Summers are a season to look out for. It gets exciting due to the vacations, family picnics and pool parties. However, it comes with a high level of heat and stickiness. You have to take steps to reduce your temperature and your baby’s.
Overheating can also make your baby more susceptible to sudden infant death (SIDS) and other issues such as heat rash. In this article, I will be talking about how to know when your baby is overheating and when to visit a pediatrician immediately.
Are you concerned about your baby’s health? Watch out for these signs of overheating.
Use your senses when checking whether your baby is overheating or not. Feel their skin to observe any redness in their face and signs of pain or stress.
You should know that some signs of overheating are similar to symptoms of dehydration or fever. Babies don’t sweat much, so they might be overheating without showing any obvious symptoms.
Presence of any of these signs shows you baby is overheating:
- Feels hot (with or without a fever).
- Looks flushed or red.
- Sweating or damp hair (though keep in mind that babies can be overheated without sweating).
- Acts fussy or restless.
- Elevated heart rate (tachycardia).
- Overly tired, sluggish, or listless.
- Confused, weak, or dizzy.
- Nausea or vomiting.
What Is a Typical Temperature for an Infant?
A standard temperature range for babies is around 97.5°F (36.4°C). Your baby’s temperature depends on the following:
- The time of the day
- What they’re wearing
- How you take their temperature (in the rectum versus on the forehead)
It is easy for adults to regulate their temperature, but babies experience difficulties. A reading of 100.4°F (38°C) or above is seen as a fever [1] and is common in babies younger than 3 months old. You should know that overheating and a fever are not the same, but they both lead to rise and fall in body temperature.
The best way to prevent your baby from overheating is to keep the baby’s room temperature between 68 and 72°F (20 and 22°C). The temperature should not be higher than 75°F (23.8°C). This temperature is best during summer and winter.
The way you dress is very important, you should avoid clothes with many layers to avoid any discomfort. Clothes with many layers can cause overheating even in the winter.
The reading you get from your house thermostat may not be accurate, so you should get a baby monitor that measures room temperature.
Babies cannot regulate their body temperature as well as older people. So it’s important to consider your baby’s environment and other factors, like how they’re dressed, to ensure comfort and safety.