Cold Hands and Feet During Fever: Should I Worry?
Cold Hands and Feet During Fever: What Ontario Parents Need to Know
When your child has a fever and their hands and feet feel ice cold, it's completely normal to worry. The good news? Cold extremities during a fever are actually very common and usually not dangerous. Your child's body is doing exactly what it's supposed to do.
What's going on?
When your child has a fever, their body is working hard to fight off an infection. As their core temperature rises, blood flow gets redirected away from their hands and feet toward vital organs like the heart, lungs, and brain. This is a protective mechanism that helps keep the most important parts of their body functioning properly.
Think of it like your child's body is in emergency mode. Just like how a house might shut off power to less essential rooms during a power shortage, your child's circulation prioritizes the most critical areas first. This leaves their hands and feet feeling surprisingly cold even though their forehead feels burning hot.
This pattern is especially common in babies and young children because their circulation systems are still developing. You might notice their hands and feet feel cold and look pale or even slightly blue, while their trunk feels warm and flushed.
What you might notice
- Hands and feet that feel cold to the touch
- Pale or slightly bluish fingers and toes
- A clear temperature difference between their extremities and torso
- Cold arms and legs up to the elbows and knees
- Normal or warm temperature when you feel their chest, back, or forehead
- Your child may complain their hands and feet feel cold
What helps at home
Focus on keeping your child comfortable rather than trying to warm up their hands and feet specifically. Dress them in light, breathable layers so they don't overheat, but you can put socks or mittens on if they're complaining about feeling cold.
The most important thing is managing their overall fever with appropriate doses of acetaminophen or ibuprofen if they're uncomfortable. Always follow the dosing instructions on the package based on your child's weight and age.
Keep offering fluids to prevent dehydration. Popsicles, diluted juice, or small sips of water all count. Rest is crucial too, so create a calm, comfortable environment for recovery.
When to worry
Head to the emergency room right away if your child has difficulty breathing, severe trouble swallowing, signs of dehydration like no wet diapers in 6 hours, or if they seem unusually drowsy and hard to wake up.
You should also seek immediate care if your child is under 3 months old with any fever, or if their hands and feet remain cold and blue after their fever has completely resolved.
Contact your doctor or text Arlo if the fever lasts more than 3 days, if your child seems unusually unwell, or if you're worried about how they're acting. Trust your instincts as a parent.
The takeaway
Cold hands and feet during a fever are your child's body working as designed. While it looks alarming, it's usually just their circulation doing its job.
You can always text Arlo and talk to a provider in 5 minutes!
References - [Fever in children](https://caringforkids.cps.ca/handouts/health-conditions-and-treatments/feverandtemperature_taking)
- [When your child has a fever](https://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/article?contentid=30&language=english)
- [Caring for a child with fever](https://www.ontario.ca/page/caring-child-fever)