ABSTRACT
A thermal manikin of the size of a 1 kg premature baby has been constructed. The nonevaporative
heat loss from eight different regions and the total heat loss were measured. The
measurements of heat loss have high repeatability and the values are in good agreement
with measurements of dry heat loss for premature babies, using indirect calorimetry.
The heat losses from the manikin in a single-walled, air-heated incubator and on a
recently described heated, water-filled mattress have been compared. The total heat
loss was found to be 20 to 30 W/m2 with both methods at ambient temperatures between 15° and 25°C. Treatment on a heated,
water-filled mattress provides a means of direct conductive heat input to the baby,
with a conductive heat transfer coefficient of 0.4 W/°C or 21 W/m2°C. The thermal manikin appears to provide an accurate method for assessment of the
thermal conditions in neonatal care.
