Is air conditioning safe for young children?
With the arrival of summer and high temperatures, it is normal for many families to wonder if using air conditioning can harm their baby.
The good news is that NO, it is not harmful; in fact, it can be a great ally, as high temperatures can be a risk for young children.
The Affidea pediatrics team would like to share some recommendations for the safe use of fans and air conditioning:
Ideal temperature: it is recommended to keep the room between 24-26ºC to avoid extreme heat and minimize sudden changes in temperature with the outside.
The baby should not be directly exposed to the cold air flow from the appliance.
During the night, once the room is cool, you can turn off or program the air conditioner to run intermittently. Keep in mind that at night, a baby's body temperature naturally drops.
Ideally, maintain an ambient humidity of 40-60% to avoid creating a very dry environment. It is advisable to frequently ventilate the house and the room where the baby sleeps.
A fan can be a great ally and substitute for air conditioning if the temperatures are not too high. Try to avoid excessive speeds or placing the baby less than 2 m from the fan.
Perform frequent maintenance on the filters as they can accumulate microorganisms and harmful particles.
And when we leave the house...
Before leaving home, turn off the air conditioning a while beforehand to avoid a sudden change in temperature when you go outside.
In public spaces: If you are going to places with powerful air currents or very low temperatures, you can take a very thin cotton or linen sheet with you in case you notice that your baby is uncomfortable or cold.
In the car, first ventilate by opening the windows to let the hot air out, then set the air conditioning to 24-26 ºC, avoiding direct airflow on the baby, and turn it off a little before the end of the trip to avoid sudden changes in temperature with the outside.
Written by Dr. Ben Raza Canicoba, a doctor specializing in pediatrics and its specific areas.