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Fresh Air, Temperature, and Humidity
Rooms that children use should be heated, cooled, and ventilated both to keep the temperature comfortable and to prevent germs, odors, and fumes from collecting.
Fresh Air
- Open the windows at least once a day
- Try to keep indoor humidity between 30% and 50%
- Try to keep indoor temperatures between 18º C and 28º C
Exchanging indoor air with outdoor air is key to reducing the density of contagious germs. Wherever people gather in groups, they exhale their germs into their surroundings.
In Cold Weather
Even in cold weather some form of ventilation is necessary. During naptime, put a sleeper garment over infants’ clothing and a warm blanket over older children to keep them comfortable.
In cold weather, indoor air often becomes very dry. When this happens, the dry air draws water from mucous membranes in the nose and draws moisture from the skin. The loss of fluid from the membranes interferes with the protective functions of the mucous barrier and makes people more susceptible to illness.
In order to prevent this, don’t overheat rooms. You’ll know humidity is too low when you get static shocks from walking across the floor. In general, try to keep indoor temperatures between 18º C and 24º C in cold weather to reduce the drying effect.
In Warm Weather
Humidity increases in warm weather can lead to the growth of mold and dust mites in fabrics, which in turn can cause allergies to flare up. Children with allergic irritation of their respiratory tract are more likely to pick up infectious diseases. To prevent this, it may be necessary to dehumidify and cool the air.
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