Why does a newborn have cold hands, feet and nose even at normal temperatures. Cold hands and feet in a child at normal temperature - the norm or a painful symptom

The appearance of a small child in the house is always a joy. However, along with it comes the excitement for his health and proper development. Often, young mothers are concerned that the baby has cold hands or feet. In order not to worry in vain, you need to know the main causes of this physical condition of the crumbs and how to eliminate them.

Causes of cold hands

Young parents are often worried about why the baby has cold hands. This problem may be associated with the physiological characteristics of the development of the newborn, any disease, external factors that depend on air temperature.

Formation of the vegetative system. The body of the baby gradually gets used to the environment, its various systems develop slowly, and the process of heat transfer is formed by about 1.5 years of the child. Therefore, cold hands in infants are the norm, due to its physiological development.
The occurrence of the disease. The child's body can send signals to the mother that something is wrong with it, therefore, in addition to the handles, it is necessary to pay attention to the condition of the newborn as a whole. He may develop symptoms such as prolonged unreasonable crying, skin rashes, impaired appetite, digestion, fever or fever. If these signs are found, it is necessary to show the baby to the children's doctor.
Room temperature. If the air in the room is warmed by less than 20 degrees Celsius, then the cold hands of the baby may be a symptom that the newborn is frozen. Pediatricians recommend the following method to help find out if the child is cold or not: for this, you need to touch the baby’s chest with the back of the hand. If it is warm, then everything is fine, but if it is cool, then the baby is cold.

Diseases that are symptomatic of cold hands

When the baby's hands are cold, this may be a sign of some kind of disease, but you need to look at the general condition of the baby, if it is unsatisfactory, it is recommended to seek the advice of a pediatrician. Among the ailments are the following:

infectious and viral diseases, which are also accompanied by cough, runny nose, gastrointestinal upset, rash on the face and body of the baby;
lack of vitamins and minerals in the body of a newborn;
iron deficiency, which leads to anemia of the limbs;
improper functioning of the thyroid gland, characterized by constant constipation, violation of the temperature regime, thickening of the tongue.

Ways to warm the limbs of the baby

Most often, cold hands in babies are not a problem, and the unpleasant feeling of chills can be eliminated using the following methods:

engage in daily morning exercises with the newborn;
put on thin soft socks on the legs, on the handles, if necessary, anti-scratch mittens;
provide the baby with warm food;
temper the baby, take air baths;
Do not wear too tight clothing or shoes.

Improving the circulation of the child

Young mothers very often over-wrap a newborn, they are afraid that he is cold. However, their behavior can negatively affect the development of the autonomic system of the newborn. For its proper formation, it is necessary to carry out the following activities that will improve blood circulation in the body and relieve the problem of cold hands:

Massage - strengthens and develops the child's muscles, improves heat transfer processes, promotes the formation of immunity. It is recommended to carry out massage with light, stroking and rubbing movements with hands or a special mitten.
Contrasting water procedures - it is recommended to bathe the baby in warm water, and at the end of the bath, pour water from the ladle, the temperature of which is 1-2 degrees lower, but not cold.
It is recommended to rub the hands and feet of the child after bathing with a coarse towel until pink, and the body is soft.

Cold extremities at temperature

Often, when a baby has a fever, his limbs become icy. In order not to worry in vain, not to be afraid, you need to know why the baby has cold hands and feet at a high body temperature.

This is due to the same heat exchange processes in the body, which lead to narrowing and spasm of the vessels of the newborn.

gradually bring down the heat, so as not to provoke even greater vasoconstriction;
give the baby a vasodilator and an antihistamine (a mandatory consultation of a pediatrician is needed here);
perform a light massage of the hands and feet.

Thus, cold hands in infants are usually associated with its physiological development or ambient temperature. However, they can also be a symptom of a disease. In any case, it is better to show the newborn to the pediatrician and get professional advice.

The appearance of a baby in the family brings many different emotions. Joy and happiness alternate with anxiety and concern for the health and well-being of the new family member. One of the most common questions that young parents ask pediatricians is: “Why does the baby have cold hands and feet?”. But should you be worried about this? Let's figure it out together.

