Question

Mrs. Leonard brings her newborn infant into the pediatrician's office for a first well-baby visit. As the health care provider, you teach her that newborns are more vulnerable to hypothermia due to: A. the presence of coarse terminal hair. B. desquamation of the stratum corneum. C. their covering of vernix caseosa. D. a poorly developed subcutaneous fat layer.

Answer 1

The correct answer is letter "D": a poorly developed subcutaneous fat layer.

Step-by-step explanation:

Hypothermia consists of the dangerous decrease in the body temperature below 35º C (Celsius) or 95º F (Fahrenheit). It happens when individuals lose more heat than what they can produce and it is generally produced because of an extended exposition to cold.

Tissue develops in newborns and children. The thickness of the subcutaneous tissue varies according to individuals' age and some other factors. Newborns can be more exposed to skin related diseases because their protective tissue layers are still developing. Therefore, they are more vulnerable to hypothermia.

Answer 2

Answer: D. a poorly developed subcutaneous fat layer.

Step-by-step explanation:

Newborns especially premature or relatively light ones are more susceptible to hypothermia because they lack adequate subcutaneous body fat.

This fat is usually placed under their skin during the last few weeks of pregnancy which is why the aforementioned are the most at risk.

That's not to say that healthy babies are fine either, but they have more subconscious fat tissue than the Newborns and underweight.