My child is hot all over but has no fever, what's going on?

It is very common for children in early childhood to have a fever, but some children have a fever all over their body but do not have a fever. Many parents do not know what causes this condition in their children. Without knowing the cause, parents cannot provide appropriate treatment for their children, so many parents want to know what is going on. So, what if the child has a fever but does not have a fever?

First, why does the child feel hot all over but not have a fever? Fever refers to an abnormal increase in the baby's body temperature. The mother's hand is not a thermometer and cannot accurately measure the baby's body temperature. The baby's normal armpit temperature should be 36℃~37℃, and it is only over 37.4℃ that it can be considered a fever. Therefore, the practices of the two mothers mentioned above are both wrong. However, the baby's body temperature often fluctuates due to certain factors. For example, in the evening, the baby's body temperature is often higher than in the early morning; the baby's body temperature will also rise temporarily after eating, crying, or exercising; if the baby's clothes are too thick, the room temperature is too high, etc., the baby's body temperature will also rise. If your baby has this temporary, small temperature fluctuation, it should not usually be considered pathological as long as he is in good general condition, energetic, and has no other symptoms and signs.

Second, the reference value of normal body temperature: oral temperature range is between 36.7℃ and 37.7℃, axillary temperature range is between 36.0℃ and 37.4℃, rectal temperature range is between 36.9℃ and 37.9℃. Choose an appropriate cooling method. When the baby has a fever, there are two main cooling methods commonly used clinically: physical cooling and drug cooling. No matter what method is used to help the baby cool down, it should be decided based on the baby's age, physical condition and degree of fever. It is generally not advisable to use drugs to reduce fever in neonates; for fever caused by general infections in infants and young children, it is best to use appropriate physical cooling measures first. However, it is not advisable to use cold compresses and alcohol baths to cool down children with rash diseases such as measles, so as to avoid irritating the skin and affecting the outbreak of the rash. If you use medication to reduce fever, be careful not to use too large a dose, so as to avoid causing the baby to sweat too much and cause collapse or electrolyte imbalance. There are many types of antipyretic drugs commonly used in pediatrics. No matter which antipyretic agent is used, it must be done under the guidance of a doctor.

Why does a child feel hot all over but not have a fever? This is called false heat in traditional Chinese medicine. You cannot see any obvious changes using a thermometer.

There are several types of "heat": hot body with cold limbs, aversion to cold and fever, alternating cold and heat but heat without cold, hot flashes, and heat in the five hearts.

Five-heart fever refers to the feeling of heat in the palms and soles of the hands and heat in the chest, while some people have elevated body temperature while others do not. This is a symptom of fever due to deficiency of feeling.

"Suwen. Ni Tiao Lun" states that "the yin qi is small and the yang qi is strong, so there is heat and fullness" and "yin deficiency causes internal heat."

<<: What are the reasons why children have fever?

>>: What should I do if my child has a fever of 398 degrees?