Possible causes of the phenomenon

1. hypothermia. This, of course, is the first thing that comes to mind, especially for our dear grandmothers, who simply love to wrap babies. Indeed, cold extremities may indicate that the child is cold. But if this is the case, mom will easily notice other signs of hypothermia, namely:

hands and feet are not cool, but literally icy;
the face becomes pale, and the lips, instead of a rich pink color, acquire a lilac or bluish tint. Sometimes not the entire surface of the lips “turns blue”, but only their border;
the child suddenly has hiccups;
often, when the baby freezes, snot starts to flow;
at first, the baby actively moves its limbs (instinctively to keep warm), but then it becomes lethargic, it tends to sleep;
if the mother puts her hand behind the collar, she will feel that the skin there is cold (or covered with cold sweat). You can also correctly assess the condition of the child by placing your hand on his chest: if the chest is cool to the touch, then the child is definitely freezing;
the baby has cold not only hands and feet, but also the inner surface of the thighs, calves, forearms;
measure body temperature: in babies up to a year, readings from 36.4 ° C and below indicate hypothermia.

It is often said that the first thing you need to do is to touch the nose of the crumbs: if it is cool, then it is frozen. But this is not entirely true. In fact, if it is winter outside and the nose is cool, then, most likely, the baby is well and comfortable. But if it is very cold - a completely different matter. Doctors also advise assessing the temperature not of the tip of the nose, but of the bridge of the nose.

2. The second reason (also quite common) is the imperfection of the process thermoregulation in the breast. For example, the body of an adult in any conditions tends to balance and maintain the required body temperature. So, if it's hot around, the body cools with sweat, if it's cold, we get goosebumps.

But the art of thermoregulation is honed with age, the baby's body is simply not yet able to quickly adapt to environmental changes. Therefore, it is very dependent on external temperature conditions. Hence the risks associated with hypothermia or overheating.

3. Sometimes cold extremities - a sign that the baby is malnourished(when it comes to the amount of food consumed) or lack of vitamins and minerals in his body(when it comes to food).

4. iron deficiency in the body. The normal level of iron in a child under the age of 12 months is 110 units. Anything below is considered a shortage. Against this background, anemia develops. It also happens in absolutely healthy children born on time, but more often in underweight and premature babies. Main reasons:

errors in nutrition (there are few foods containing iron in the menu);
features of the body and heredity;
internal hemorrhages;
infectious processes in the body, frequent colds;
poor permeability of the intestinal walls (iron is poorly absorbed).

Signs:

pale skin;
poor appetite;
low weight gain;
unstable stools (there may be constipation, diarrhea, irregular stools);
bad sleep;
the baby often sweats.

Diagnosis is based on the result of a blood test.

5. Disruption of the endocrine system. In this case, along with cold hands and feet, there are difficulty in defecation, thickening of the tongue, capriciousness and tearfulness for no apparent reason, weakness and hoarseness of the voice. Here you can not do without consulting an endocrinologist.

6. It happens that the child's body temperature is elevated(usually a thermometer records readings of 38 degrees or more), but the limbs are still cold. This indicates a lack of balance between heat transfer and its production, the vessels do not expand, but, on the contrary, narrow. Therefore, the hands and feet become cold.

Actions of parents

First you need to find out why the baby still has cold limbs. Further actions will depend on this.

1. If you are sure that the matter is hypothermia, it is necessary to warm the baby, and as soon as possible. But do not rush to wrap up and put on him "a thousand clothes." First, increase the number of layers of clothing for one and watch the reaction of the baby's body.

Another effective way to quickly warm the baby is to lay him on his stomach and hug him. The body heat of an adult will help well and quickly. If the air temperature is comfortable at home, then this will be enough. If the house is cool, you can additionally cover yourself and the baby with a blanket.

It’s easier, of course, to prevent the child from freezing:

observe the temperature regime and optimal humidity in the room (18–23 degrees and 50–60%, respectively);
at home and on the street to dress the baby according to the weather;
if the child is already walking, shoes deserve special attention: they should not be tight, in such shoes the legs freeze the fastest.

