Prevention

Prevention of early neonatal hypothermia is by rapid drying, wrapping, and performing any resuscitation under a warmer.

In premature or sick infants heat losses are prevented as follows:

• evaporative loss may be reduced by applying oil
• conductive losses can be reduced with insulated or heatd matresses
• convective losses should be monitored in convective incubators
• radiant heat loss is reduced with bubble foam sheets and by keeping the room temperature - outside the incubator - fairly high

Term infants simply need to be properly clothed and kept in a draught free cot.