Cold hands and feet in babies

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).