With the return of the hot weather, there are many parents who plan to leave a fan or air conditioning turn to their child’s room during the night. A gesture that may seem harmless, but which requires some precautions to avoid undesirable effects. Two doctors deliver their advice.
Refresh, yes … but respecting certain rules
In a video broadcast on Tiktok, the pediatrician Gonzalo Oñoro wants to be reassuring: it is quite possible to use a fan or air conditioning in a baby’s room.
Provided, however, to respect some basic rules. “The ideal is to keep the room between 24 and 26 degrees”he says. Another crucial point, according to him, concerns the orientation of the device: “We must prevent the air jet from hitting the child directly”he insists.
Air conditioner, fan: errors to avoid
If these devices can help to better support heat, their use requires a minimum of vigilance, especially with air conditioning. Dr. Gérald Kierzek thus alerts an often overlooked side effect: “Be careful, because air conditioning can irritate the airways. An air conditioning” too fresh will tend to make the Inflammatory ENT system and cause discomfort “he explains.
He also recommends limiting the difference between the outside temperature and that of the part to “Eight degrees maximum” To avoid thermal shocks.
As for the fan, it does not really lower the temperature, but improves the feeling of freshness by stirring the ambient air. Practical, but not without drawbacks. “Sleeping with a fan can be useful for refreshing the room, but has some drawbacks”notes Dr. Kierzek.
Among the possible inconvenience: dry throat, irritated eyes, night cough, even worsening allergies. Prolonged exposure can also cause muscle tensions, especially in the neck. He reassures however: “The fan does not cause colds, only viruses are responsible for it.”
Good reflexes for cooler nights
Rather than giving up any refreshing device, doctors recommend reasoned use. Dr. Kierzek suggests, for example, to use the oscillating mode and to program the automatic stop after a few hours, while watching, as Dr. Oñoro points out, never directing the air flow directly on the child.
Other simple tips also allow you to sleep better despite the heat:
- Place the fan at a good distance from the bed;
- Regularly clean the blades to avoid the accumulation of dust and allergens;
- Maintain a good humidity in the room with a humidifier or a simple bowl of water;
- Air early in the morning or late in the evening to renew the air without bringing the heat into it.
Fan and air conditioning are not to be avoided, even in the room of the little ones, provided you make thoughtful use. By following some simple recommendations, these summer allies can really improve the comfort of scorching nights, without risk to children’s health.