These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: The total thermal insulation of the new-born baby.
    Author: Hey EN, Katz G, O'Connell B.
    Journal: J Physiol; 1970 May; 207(3):683-98. PubMed ID: 5503276.
    Abstract:
    1. One hundred and seventeen healthy new-born babies weighing between 0.9 and 4.8 kg at delivery have been studied during the first ten days of life, and sixteen of these babies have been studied serially for 6 weeks after birth. The babies lay supine in a draught-free environment (air speed 4-5 cm/sec) of moderate humidity. The operative temperature was between 26 and 38 degrees C for the babies who were studied naked.2. Total non-evaporative heat loss was calculated from simultaneous measurements of oxygen consumption, evaporative water loss and the concomitant change in mean body temperature.3. Approximately 10% of the total body surface area was in contact with the mattress or floor. Conductive heat loss accounted for only about 5% of all non-evaporative heat loss when the naked baby was lying on a thick foam mattress, but for as much as 25% when the baby was lying in a water-jacketed chamber with a floor of clear plastic approximately 5 mm thick.4. Insulation to heat loss by convection and radiation varied with environmental temperature. Total specific insulation was low in a warm environment when the naked baby vasodilated, and rose by between 16 and 25% to a maximum in an environment of 31 degrees C. It decreased significantly when the baby became physically active in environments with a temperature less than this.5. Total specific insulation in an environment of 31 degrees C varied with body size: it averaged 0.156 degrees C.m(2).hr/kcal in seven naked babies weighing 0.9-1.2 kg, rose to 0.190 degrees C.m(2).hr/kcal in twelve babies weighing 1.8-2.2 kg, and averaged 0.201 degrees C.m(2).hr/kcal in the thirty-four babies who weighed over 3 kg. Tissue insulation accounted for 23% of this total specific insulation in the smaller babies, and about 28% of the total in babies weighing over 3 kg.6. Clothing ten babies in a vest, napkin and long cotton nightdress increased the total specific insulation by an average of 0.23 degrees C.m(2).hr/kcal.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]