3.6.4  Low body temperature

In the absence of signs of possible serious bacterial infection and severe jaundice, if the axillary temperature of a young infant is between 35.5 and 36.4°C, the baby is probably not be sick enough to be referred. Low body temperature in such a case may be due to environmental factors and may not be due to infection. Such an infant should be warmed using kangaroo mother care (skin-to-skin contact) for one hour. First you should treat the young infant to prevent low blood sugar in one of the ways outlined above. You should reassess the young infant after one hour for signs of possible serious bacterial infection and record the infant’s temperature again.