Baby’s Head is Hot, But No Fever – Possible Causes and Solutions

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 the head. Searching for the Best Child Hospital In Ahmedabad?  Read the article for more details.

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 woolen 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 favorite 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.

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 to not 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 his 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, 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.