Baby’s Head is Hot, But No Fever – Possible Causes and Solutions
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Dr. Sameer Awadhiya (Paediatrician)
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A baby’s normal temperature stays between 36.5 degrees Celsius and 37.5 degrees Celsius. When your baby’s body gets overheated, he becomes susceptible to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), which is fatal. This is due to the fact that a baby’s thermoregulation system, or the part of the body that regulates his body temperature, is underdeveloped and still in the works. As a parent, although you don’t need to take him to the doctor, you do have to take the necessary steps to cool your little one down quickly. Remember that babies’ hands and feet are usually a bit cooler than their heads. So, whenever you notice a hot body but no fever is detected in your baby, follow the tips we have mentioned below.
Video: Baby’s Head is Hot, But No Fever – Possible Causes and Solutions
Why Your Baby Might Suffer From Hot Head Without Having Fever
If your baby suffers from a hot head and doesn’t have a fever, it could be due to a number of reasons. Here are the most common ones.
1. Warm Clothes
Your baby’s head could be hot as you’re making him wear warm clothes, of woollen material or something similar.
Why This Occurs
Warm clothes trap the heat and make his body warmer. This raises his overall body temperature, leading to the ‘hot head’ without the symptom of fever.
What You Can Do
Change his clothing and make him wear soft cotton clothes. Do not go for laminated fabrics or anything that has layers of plastic wrapping. If it looks serious, undress your child and let him sleep naked overnight, just to be safe.
2. Getting Excited
Your baby is a carefree and happy soul, but sometimes his carefree spirit could be one of the reasons. Maybe he’s bored and is moving around a lot or plain excited for no reason. All that moving around leads to the ‘hot head’ problem.
Why This Occurs
Moving around a lot increases blood circulation to the head and raises the overall temperature of the body.
What You Can Do
Try to calm him down and let your munchkin relax. Hum his favourite tunes, stay close and caress him to sleep. This will cool down his body plus give him a nice snooze.
3. Teething
If your child is teething, then his head might be getting warmer than usual.
Why This Occurs
Teething causes the baby’s head to get warmer. It is a normal response of the body and nothing to be too concerned about.
What You Can Do
Paracetamol and teething gels are known to provide relief to little ones. If you notice your baby’s head is hot and sweaty due to teething, you could also give him a baby teether for more relief.
4. Thermometer
Sometimes the thermometer says that your child is warm and here’s why.
Why This Occurs
The reason behind this could actually be the thermometer and not your child. Maybe it’s a faulty thermometer or calibrated wrongly.
What You Can Do
If it’s the case of a faulty thermometer, you should contact the manufacturer and get it replaced while it’s under warranty. Meanwhile, there’s nothing to worry about.
5. It Could be Normal
Sometimes your baby’s body temperature is actually normal and nothing out of the ordinary.
Why This Occurs
Maybe your hands are cold, which is why when you touch your baby’s forehead, it feels warm. And sometimes, it’s because his body temperature fluctuates during the afternoons/evenings, making it feel warmer when in reality, nothing’s wrong.
What You Can Do
If this is the case, just record his body temperature and log it in a diary. If the readings are consistent and occur around the same time daily, then there’s nothing to be worried about.
6. Outside Temperature
The external temperature also plays an important role in fluctuating the temperature of the baby’s head.
Why This Occurs
If your baby gets prolonged exposure to sunlight, your little one can have a warmer head than his body. It can also happen when you suddenly take your child out of an air-conditioned room to a warm room.
What You Can Do
Keep your little one away from direct sunlight for a long time. Even if your baby is playing in the open and in direct sunlight, keep the timeline to short. Also, before taking your baby from a cold room to a warm room or outside, first bring down the temperature of the air-conditioned room to normal and then head out.
7. Extreme Crying
Excessive crying can also result in the warming of the baby’s head.
Why This Occurs
Excessive crying takes a lot of energy from the baby, which makes their body and their head hot.
What You Can Do
Babies cry for a lot of reasons, like colic, fever, stomach ache, and more. It can be anything from overstimulation to an underlying medical condition. If your little one cries a lot and gets a hothead, you must get your baby checked by the doctor.
8. Positioning of the Head
The position of the head plays a great role in warming up the head.
Why This Occurs
If the baby sleeps on the bed or crib for a long time in a particular position, the temperature of the head can increase compared to the rest of the body because of the increased blood circulation to the head.
What You Can Do
When a baby sleeps, you can gently change their position without waking them up. Also, keep the temperature of the room normal and not hot, so the temperature of your little one’s head does not increase.
How to Dress Up Your Infant for Sleep If His Head is Warm
Do not dress up your infant for sleep if his head is warm. That is the first and foremost step. Let your munchkin sleep naked for the night if his body temperature is high. Be sure to give him tummy rubs, make him drink water, and relax him so that he calms down. Remove any layers of clothes lying on top of him and make sure not to keep the room temperature over 25 degrees Celsius. In addition, you should also use a wet cloth to dampen or cool down the body to regulate its temperature.
If you’re planning to dress up your baby for a good night’s sleep, check if the back of his neck is warm. You can use a baby swaddle and a sleeved bodysuit that doesn’t come with blankets for this.
Take your baby outside for a whiff of fresh air whenever possible. Do not let him wear any socks, laminated fabrics, or shoes, and always use fabrics made from soft cotton while dressing him up. This is because any harsh materials or warmer clothing may lead to heat rashes or heat stroke.
When Should You See a Doctor?
You should take your baby to a doctor if any of the following things happen:
- Your baby seems distressed or anxious or experiences discomfort despite cooling him down using any of the above measures.
- Your baby seems dehydrated despite giving him enough water. If he experiences vomiting and diarrhoea on top of this, it’s a definite red flag.
- If your baby catches a fever and it goes from mild to serious and isn’t going down at all.
- Your baby is less than two years old and looks extremely hot.
- Everything you have tried to cool down your little one was in vain despite ventilating the room and changing your little one’s clothes.
- Your baby is having less sleep and a poor appetite.
- Your baby is showing possible signs of an infection, which may cause vomiting or diarrhoea.
FAQs
1. Can Baby Get Fever With Cold Hands and Feet?
Yes, if your baby has a high fever with cold hands and feet, it could possibly be a sign of a bacterial infection – meningitis or septicemia. Meningitis is a life-threatening infection which should be tackled immediately medically.
2. Does Dehydration Relate to Baby’s Head Is Hot But No Fever?
Yes, dehydration, along with a flushed face and warm skin, can be one of the reasons when a baby feels warm but no fever is detected.
It is important to note that every baby is different and fever-like symptoms may show in some cases when there’s actually no fever. A hot head or warm forehead happens normally too as a part of their thermoregulation system development but you should always play it safe by checking his temperature and looking for signs. If you feel something is wrong, but you can’t really put a finger on it, take him to the doctor immediately.
Also Read:
Tips To Keep The Things In Baby’s Diaper Bag
How to Brush Your Baby’s Hair Daily
Tips for Removing Baby Teeth Without Pain At Home