The entire set of necessary trace elements should be present in the child's diet. With the introduction of complementary foods, give warm meals and drinks regularly. Until this point, make sure the mixture is warm (as is the water if you finish it). But the temperature of milk directly in the mother's breast is ideal and does not need to be corrected.

2. If the child has a bad heat exchange and therefore the limbs are almost always cold, you must always take this moment into account and create comfort for him with the help of available means (dress properly, cover if necessary, monitor the temperature of the air around). In addition, it will help:

regular gymnastics: clapping hands, touching fingers, making a “bicycle”, bending and unbending arms and legs is easy and very useful, including for blood circulation;
massage: recommendations for children under one year old can be obtained from a pediatrician, and exercises should be performed daily, making them part of a daily morning or evening ritual;
walks: it is necessary to breathe fresh air at any age, and children are recommended to walk 2-3 hours a day almost from birth (and more in good weather);
air baths, which are another mandatory component of hardening, 10-15 minutes a day is enough;
dousing with water 1-2 degrees lower than the one in which the child was washed. This is a great end to bathing and another hardening method.

3. It's about nutrition? When breastfeeding, reconsider the diet. Include more foods rich in vitamins and minerals, pay attention to those that contain a lot of iron. Feed your baby on demand, not by the clock. With artificial feeding, regularly check the volume of the mixture and the frequency of feeding with the pediatrician. Regardless of the food your baby is getting, weigh yourself regularly.

4. iron deficiency anemia definitely needs to be treated. Appoint:

a special diet that involves frequent consumption of foods rich in iron (this is buckwheat, red meat, especially veal and beef, liver and other offal, broccoli, etc.);
vitamins (folic acid is especially needed, which helps iron to be absorbed);
iron preparations (one of them is Maltofer).

5. Exclude thyroid pathology consultation with an endocrinologist will help. If necessary, he will prescribe a series of studies to clarify the diagnosis.

6. If the limbs of the crumbs are cold on the background of elevated body temperature, do not immediately try to bring it down with the help of strong antipyretics. First you need to warm the limbs. For this you can:

rub them with your hands;
wear socks and mittens.

Thus, cold hands and feet in a baby rarely indicate any serious problems in the body. But first of all, you need to focus on his well-being. If parents notice that at the same time the child is nervous, does not sleep well, eats and loses weight (or note other alarming symptoms), it is recommended to make an appointment with a pediatrician and ask him all the questions of interest. He will help clarify the situation and tell you what measures need to be taken. After all, when it comes to the health of the child, letting the situation take its course is the very last thing to do.

When a child has a high temperature, every mother understands that he is ill. But what if the child is cold? If the thermometer shows a mark below 36 degrees for a long time, this should also be a cause for concern, since such changes are not always harmless and may indicate a number of disorders and diseases.

Causes of low temperature in a child

If you notice that the child has a cold forehead, analyze his condition a few days before. The most common cause of fever in children is a recent infectious disease. Therefore, if the child had a fever the day before, do not worry: low body temperature for several days after a feverish state is a normal reaction of the body.

Especially often this phenomenon is observed in children under two years of age, in which the mechanisms for maintaining the temperature regime have not yet been fully formed. But if an infant has a cold forehead and perspiration is observed, and at the same time he did not endure any diseases in the previous days, this may be a sign of incipient rickets. The development of this condition is also indicated by increased sweating of the hands and feet in a child, cold extremities. In this case, you need to see a doctor, but you should not be afraid of this condition, since pronounced forms of rickets in children are extremely rare these days. To eliminate the violation, the doctor prescribes prophylactic doses of vitamin D.

Medicines can also be the cause of a low temperature in a child. Especially often it is caused by an overdose of vasoconstrictors - drops or sprays from the common cold. In this case, it is necessary to immediately cancel the drugs and carefully monitor the child's condition. If additional symptoms appear (restlessness, lethargy, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite), you should seek medical help.

