowing the air flow to come in direct contact with the baby, effectively cooling the fevered child's body. However, parents need to pay attention to some important principles when letting their baby sleep in the air conditioner to help them get the best rest and heal quickly.

Children are very sensitive to temperature. If it's too hot, your baby will easily develop heat rash. If it is too cold, the child is prone to cough and bronchitis. Therefore, parents need to pay attention to the following principles when using air conditioners for children:
3.1. Make sure the temperature is right for the baby, the body temperature of children is not the same as that of adults because the thermoregulatory center, sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems of children under 3 years of age are not yet fully developed. When adults find that the room temperature is just right for them, the baby may get cold. Therefore, parents should pay attention that the air conditioner should only be adjusted to a temperature of 27 - 29 degrees Celsius because this is the most suitable temperature for the baby.

3.2. Do not turn on the air conditioner 24/24 If the air conditioner is on all day, the air in the room can turn cold, stagnant, not good for the health and respiratory system of the child. Therefore, every day, parents should turn off the air conditioner at least 2 times, open all the room doors, use the fan to expel the stagnant air. Besides, parents should bring natural sunlight into the room as much as possible so that the air in the room can be circulated, helping children with fever feel more comfortable.
3.3. Observe the 3-minute rule The temperature difference between inside and outside of the air-conditioned room can adversely affect a child's health, making his condition worse. Therefore, every time you want to take your child out of the air-conditioned room, parents should open the door about 3 minutes before, let the baby stand near the door so that the baby gets used to the air flow from outside, avoiding heat shock.
3.4. When the child has a fever, if the air conditioner blows directly to the face, head, etc., the baby's illness will become more serious, more susceptible to inflammatory diseases. respiratory infections such as rhinitis, bronchitis, sore throat, pneumonia, etc. Therefore, parents should place the air conditioner at high altitude, do not direct the air vent of the air conditioner towards the lying child and do not set the fan speed. the wind is too strong. Parents should set the lowest fan speed, to rotate to circulate air in the room.
3.5. After a long winter, when turning on the air conditioner, users need to clean, pump gas, shake off dust in the filter, ... to avoid mold, bacteria or germs. Disease staying in the machine harms the respiratory system of children. Besides, parents also need to clean and clean the room with the air conditioner on regularly to remove pathogens in the air. At the same time, because using the air conditioner will dry the air, so parents can bring into the room a basin of water or use a nebulizer, humidifier, etc. to balance the air conditions in the room.

3.6. Some other important notes In addition to paying attention to how to use the air conditioner, parents also need to pay attention to the health of the baby and follow the following instructions:
Regularly drip physiological saline for the baby to keep the temperature Moisture needed for the body, avoid dry nose. Let your child drink lots of water. For breastfed babies, they should breastfeed many times to avoid dehydration of the body. When the child sleeps, parents should cover the baby with a thin blanket, covering the abdomen to avoid the enlarged pores leading to a cold. Give your baby foods that are cool, have cooling effects and enhance resistance such as orange juice, lemon juice. Dress your child in clothes that absorb sweat well, such as those made of cotton. Change wet diapers regularly and promptly to avoid cold for the baby. It is recommended to turn on the ventilation fan for the room when using the air conditioner. Children should be outdoors in the early morning (6-7am), when the sun is not too strong, so that children can bask in the sun and breathe in fresh air for at least 15 minutes a day. Do not overuse the air conditioner, only turn it on when the weather is hot. When children come back from going outside in the heat, they need to wipe off sweat and rest for at least 3 minutes before entering the air-conditioned room. Children need to provide enough elemental zinc/day for them to eat well, reach the correct height and weight and exceed the standard. Zinc plays a role in affecting most biological processes taking place in the body, especially the breakdown of nucleic acids, proteins... Organs in the body when zinc deficiency can lead to a There are a number of diseases such as neurological disorders, irritability, etc. Therefore, parents need to learn about the role of zinc and guide them to appropriate zinc supplements for their children.
In addition to zinc, parents also need to supplement their children with other important vitamins and minerals such as lysine, chromium, B vitamins,... errands.
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