Why Chinese parents let baby sweat?

[thanka2]

I think "catching a chill" doesn't cause disease but it can in a way weaken our immune defense. At least that's how I understand it.
http://dumbscientist.com/archives/cold-weather-can-make-you-sick

Something also that I found interesting was:
http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2008/03/03/2177911.htm

 

[charade]

While being cold, hot or wet can be uncomfortable for anyone (especially young ones), I'm not aware of any illnesses that you could pick up from such situations.

My son tends to get a skin rash when he gets too sweaty. We have this problem in more summer - he is a sweater. He has also caught lots of colds in summer which I attribute to being wet from sweat in the freezing air-con in the clubhouse but it's really a fine art knowing how many layers to put on and remove. Even in winter, he tends to be a sweater, so we have to watch the layers.

 

[Ureshii3]

Are you serious?! That is so funny!

So so serious!

 

[genkimom]

Ureshii, that's so interesting...I didn't realize they have specially designed clothes for that purpose. I always felt bad for the local kids running around in 4-6 thick layers in 30 degree temps and sweating and red faced.

My pediatrician told me when my son was born to dress him in one layer more than I felt comfortable wearing while an infant and then let him decide how many layers to put on once he is old enough to make those choices (between 2-4, depending on the developing maturity of a child). The locals must think horrible thoughts as my son runs around in nothing but a t-shirt in 25 degree temps. (they must really think I'm awful for dressing my newborn in only 3 layers....but they think I'm awful for a variety of reasons, such as carrying my baby in a sling etc, so I guess I'm hopeless...) I carry an extra layer in case he asks for it, but I don't make him wear anything he doesn't feel comfy in.

But I agree with thanka; air-con makes extra layers absolutely necessary. Even in this weeks freezing weather, locals have all the windows wide open as if its a warm spring day. Extra layers are necessary to carry along!

 

[TungBB]

I often get comments "your baby will catch a cold, she is wearing too little". A lot. Every time my MIL (local) sees my baby, I get that comment 4-5 times. She must think either I don't understand her or I am ignorant. Lately, she started to tell that to my husband too. Must have given up on me.
Ironically, when she saw that my windows are open only slightly, she said that my baby and I will suffocate from the lack of ventilation in the room.
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[Ureshii3]

Here's the 'convenient' hanky (hope it shows well)...It never saw daylight for its intended mission but it is given same due respect as its regular hanky peers

I agree with thanka & charade about the layering & art involved We do layers in winter & will remove accordingly Lately in a mall we didn't have the chance to remove the 2nd layer for LO when he fell asleep and so he was sweating-hair wet, the shop asst looked in awe and exclaimed to us & her colleagues that he was sweating(in obviously 2 thin layers) She couldn't believe this could ever happen when my LO is obviously underdressed by local standards

genkimom: We get such same luks(read: crazy mum!) too when I dressed with my LO in tshirt outdoors at similar temp & we could feel the warmth of the sunrays on our skin

Yeah I tot my eyes were playing tricks when I saw windows open at several neighbouring units when it was 11deg! Our landlord also suggested we open the windows when we first asked about the water condensation on the window panes occuring in cold weather

And little girls dressed in thin ballet costumes heading for classes without any jacket in the air-conditioned malls?! It's so confusing...

 

[Gracey]

While being cold, hot or wet can be uncomfortable for anyone (especially young ones), I'm not aware of any illnesses that you could pick up from such situations.

Well, we all know that colds and flus are caused by germs, and not by temperature.
But the Canadian peds we had when we were kids always cautioned us about staying dry -- that's important in a place that's REALLY cold. I was pointing out the irony that these parents think they're keeping their kids warm by bundling them up -- but if the kids are profusely sweating, they can actually also feel cold when the air con or outside wind hits that sweat.

I had a Canadian doctor friend visit me recently, and he was shocked at how kids were bundled up. He said that, in extreme cases, it could cause heat rash, sores or bad circulation. Maybe you don't consider that "getting sick," but it's certainly unhealthy.

 

[Gracey]

I don't know where you're from -- but anyone who's lived in a cold place knows that being caught wet in the winter, will definitely lead to runny noses, coughing and sore throats. Maybe it's just a bodily reaction, or maybe being wet and cold brings down your resistance. But I'm talking about places with -20 wind chill factors, not Hong Kong, where 10 C warrants a government cold weather warning!

Anyway... back to the topic at hand. Today was pretty chilly. I had my baby in a regular onsie, and then a thicker padded onsie on the outside. But the kids in the my neighborhoods were dressed to climb Everest!