Sometimes, in the absence of a general decrease in body temperature, parents notice that the child has cold extremities. For infants, this is a normal phenomenon due to the peculiarities of heat transfer. But cold hands in an older child may indicate the development of certain diseases.

If a child has cold hands and feet, this may be a sign of autonomic disorders, which most often begin to appear at the age of 5-7 years. In addition, this symptom may indicate the presence of neurological disorders that affect the parts of the brain responsible for blood circulation. In some cases, cold feet in a child, as well as excessive sweating, can be caused by the development of diabetes and disorders in the thyroid gland.

What should parents do if the child is cold?

If you find that the child's body temperature is low, help him warm up. Make sure your baby's clothes and bed are warm and dry, and provide plenty of warm fluids. If the child has cold feet, a warm heating pad can be applied to them.

Monitor your child's temperature carefully. As the baby warms up, it will return to normal. If shortly before this the child was treated with antipyretic or vasoconstrictive drugs, then in the absence of any other alarming signs, it is enough to provide him with comfort and warmth. After a while, the temperature returns to normal on its own.

When a child has a low body temperature for a long time or often occurs without any apparent reason, it is necessary to be examined by a doctor. Remember: a low temperature can indicate the development of a wide variety of pathologies and diseases, and the sooner its cause is found, the less the risk of serious problems with the child's health.

Section 1.01 Introduction

Very often, noticing that the child has cold hands and feet, caring mothers, and more often grandmothers, begin to wrap the baby in “a hundred clothes”, without fail wearing woolen socks. Let's see a little, is it necessary to do this?

Section 1.02 Let's start with newborns. In newborns, the thermoregulation system is not yet mature enough. It is believed that only by the age of 1.5 it approaches that of an adult, and the baby should not be wrapped up. Many experts are inclined to believe that cold extremities of newborns are the norm. To determine if your baby is cold, feel his chest with the back of your hand. These temperatures must match. And, of course, do not forget about the comfortable temperature in the room where the newborn is. If the baby is cold, dress a little warmer (it is believed that a child should wear one more thing than an adult).

⁣Fig. 1 How to understand if the baby is cold?

If the mother is still concerned about the cold limbs of the baby, it is necessary to assess its general condition, to observe the behavior.

You should consult a doctor if, in combination with cold extremities, there are symptoms such as:

1. skin rashes of various nature and localization;

2. rise in body temperature;

3. constant screaming, crying, restlessness and lack of appetite.

Section 1.03 Why can I have cold extremities when the temperature rises?

This is due to a violation of heat transfer, leading to vasospasm. Sometimes babies have cold limbs when their body temperature is high. In this case, you should not wipe the child and quickly reduce the temperature with large doses of antipyretics in order to avoid even greater vasoconstriction. The temperature must be brought down gradually with the use of vasodilators (no-shpy). It is advisable to consult a doctor!

⁣Fig. 2 Increased body temperature as a cause of cold extremities.

Section 1.04 In older children, cold (but not icy) extremities, in particular the legs, are a sign of good thermoregulation, i.e. vasospasm is an adaptation to reduce heat loss.

Cold extremities are not always a variant of the norm, if parents are concerned about this fact, it is necessary to inform the pediatrician, because in children older than 5 years, cold extremities can be a signal of conditions such as:

1. vegetative-vascular dystonia;

2. increased nervous excitability and, as a result, sweating of the extremities;

3. anemia;

4. disturbances in the work of the thyroid gland;

There is nothing wrong with the cold extremities of the child (in the absence of additional symptoms). But if this fact bothers you, make the child’s life more mobile, do exercises with him, temper the baby (first of all, do not wrap), be careful about choosing clothes and shoes (it should not be tight and restrict movement).

Sometimes parents note that their child, unlike other parts of the body, has very cold feet and hands. At the same time, negative external factors do not even affect the baby, they do not have a fever. In cases where we are talking about babies, you should not worry too much. Cold in the extremities can occur due to the imperfection of the circulatory system, which is just starting to work as it should.

In some cases, the hands and feet of newborns may even take on a bluish tint. If you maintain the necessary temperature conditions in the room and dress the child in accordance with the situation, then the situation will improve by itself after a while.

