5 'golden rules' to keep your child comfortable in air conditioning without worrying about illness

Many parents worry that their children will get sick from sitting in air-conditioned rooms during the summer. However, with just a few small things in mind, kids can fully enjoy air conditioning without any worries.

1. 5 'golden rules' to keep your child comfortable in air conditioning without worrying about illness

Many parents worry that their children will get sick from sitting in a air-conditioned room during the summer. However, with just a few small things in mind, kids can fully enjoy air conditioning without any worries.

As summer approaches, parents once again struggle with whether to 'turn on the air conditioning' for their children. On scorching days, air conditioning will help children enjoy cool, comfortable air. But there are opposing views that say, children's bodies are fragile, and cold air from air conditioning can cause illness.

In reality, by paying attention to a few principles, parents can confidently turn on the air conditioning to avoid the sun without worrying about their children getting sick.

1. Pay Attention to Air Conditioning Usage Time

For adults, turning on the air conditioning immediately when feeling hot is sufficient. However, if there are young children at home, parents need to pay more attention to the timing of using air conditioning to avoid affecting the children.

When it's excessively hot, children can feel the temperature themselves. At this point, parents should always turn on the air conditioning to cool the air. The suitable temperature is 30 degrees Celsius.

Furthermore, parents should turn on the air conditioning around noon to 3 pm, the hottest time of the day, to ensure that the baby can sleep peacefully. However, it's important not to keep the air conditioning on continuously for 10 hours as it can make the child uncomfortable.

Additionally, if it's still hot and humid at midnight, turning on the air conditioning will help the baby sleep comfortably. However, as dawn approaches and the temperature drops, mothers should turn off the air conditioning and open the windows to let the baby enjoy natural breeze.

2. Monitor the Temperature and Humidity in the Room

When turning on the air conditioner, parents should pay attention to maintaining a stable temperature, from 26 to 28 degrees Celsius, to ensure the health of the baby. If the baby is healthy, the temperature can be reduced to 24 - 26 degrees.

However, the most important thing is still the temperature difference between inside and outside the room. If it's hot outside, with high temperatures, the air conditioner should be set about 6 - 7 degrees lower than outside. If it's not too hot outside, a difference of 3 - 5 degrees is sufficient.

Moreover, in the summer, the air tends to be dry, so parents should also pay attention to the humidity in the room. The ideal humidity for the baby is about 40% - 60%. If not ensured, parents can use a humidifier or place a bowl of water in the room. The water vapor evaporating from the bowl will help increase the humidity.

3. Considerations in Choosing Baby's Clothing When in an Air-conditioned Room

+ It's advisable to dress the baby in thin, long-sleeved shirts when in an air-conditioned room, choosing comfortable, breathable cotton material. If it's a newborn, mothers should add another layer of clothing to protect the baby's belly from getting cold.

+ If the baby doesn't feel cold and the air conditioning temperature is stable, mothers don't need to make the baby wear socks. However, if the baby's resistance is weak, it's best for mothers to have the baby wear thin socks to protect their feet from the cold.

+ When turning on the air conditioner while the baby sleeps, mothers should prepare a thin blanket or a small rug to cover the baby, covering vulnerable areas such as the stomach, chest, and shoulders. If the baby has a habit of kicking off the blanket while sleeping, it's advisable to have a pillow ready to place beside.

3. Pay attention to some other small details

Besides the two major issues of timing and temperature, humidity when using air conditioning, parents should pay attention to some small details as follows:

+ Clean the air conditioning filter the first time you use it. Then, clean it once every two weeks because a dirty filter can accumulate dust, become a breeding ground for certain types of microorganisms, mold, bacteria... When the air conditioning is turned on, these can enter the room, affecting the baby's respiratory system and health.

Many cases of baby coughing, flu, allergies, and even pneumonia are due to dirty air conditioning filters.

+ If you turn on the air conditioning on sweltering days, it's best for mothers to turn it on for a while to stabilize the temperature before letting the baby into the room.

+ When your baby feels hot and sweaty, it's essential to wipe them down to keep them comfortable before bringing them into an air-conditioned room. This prevents them from getting too cold and catching a cold or flu. Moreover, when a baby is sweating and immediately enters a cold room, the blood vessels on their skin contract, sweat pores close, weakening their stomach and reducing their immunity. The temperature should be around 25°C at this time.

+ Avoid placing your baby directly in front of the air conditioning vent to prevent cold air from blowing directly on them, especially on their head, abdomen, and limbs. It's better to position the baby's crib slightly away from the air conditioning unit.

+ During the day, after running the air conditioner for 1 - 3 hours, it's advisable to open the windows for 20 - 30 minutes to allow fresh air to circulate in the room.

+ Babies staying in air-conditioned rooms for an extended period may become thirsty and have dry mouths. Therefore, it's essential to have a water bottle ready for the baby to drink from to maintain their body's hydration.

+ Avoid constantly carrying your baby in and out or turning the air conditioner on and off to prevent them from catching a cold.

+ It's recommended to check your baby's body temperature 1 or 2 times a day if they are in an air-conditioned room to prevent them from catching a cold and developing a fever.

+ The baby's ability to adapt to external temperatures will decrease when regularly staying in an air-conditioned room. Therefore, if the weather is not excessively hot, mothers should avoid constantly turning on the air conditioning. This way, the baby will learn to adjust to normal temperatures and develop better.

5. Air Conditioning in Cars

+ It's not advisable to set the air conditioning temperature in the car too low, as it can affect the baby's health.

+ Avoid smoking while in the car, especially when the air conditioning is on, as it can make the baby susceptible to respiratory illnesses.

+ If the baby sleeps in the car, it's important to cover them with a blanket to keep them warm.

+ When parking under the hot sun, it's recommended to open the windows to let the hot air out of the car before turning on the air conditioning. Wait for the temperature to stabilize before placing the baby inside. The ideal temperature difference is 7 degrees.