Physiologic implications of two different heat shields for infants under radiant warmers

Journal Article · Sat May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1982 · J. Pediatr.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3476(82)80594-5· OSTI ID:6781103

Baumgart, S; Fox, W W; Polin, R A

To study the effects of two different heat shields commonly used under radiant warmers (thin plastic blanket vs a plastic body hood) on premature newborn infants, eight neonates were studied to measure insensible water loss and radiant power density at the skin under control and two shielded conditions. The body hood was found to diminish transmission of radiant heat to the infant's skin by 80%, absorbing heat and becoming warm (P less than 0.001). The plastic blanket absorbed only 15% of radiant warmer heat output (P less than 0.01). Insensible water loss was significantly less under the plastic blanket (1.88 +/- 0.4) ml/kg/hour) than under control (2.70 +/- 0.50 ml/kg/hour, P less than 0.01) and hood (2.86 +/- 0.32 ml/kg/hour, P less than 0.05) conditions. There was no decrease in insensible water loss under the hood compared to controls. This study demonstrates that a thin plastic blanket is the more effective shield against insensible water loss under a radiant warmer. Caution should be exercised with any shielding device to prevent interference with radiant heat delivery.

• Research Organization: Division of Neonatology of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
• OSTI ID: 6781103
• Journal Information: J. Pediatr.; (United States), Vol. 100:5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
INFANTS
PHYSIOLOGY
THERMAL SHIELDS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
BIOLOGICAL SHIELDING
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
MEDICAL SUPPLIES
PEDIATRICS
SKIN
WATER
AGE GROUPS
BODY
CHILDREN
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MEDICINE
ORGANS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SHIELDING
SHIELDS
TESTING
550600* - Medicine
551000 - Physiological Systems