As high temperatures persist, a pediatrician in Taichung has offered parents several tips when dressing their babies for the summer following a case in which an overdressed two-month-old baby developed a fever, eczema and diaper rash.
The proper way to assess whether a baby is wearing enough layers is to feel their backs and the backs of their necks, Taichung Hospital pediatrician Hung Chien-hui (洪千惠) said.
If those areas feel warm, it means that they are wearing the correct number of layers, she said.
If they are sweating, it means they are wearing too much; and if they feel cold, it means they are not wearing enough, she said.
In general, babies should be dressed following the same principles as adults, Hung said.
In environments where air-conditioning is stronger, parents could add an extra layer of thin clothing for their babies, she said.
For older babies or babies who have learned how to roll over, Hung said to dress them in thin, long-sleeved clothes for bed or cover them with blankets made of breathable fabric.
Babies have fast metabolisms and higher body temperatures, and need to dissipate heat appropriately, Hung said, adding that if they are unable to dissipate heat by sweating, they could develop a fever, heat rash, eczema, fungal infections or other skin infections.
Worried that their babies could catch a cold, many parents overdress their babies even during the summer, Hung said, adding that there has been a 30 percent increase in hospital visits due to babies with fevers or eczema from being overdressed.
Often, parents think their babies are not dressed warmly enough simply because their babies’ have cold hands and feet, she said.
However, because babies have relatively poor blood circulation in their hands and feet, they could have cold hands and feet even if their bodies are warm, she said.
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