Why does a child's palm and sole become hot when they have a fever?

Dec 31, 2024 Source: Cainiu Health

Dr. Zhou Xiaofeng

Introduction

In general, fever refers to an elevated body temperature. When a child has a fever, warmth in the palms and soles may be caused by reasons such as vigorous metabolism, emotional excitement, food accumulation with fever, infantile emergency rash (roseola), Kawasaki disease, and others. If any discomfort occurs, please seek medical attention promptly and undergo symptomatic treatment under the guidance of a qualified physician. In daily life, it is important to pay attention to the child's emotional changes and provide a safe and comfortable environment.

Generally speaking, fever refers to an elevated body temperature. A child's warm palms and soles may be caused by vigorous metabolism, emotional excitement, food stagnation with heat formation, exanthema subitum, Kawasaki disease, or other reasons. If any discomfort occurs, please seek medical attention promptly and receive symptomatic treatment under the guidance of a qualified physician. A detailed explanation is as follows:

1. Vigorous Metabolism

Children have relatively vigorous metabolism, especially during growth and development stages, producing more internal heat. When fever occurs, metabolism accelerates further, and the palms and soles, as major heat dissipation areas, become more noticeably warm. It is important to maintain a balanced diet, ensure adequate nutrition, avoid excessive intake of high-calorie foods, and engage in appropriate physical activity to promote metabolic balance.

2. Emotional Excitement

When children experience emotional excitement or tension, the secretion of hormones such as adrenaline increases, accelerating blood circulation and increasing blood flow to areas such as the palms and soles, thereby producing a sensation of warmth. Parents should pay attention to their child's emotional changes, provide a safe and comfortable environment, avoid excessive stimulation, and help children develop positive emotional regulation mechanisms.

3. Food Stagnation with Heat Formation

Improper eating habits in children, such as overeating or consuming excessive amounts of indigestible foods, may impair the function of the spleen and stomach, causing food to remain in the gastrointestinal tract and ferment, generating heat. If the heat cannot be expelled from the body promptly, body temperature rises, and areas such as the palms and soles, which dissipate heat, will also show increased temperature. Symptoms such as abdominal distension and pain may also occur. Treatment may include medications such as Jianwei Xiaoshi Tablets, Baohe Pills, or Bifidobacterium Quadruple Live Bacteria Tablets, as directed by a physician.

4. Exanthema Subitum

Exanthema subitum is caused by infection with human herpesvirus 6 and commonly occurs in children under 2 years of age. Viral infection leads to an inflammatory response in the body, resulting in elevated body temperature and warmth in areas such as the palms and soles. It may also be accompanied by symptoms such as rash and runny nose. Treatment may include medications such as antiviral oral liquid, ibuprofen suspension, or ribavirin granules, as prescribed by a physician.

5. Kawasaki Disease

Kawasaki disease is an acute systemic vasculitis, possibly related to infections, immune abnormalities, and other factors. Vasculitis leads to systemic inflammation and elevated body temperature, with warmth in areas such as the palms and soles. Symptoms such as erythema and edema may also appear. Treatment may include medications such as aspirin enteric-coated tablets, vitamin E soft capsules, or prednisolone acetate injection, as recommended by a doctor.

Parents should pay attention to their child's emotional changes, provide a safe and comfortable environment, help the child develop positive emotional regulation mechanisms, and prevent excessive emotional fluctuations.

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What methods can quickly reduce fever in children?

In general, a child's fever may be caused by factors such as excessive environmental temperature leading to insufficient heat dissipation, immune response after vaccination, upper respiratory tract infection, acute gastroenteritis, or bacterial pneumonia. It is recommended to seek timely medical attention, identify the underlying cause, and then improve the condition through physical cooling methods, medication, and other treatments under a doctor's guidance. Additionally, it is important to ensure the child's daily diet is light and easily digestible, avoiding oily and spicy foods.

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At what temperature will a child experience convulsions due to fever?

In general, there is no fixed temperature threshold at which a child will experience seizures during fever. Most often, seizures occur when body temperature rapidly rises above 38.5°C. However, some children may experience seizures even if their temperature does not reach 38.5°C. This primarily relates to individual physical condition and the speed at which body temperature rises. When a child has a fever, parents should closely monitor temperature changes and administer antipyretic medication promptly if the temperature exceeds 38.5°C.

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Which areas should be massaged to reduce fever in children?

Fever, also known as pyrexia, can be accompanied by massage therapy to assist in reducing body temperature in children. However, the appropriateness of massage should be considered based on individual circumstances. Commonly used acupoints for fever reduction include clearing the heavenly river water (Qing Tian He Shui), pushing the Kan Palace (Tui Kan Gong), rubbing the Taiyang point, clearing the lung meridian (Qing Fei Jing), and pressing and rubbing the Hegu point. Proper techniques may help alleviate symptoms of fever. If there are any concerns, it is recommended to seek medical advice in advance.

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How to handle a child's fever of 38°C

In general, a child's fever of 38°C may be caused by factors such as high environmental temperature leading to insufficient heat dissipation, increased body heat production after vigorous activity, acute upper respiratory tract infection, infantile emergency rash (roseola), acute gastroenteritis, and other reasons. It is recommended to seek timely medical attention, identify the underlying cause, and then improve the condition through general treatment, medication, or other approaches under the guidance of a physician.