Published
You are correct that newborns don't shiver to increase warmth. They burn brown fat to do that. In my experience, (11 years of OB and NICU), I've yet to see a newborn shiver at all. Many are tremerous (Is that a word?) Often due to low blood sugar, elicitation of the startle reflex, and even just plain old immaturity of the nervous system. But true "shivering", I've never seen.
Emily Suzanne
12 Posts
This is my first post here, so hopefully I'm in the right place. If not...please, someone gently guide me the right direction.
I'm a first year nursing student and am assigned to crease a nursing care plan (for the postpatrum patient). Part of out plan includes patient teaching. I'm creating a care plan on newborn thermoregulation. My question is in regards to newborn "shivering". As we learning in lecture, newborns do not shiver to keep warm...correct? Can someone please explain to me what it means if they do shiver. The texbook says shivering means, "the metabolic rate has doubled." How can I explain this to the family without confusing them, or leading them to believe that a shiver=seizure? If a newborn doesn't shiver to keep warm, then under what circumstance would they ever shiver?
Thanks so much to anyone who can help me understand this concept!
Emily