Children and babies have a lower ability to regulate their own body temperature, which makes them more likely to overheat than an adult. Putting your baby in too many layers of clothing or having the heat too high in their room can cause problems even when it is cold outside. Be sure your baby is dressed appropriately and take layers off when necessary. Keep room temperatures cool. Even for those who follow the rules, babies can still overheat. Be careful to keep an eye out for heat stroke symptoms, which can happen anytime to anyone.

How to Tell If Baby Is Too Hot

1. They Are Warm When You Touch Them

The first and easiest sign your baby may be too hot is if they feel warm when you touch them. You should check their back, neck and chest to make sure they feel comfortable as they sleep and during the day.

Don’t overdress your baby when they sleep. Newborns only have a single, light layer more than what you are wearing to feel comfortable. This may be a pair of socks or swaddle for bedtime.

2. You Notice Their Skin Is Red

There are some kids that just are naturally redder than others, especially when they are hot. This can be normal when in hot weather, getting wind burned or physical activity. If your skin is super red and you have other symptoms, it may be a sign of heat exhaustion. This is a good time to remove a layer of clothing or turn the temperature down.

3. Rapid Heartbeats

How to tell if baby is too hot? A sign of overheating is rapid heart rate. This is because the body is stressed trying to cool off. This is an advanced sign of overheating and you need to get your baby cool quickly.

4. Lethargy or Unresponsiveness

If your baby is unresponsive or lethargic, this could be a sign of an overheating emergency. If your baby is less animated than normal, unresponsive to touches, make sure to check for a fever with a good thermometer. Get them cool as quickly as you can, without shocking them.

5. Vomiting

Other signs of heat stroke can be nausea and vomiting. It can difficult to tell if your infant is nauseous, but if you see vomiting without other signs of illness, it may be from heatstroke.

6. Confusion

How to tell if baby is too hot? In a similar fashion to lethargy, your child may be disoriented or even faint. It is recommended to get your child in the shade and remove layers, giving cool water and patting with a cool, damp towel to bring their temperature down.

7. Temperature

The best way to judge if your child has a fever is to take their temperature with a reliable thermometer. For babies under three months, it’s often recommended to use a rectal thermometer for the most accuracy. A baby with a fever of 100.4 Fahrenheit or more has a fever. This can be a sign of other health problems like infection or pneumonia. It is important to call your pediatrician quickly for your child’s safety and wellbeing.

8. Crying

How to tell if baby is too hot? Your infant will cry to communicate their needs. If they are crying and clean, fed and burped, it’s time to look at other reasons. Checking for restrictive clothing, and other irritants can help narrow down what’s causing the upset. Removing a layer of clothing and seeing if that makes them more comfortable, will let you know if they were warm.

9. Breathing

It’s important to keep an eye on your baby’s habits in those initial weeks after delivery. This will help familiarize you with their developing habits and needs. You will also be better able to detect if they are breathing faster than usual. Rapid breathing can come from your baby being too hot. Their body, especially their chest, will feel warm to you when they are over hot.

Dangers of Overheating Your Baby

You want your baby to be warm but protected from overheating. When a baby overheats, some of the following:

Dehydration

When a baby is overheating, they run the risk of dehydration. This can lead to issues that may be life threatening to your child. You want to make sure your baby is always hydrated. This is even more important if the environment is overly hot from too many blankets, weather or your baby’s room getting too hot.

Sunburn

Babies and toddlers are very easily sunburnt. This means they need to be protected from it with good sunscreen and light clothing. Your child can easily overheat from sunlight as well. You may want to keep your child out of the sun, but Vitamin D is important, and sunlight provides it. Be cautious when taking your baby or toddler out on hot, sunny days.

Heatstroke

Heatstroke can be fatal and is caused by overly warm weather. It can cause nausea and headaches in your baby. They may also get cramps or stomach pains. Heatstroke may cause your child to become pale or overly sweaty. Your baby or child may have difficulty breathing if they are suffering from heatstroke as well.

Heat Rashes

A child that gets overly hot may start to have dry, itchy skin. Your child may become irritable from these heat rashes. Keep their skin cool and dry to provide some protection from heat rashes.

SIDS

Every year infants die sleeping in their cribs from getting too hot. It is important to keep an eye on your baby while sleeping to make sure they aren’t too warm. Keep your children lightly dressed in summer and not too many layers of clothing in winter. There are many practitioners who suggest it’s better for your child to be in a cool environment when sleeping than in a hot environment.

How to Prevent or Treat Baby Overheating

• The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends dressing your baby in no more than a layer more than you wear.
• Keep an eye on the temperature and weather where you live. Try not to cover your baby’s head unless needed. This can cause your baby’s body to get very hot.
• In the winter, layers are the best option. This way you can remove some to help your baby stay cool.
• Please note that co-sleeping can make your baby warmer. There is some research suggesting a link to SIDS and bed sharing.
• If you can’t really tell if your baby is hot, take their temp. If you are still unsure, call your pediatrician immediately.