Influence of malnutrition on the body temperature of children.

The mean auricular temperature of 10 malnourished Jamaican infants was 0.84 degrees C lower on admission to hospital than it was after recovery. Body temperature was influenced by ambient temperature in the malnourished state. During the rapid growth that accompanies recovery the mean auricular temperature was raised. Five malnourished children with hypothermia were given a standard high-calorie feed, and this caused the body temperature to return to normal levels within two hours in every case. These results suggest that reduced mean temperature in malnourished children may be an adaptation to conserve calories, and that severe hypothermia in malnutrition results from an acute shortage of energy reserves. Frequent feeding of malnourished children is most important in their management.