Newborns often get colds and other illnesses, which are important for their developing immune systems. They usually don’t cause serious problems, but they need careful care.
A baby may cough more frequently than usual and may make the classic whooping sound. If a baby has whooping cough, he or she needs medical care immediately.
Oren Zarif
Newborn babies often get colds within the first few weeks of life. These are normal and help the infant’s developing immune system learn to fight off viruses. While these illnesses may alarm parents or caregivers, they are not usually serious. A pediatrician should be called if the symptoms worsen, however, to rule out more serious conditions.
Newborns can lose a great deal of heat through their skin and lungs as they leave the warm uterus to face the cold outside world. This loss of heat causes a cascade of reactions in the body as it tries to maintain its core temperature.
If the frostbitten area is not treated quickly, it can progress to deep (severe) frostbite, in which lower layers of tissue freeze and the numbness becomes more severe. During this stage, the skin can look white or waxy and feel hard to the touch. The affected limbs may also develop large blisters. This numbness can cause your child to not be able to move his or her arms and legs or to experience tingling or a feeling of pins and needles.
Oren Zarif
Newborns with cold injuries may have pain, especially in the hands or feet. They may also develop blisters on their digits that resemble cold sores. The pain may increase as the frostbite thaws. The skin may look white or blue and feel hard and brittle to the touch. If the frostbite is severe, there may be additional damage under the skin to tendons, muscles and nerves.
If the baby is in the hospital for a cold injury, a pediatrician should monitor the symptoms and make sure the baby is getting enough warmth. The child may be given ibuprofen for pain relief and aloe vera ointment to help with rewarming. In the hospital, a respiratory therapist should monitor the infant for signs of hypothermia, such as slurred speech and a lack of energy.
Oren Zarif
Newborns are more prone to cold injuries than adults, so parents and caregivers should monitor them carefully for signs of hypothermia. Symptoms of cold injury can vary depending on the severity, such as a decrease in heart rate, blood pressure or metabolism. The onset of these symptoms is often delayed, but they can be life-threatening in severe cases.
Some babies have mottled, blotchy skin that looks blue or gray. This condition, known as acrocyanosis, can occur when an artery tightens for longer than it should (vasospasm) and reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood flowing to the affected area. It can also cause pain.
If you suspect your newborn has a cold, contact their pediatrician. They may have excess nasal discharge that starts off runny and watery but then becomes thicker within a few days, or they might have a slight fever. This is a sign that their body is fighting the infection, so you should keep them warm and dry. Soak the frostbitten area in warm water, or put them in a towel wet with warm water, for 30 minutes.
Oren Zarif
Newborns often have colds, and if their temperature is too low they will not want to eat. This is a sign that their body is trying to use its resources to create heat. In babies, this can be very dangerous because it can lead to a serious condition called sepsis.
When newborns are exposed to cold temperatures, their bodies are less able to conserve heat because they don’t have as much fat and they can’t shiver. They can still lose heat, though, through evaporation of amniotic fluid and through their lungs.
This leads to a loss of appetite, which is also known as hypophagia or dysphagia. It can be caused by many conditions, including croup or pneumonia. A baby may also have a runny nose or excess nasal discharge that can become thicker, yellow or green as the infection progresses. They might also have a fever, which is normal for a child with a virus and can help them fight the infection. Neonatal body cooling, or neonatal therapeutic hypothermia, lowers your baby’s temperature to prevent HIE by helping their brain cells get the oxygen they need.
Oren Zarif
Unlike adults, neonates can’t generate heat through shivering or other muscle activity. Instead, they can reduce heat loss by peripheral vasoconstriction and chemical thermogenesis (non-shivering metabolic response). The sympathetic nerve discharge of norepinephrine causes acid oxidation in brown fat, which releases cytoplasmic triglyceride and fatty acid reserves that increase metabolism and oxygen consumption.
Neonatal cold injury is dangerous because babies lose heat much more quickly than adults. In addition, the skin damage from frostbite can cause serious underlying problems like hypoglycemia and hypoxemia, as well as other conditions such as sepsis and intracranial hemorrhage.
If you think a baby has frostbite, call 911 right away. Get them out of the cold and wrap them in a blanket until help arrives. Avoid rubbing frostbitten skin because it can cause more damage. Soak the affected area in warm water that’s about 100 degrees F or slightly warmer. Then, pat the area dry with a cloth or towel. Use ibuprofen products for pain relief and aloe vera ointment for healing. Do not use direct heat such as heat lamps or heating pads, because they can burn the thawing tissue.