Are room heaters safe for babies? Find out here

Cold weather makes parents take all kinds of precautions to keep their babies and children safe and warm. And one of these precautions is using room heaters and blowers for that extra warmth and comfort. But are room heaters safe for babies? Well the simple answer is ‘not always’. Yes, it’s true that certain types of heaters and blowers may prove safe for usage around babies but most of them are harmful for them. To understand this answer better and to have your queries answered, you can go through the information given below.

1. Heaters absorb moisture from the air

The first thing to remember is that heaters tend to absorb moisture from the air and increase the dryness in the room. This may lead to drying of the nasal passage in babies and thus result in bleeding. Moreover they lead to dry, itchy and scaly skin since babies’ skin is more fragile than that of adults.  The following are some ways to avoid this:

• One way you can avoid or minimize this is by keeping a bowl of water in the baby’s room when the heater or blower is switched on.
• Also, apply natural oils on their skins to avoid dryness and itchiness.

2. Heaters may make babies uncomfortable

Heaters tend to warm rooms and if your baby is dressed in warm clothes then this can cause extra heat and thus suffocation.  The baby may thus find it difficult to breathe which can lead to further problems. Follow the given points to avoid or minimize this:

• Make it a point that if you have a heater on in your baby’s room then the baby must not be dressed in extra warm clothes.
• Also, keep turning it off for certain durations to avoid overheating.

3. Heaters and blowers are too hot and can cause injuries

Most heaters and blowers become hot when they are switched on. If the baby accidentaly touches them, then it can cause burns and injuries. Follow the given to avoid this situation:

• It is recommended that you don’t buy heating appliances whose surfaces become warm or hot, especially for baby’s rooms.
• Convection heaters and halogen heaters may be a better choice to avoid risk of burns on touching as their surfaces do not get too hot.

4. Heaters in baby’s rooms can result in SIDS

It is a proven fact that if the temperature in your baby’s room becomes too hot then it can pose a threat of causing SIDS or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Moreover babies tend to get overheated easily and it is in winters that they are more susceptible to SIDs. Given below are some ways to avoid this:

• It is recommended that the temperature setting of the heater must not be too high and set at a moderate level.
• Do not keep the heater turned on throughout the day and night and turn it off every now and then.

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5. Fluctuation in room temperature can be bad

The fluctuation caused due to changing the thermostat of heaters or quick heating and cooling can prove to be bad for the health of everyone, including babies.  The following are some ways to counter this:

• It is  better to either avoid using heaters all together or warm the room in advance before taking the baby in.
• Also, it is advisable to leave some windows or doors open when the heater in the baby’s room is on.

It is true that heaters are not very safe for babies but there are certain types that may work if regulated properly.  For heater installation or set up and for any other general home appliances repair, you can contact Mr Right.