Thursday 16 March 2017

Wrapping baby problem

This wrap was lovely sort of makes the baby look like in a cocoon.  And the Syrian swaddling is fascinating but became a problem.  The containers that the refugees live in are basically portacabin low ceiling boxes.  Both Boshra and her husband were concerned over any hint of cold that the baby would be cold too.  So they would put on the stand alone heater on - on full settings while baby was also dressed in several layers and wrapped in layers.  There was frequent feeding demands which really were thirst demands... and I was trying to inform them of the danger of cot death with over heating babies.  I would open window as there was no air in the container and would switch off the heater explaining why.  But this caused a lot of friction with Boshra husband. Boshra could see the concern but he would keep putting the heater on and close the windows.    The container becoming like a suffocating oven.   I have highlighted this to the UNHCR and Doctors of the World... The Doctors of the World social worker in Athens was glad I had pointed this out.. Now we need to get health education leaflets out in Arabic for all to understand why we are concerned.  Rather than us northern hemisphere dwellers being seen as utterly crazy that cool fresh air is accepted to us as healthy.  So this and another issue that reared itself has caused some friction.  :-(  
ref: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6150244
http://www.livestrong.com/article/1001051-overheating-newborn/