Introduction Mental health is an integral part of our overall well-being. It influences how we think, feel, and interact with the world around us. In this article, we’ll explore the profound effects of mental health on our lifestyle and provide practical strategies for maintaining a healthy mind-body balance. Understanding Mental Health Before delving into the specifics, let’s define mental health. It encompasses various aspects, including emotional well-being, psychological resilience, and social functioning. Here are some key points: Emotional Well-Being : Our emotions play a crucial role in shaping our lifestyle. Positive emotions enhance our experiences, while negative emotions can lead to stress, anxiety, and other mental health challenges. Psychological Resilience : Resilience refers to our ability to bounce back from adversity. A resilient mindset enables us to cope with life’s ups and downs, affecting our daily choices and behaviors. Social Functioning : How we relate to others...
The journey of parenting is very uncertain and full of surprises as they have to constantly strive to overcome the challenges they encounter during their upbringing. Let's find out the common causes of cold hands and feet in babies in this article.
Why do babies have cold hands and feet?
It's very common for the babies to have cold hands and feet after their birth as the newborns constantly fight to adapt to the outside temperature. Failure of adapting with the changes in temperature difference in the environment leads to cold hands and feet (Iftikhar, 2020).
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics a normal body temperature for the baby usually ranges from 97° F to 100.4° F. Study also mentions that the babies middle-part of the body usually remains warmer than adults. This happens as they are not able to regulate their body temperature quickly due to the small size to all parts of their body. In this case, cover the hands and feet of the babies with extra care with warm clothes.
Possible reasons for babies for having cold hands and feet
i. Difficulty in blood circulation and acrocyanosis
Difficulty in blood circulation is one of the causes for babies having cold hands and feet leading to acrocyanosis. This happens as the baby is not able to deliver an equal amount of oxygen to its peripheral part due to their small size.
Symptoms:
Painless bluish discoloration on hands and feet
Swelling of hands and feet
ii. Changes in temperature regulation or thermoregulation
The new born babies quickly adapt to the changes in temperature regulation in the environment. Babies follow thermoregulation which is the mechanism followed by the mammals for maintaining their body temperature with controlled self-regulation independent of the external temperature.
Symptoms:
Premature and low birth weight
Drowsiness
iii. Fever
Cold hands and feet in babies can also be found if their temperature is above 100.4° F (Herzog and Phillips, 2011).
Symptoms:
Feeding problems
Tiredness and shivering
iv. Iron deficiency anemia
The newborns can also face iron deficiency anemia due to lack of iron rich protein or hemoglobin to transport oxygen from lungs to all parts of the body (Preetha, 2020). Iron is essential for the human body for hemoglobin synthesis and iron deficiency decreases the production of red blood cells for transporting oxygen inside the body.
Symptoms:
Pale skin
Cold hands and feet
When to consult the doctor?
If the body temperature does not range between 97° F to 100.4° F and is found to be increased, doctors should be consulted immediately.
Frequently asked questions
1. Is it normal that the babies have cold hands and feet if the temperature ranges within 97° F to 100.4° F?
Yes, it is normal that babies can have cold hands and feet if the temperature ranges within 97° F to 100.4° F. However, wrap the baby more comfortably with some added layers of clothes as they are very receptive to the temperature changes in their surroundings.
2. Will dressing up comfortably make the temperature of the baby back to normal?
In normal cases dressing up comfortably will be able to bring the temperature back to normal in babies. Provided it should be noted that in exceptional cases the temperature may not be brought back to normal, the doctor should be consulted on an immediate basis.
References:
Iftikhar, N. (2020) Why does my baby have cold hands?, Healthline. Healthline Media. Available at: https://www.healthline.com/health/baby/baby-cold-hands (Accessed: December 3, 2022).
Herzog, L. and Phillips, S.G., 2011. Addressing concerns about fever. Clinical Pediatrics, 50(5), pp.383-390.
Preetha B. (2020) | professor (assistant) | Phd | centurion university of ... (no date). Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Preetha-Bhadra-2 (Accessed: December 3, 2022).
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