Read this passage and answer the questions that follow: Hypothermia in Infants Hypothermia is a condition in which the body loses heat faster than it produces heat. Someone your age may end up with hypothermia from being outside on a frosty day for hours without adequate warm clothing. An elderly person may develop the condition after sitting in an air conditioned room for a prolonged period of time. However, hypothermia in infants is the most common of all, and potentially the most dangerous. Infants lose body heat faster than adults do. They have a higher ratio of surface area... Show more Read this passage and answer the questions that follow: Hypothermia in Infants Hypothermia is a condition in which the body loses heat faster than it produces heat. Someone your age may end up with hypothermia from being outside on a frosty day for hours without adequate warm clothing. An elderly person may develop the condition after sitting in an air conditioned room for a prolonged period of time. However, hypothermia in infants is the most common of all, and potentially the most dangerous. Infants lose body heat faster than adults do. They have a higher ratio of surface area (skin) to volume, so cold on the outside is more easily turned into cold on the inside, which can be dangerous. In addition, they are unable to use shivering to keep themselves warm, meaning that they burn fat instead. That fact can mean that a baby kept in cold temperatures will grow at a slower rate than a baby who is warm. Signs of hypothermia in infants include red skin (especially on the extremities) that is cold to the touch, low energy, weak crying, and failure to eat. The baby should be rewarmed and then kept in warmer clothing away from air conditioning or drafts. Carrying the baby next to the parent in a kangaroo-style sling is one means of keeping him or her warm. When that is not possible, dressing the infant in a warm onesie with socks and a hat can suffice. Never cover a newborn with multiple blankets; instead, dress the baby appropriately to maintain a normal body temperature. New parents would be wise to remember that the newborn has spent nine months in a moist climate with temperatures ranging in the high 90s. Napping by the window on a pleasant 80-degree day can feel shockingly cold to that newborn. Show less
Read this passage and answer the questions that follow:
Hypothermia in Infants Hypothermia is a condition in which the body loses heat faster than it produces heat. Someone your age may end up with hypothermia from being outside on a frosty day for hours without adequate warm clothing. An elderly person may develop the condition after sitting in an air conditioned room for a prolonged period of time. However, hypothermia in infants is the most common of all, and potentially the most dangerous. Infants lose body heat faster than adults do. They have a higher ratio of surface area (skin) to volume, so cold on the outside is more easily turned into cold on the inside, which can be dangerous. In addition, they are unable to use shivering to keep themselves warm, meaning that they burn fat instead. That fact can mean that a baby kept in cold temperatures will grow at a slower rate than a baby who is warm. Signs of hypothermia in infants include red skin (especially on the extremities) that is cold to the touch, low energy, weak crying, and failure to eat. The baby should be rewarmed and then kept in warmer clothing away from air conditioning or drafts. Carrying the baby next to the parent in a kangaroo-style sling is one means of keeping him or her warm. When that is not possible, dressing the infant in a warm onesie with socks and a hat can suffice. Never cover a newborn with multiple blankets; instead, dress the baby appropriately to maintain a normal body temperature. New parents would be wise to remember that the newborn has spent nine months in a moist climate with temperatures ranging in the high 90s. Napping by the window on a pleasant 80-degree day can feel shockingly cold to that newborn.
Join 4M+ learners. Unlock unlimited quizzes, wrong-answer tracking, flashcards + reminders, study guides, and 1-on-1 challenges.