Abstract
The thermal stability of infants <1500g during routine bare procedures was investigated during the first week of life. The infants were managed in incubators controlled in air node at environmental temperatures appropriate for their size and age. Core temperatures and peripheral temperatures were monitored continuously and data were averaged each minute and plotted graphically by a Nimbus microcomputer. The change in temperatures during the routine “all care” nursing procedure (changing nappy, cleaning eyes and mouth, changing the babies position if sedated or paralysed and sucking out the endotracheal tubes if intubated), carried out within the incubator, was examined. 9 infants were studied, birthweight 1086±241g (mean±SD) and gestation 28±3 weeks (M±SD). A total of 77 “all care” procedures were analysed. The fall in core temperature was 0.6±0.4°C(M±SD) and the fall in peripheral temperature was 1.1±0.7°c7M±SD). The temperature differential increased by 0.5±0.5°C(M±SD). Routine care procedures may thus cause significant thermal stresses to small infants in incubators. The necessity of the individual components of “the routine” should be carefully assessed.
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