The main causes of the condition

As for older children, things are not so simple. Cold extremities, which are observed in children of younger preschool age, may indicate the following disorders and physiological features:

Vegetovascular dystonia. The autonomic nervous system regulates the work of all internal systems and organs, controls health indicators (blood pressure, pulse rate and respiration). Any failures in its functioning lead to discord within the body. This can lead to dystonia - involuntary contraction of muscle fibers. Such spasms provoke a narrowing of the lumen of blood vessels, causing a violation of blood circulation, due to which the hands and feet become cold.

Tip: Many parents, having discovered unusually cold limbs in their child, begin to come up with various ways to help warm them. Foot baths, warm socks, rubbing and even warming wraps are used. In some cases, this really gives a good result, but most often it only exacerbates the problem. Optimal procedures can only be advised by a doctor.

Increased nervous excitability. Negative or too violent emotions and stressful situations in a child's life lead to changes in the process of heat transfer. In especially excitable babies, the disturbances are especially obvious. Outwardly, they manifest themselves in the fact that the hands and feet become cold, the palms sweat intensely.
Reduced immunity. For children who have not only cold extremities, but also increased fatigue, lethargy, weakness, complaints of "ache" in the muscles, it is urgent to develop a set of measures that help strengthen immunity. It is better not to do this on your own, but to get the advice of a specialist.
Thyroid dysfunction. Insufficient production of hormones leads to the fact that not only the limbs, but the whole body freeze in children.
Iron-deficiency anemia. In this case, it is cold hands that are noted in children; this symptom may not spread to the legs. Due to the lack of iron in the body of an active child, all the accumulated energy is quickly wasted, so he begins to freeze.
Low calorie food. Fashionable modern approaches, which include vegetarianism, a raw food diet and other extremes, are increasingly projected by "caring" mothers onto their children. This leads to an elementary lack of nutrients, trace elements and vitamins. An actively growing baby is literally exhausted from a macronutrient deficiency, which leads to a violation of thermoregulation.

If you notice a characteristic symptom in time, conduct appropriate studies and start specialized therapy, the problem will quickly go away and will no longer bother you.

What to do to get rid of this phenomenon?

Before you start looking for factors that provoke frost in the limbs of a child, parents should make a number of changes in caring for their baby. It is possible that this will be enough:

If the baby's energy level allows, his life should be made as active as possible. Mandatory morning exercises, outdoor games, sports sections - all this will not only eliminate such an unpleasant problem as cold hands and feet, but will also positively affect the general condition, physical and intellectual development of the child.
Children need to be tempered from childhood. The main thing is to do it gradually, without going to extremes. First you need to give up layered clothing, duvets and tight wraps.
You need to watch your baby's diet. Every day he should receive fats, proteins and carbohydrates, taking into account the age norm. In addition, the menu must include products that are a source of vitamins and minerals. We must not forget that children in the first years of life simply need hot meals.
A newborn should wear simple socks on their feet that do not drag or block blood flow. Cold hands will not cause him discomfort if they are put on soft anti-scratch mittens.
Children are strictly forbidden to wear tight clothes and tight shoes. Such products interfere with normal blood flow, provoking vasospasm. Yes, and kids will freeze in such things much faster than in free ones.

If the above measures do not help, you should consult a doctor who will decide on additional research and adjust the plan for caring for a small patient.

Cold hands and feet due to fever

Particularly noteworthy is the situation in which the limbs of children become cold against the background of elevated temperature (the rest of the body literally “burns”). This is caused by a violation of heat transfer, leading to vasospasm. In such a situation, it is better to seek help from a specialist, because even the self-administration of antipyretic drugs for a child can increase the spasm and aggravate the problem.

A similar phenomenon is best treated with antispasmodics, for example, no-shpoy. Under its action, the vascular walls will gradually relax, the blood flow will be restored, and the problem will go away along with the temperature. If there is no desire to take risks, before the doctor arrives, it is enough to give the baby a light massage of the arms and legs, which also effectively restores the functions of the vascular network.