Recently, persistent rainy and cold weather has led to a sharp rise in flu cases across our province. To prevent their children from catching colds, parents often bundle them up in layers upon layers of clothing and blankets, sometimes even holding them close while sleeping. Little do they know that this practice can lead to overheating syndrome. Some babies have even died from being smothered in this way.
Infant Suffocates Under Heavy Blanket: Winter Overheating Syndrome Precautions Needed (Public Health Network)
Sleeping with Child in Arms Is Unsafe
Wang Min, Director of Pediatrics and Associate Chief Physician at PLA Hospital No. 187, warns parents: Never overdress babies or use excessively thick blankets due to cold weather, and absolutely avoid sleeping with them in your arms. Overheating and lack of fresh air can trigger "overheating syndrome." This condition carries a high mortality rate, and even survivors often suffer lasting complications.
Infant suffocates under heavy quilt
Case 1: On December 3 last year, a young couple in Wuhan employed a folk remedy to treat their baby's fever. They covered the infant with a thick quilt to induce sweating and reduce temperature. Tragically, this backfired, resulting in the baby's death.
Case 2: On December 7-8 last year, a Chongqing hospital's pediatric ward admitted two newborns who died after being swaddled too tightly by their parents. One was a male infant less than seven days old. Concerned that the baby's hands and feet felt cold, the parents placed the already heavily swaddled infant into the sleeping mother's bed.The next morning, the parents awoke to find the infant's face darkened and no longer breathing. The other baby, who died from the same cause, was less than 30 days old.This condition commonly affects infants under one year old, with newborns under one month being particularly vulnerable. Cold seasons are peak periods for occurrence.
Wang Min noted that while her hospital has not yet encountered such cases, she frequently observes parents "swaddling babies like rice dumplings" or "sleeping while holding their babies."Recently, Haikou's persistently cold and overcast weather has led many parents—especially grandparents—to cling to long-held traditions. They often swaddle babies too tightly or bundle them in excessive layers, even holding them close while sleeping. Such practices are actually inadvisable. Infants have underdeveloped nervous systems, poor central nervous system regulation, immature sweat gland function, and lack the ability to free themselves from heavy clothing.Prolonged overheating impairs the baby's ability to dissipate heat, causing a rapid rise in body temperature that can trigger high fever. Symptoms may include profuse sweating, pallor, or even convulsions and unconsciousness. Severe cases may impair neurological development, leading to long-term consequences such as intellectual impairment or epilepsy. In extreme instances, like the baby in the aforementioned case, respiratory failure can result in death.
In daily life, parents should constantly monitor their baby's temperature, adjust clothing scientifically, and avoid "sleeping with the baby in their arms." If high fever occurs as a result, prompt medical attention is the most effective treatment.
Wang Min advises that babies should wear one more layer than adults, one less layer when active than when resting, and one more layer outdoors than indoors.Infants should sleep in underwear only, without padded jackets or pants. Bedding should be soft and not overly thick. New parents must never cover the baby's head with blankets or add extra layers over the head during outings.
Experts advise new parents to closely monitor their baby's condition. If the baby appears restless or sweaty, loosen the swaddle or reduce clothing layers. If the baby's hands or feet feel cold and body temperature drops below 36°C (97.2°F), add clothing or raise the room temperature.
Additionally, new parents must never fall asleep while holding their baby. When a baby cries at night, most new mothers instinctively offer breastfeeding. Sometimes the baby falls asleep while nursing, and the breast can easily block the baby's nose and mouth, obstructing breathing and causing suffocation.Moreover, infants' respiratory systems are less developed than adults'. In confined spaces, limited oxygen intake can impair brain tissue metabolism, severely hindering development. Wang Min notes that while some believe inducing sweating is the best way to cool a baby, this approach is inadvisable. Excessive sweating from high fever can cause significant fluid loss, leading to dehydration and acidosis.Therefore, if a baby at home exhibits high fever symptoms, parents should first remove the baby from the high-temperature environment and allow them to breathe fresh air as soon as possible. This helps increase blood oxygen saturation and oxygen content in the body, improving symptoms of hypoxia and respiratory status. Simultaneously, the baby should be taken to the hospital for treatment promptly. If the home is far from a hospital and rapid cooling is needed, a lukewarm sponge bath can be used to lower the temperature.