@pedsdoctalk: “Feels warm to me!” 🖐🔥—Why Tactile Temps Aren’t Enough We’ve all been there—pressing a hand to our child’s forehead and thinking, "Yep, definitely a fever." But while a warm forehead might hint at a fever, your hand isn’t a thermometer. 👉 Skin temp isn’t the same as core temp—it changes based on the environment, recent activity, or even how snuggled up your child was before you touched them. 👉 Fevers aren’t always obvious by touch—some kids with high fevers might not feel that warm, while others with no fever at all can feel like little furnaces after running around. 👉 A thermometer gives you actual data—when it comes to decisions like medication or calling the doctor, an accurate number helps guide the next steps. So, when should you actually check with a thermometer? ✔ If your child feels warm and is acting off (extra fussy, lethargic, refusing fluids) ✔ If they have signs of illness (cough, congestion, vomiting, etc.) ✔ If they’re a baby under 3 months—any fever (100.4°F/38°C or higher) in a newborn needs a call to the doctor ASAP That said, don’t overdo it! You don’t need to check their temp every hour—go by their symptoms, not just the number. And most importantly? Treat the child, not the thermometer. If they’re playing, drinking, and generally acting okay, a mild fever isn’t an emergency. Check out PedsDocTalk on YouTube for a video where I cover more on fevers including why kids get them so often, when to treat one, and when to seek care! Drop a 🔥 in the comments if you’ve ever felt so sure your kid had a fever, only for the thermometer to prove you wrong! 😂 #TactileTempFails #PedsDocTalk #FeverFacts Be sure to share this video if you found it helpful and follow @pedsodctalk for more parenting and child health tips.

Dr. Mona

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Monday 03 March 2025 01:02:41 GMT