The UK's fifth heatwave is on its way, with parts of the country forecast to swelter beneath highs of 37C or 38C on Thursday, according to the Met Office. In these sweltering conditions, keeping yourself and your babies cool can become difficult, but all parents are being urged to know the danger signs that your baby is overheating.
According to the NHS, overheating can increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). To minimise the risk, it's important to know the signs that your baby is getting too hot.
Seven signs your baby is too hot
There are seven key signs that your baby is overheating that all parents must know in order to reduce the health risks to their children, as shared by telemedicine firm Blueberry Pediatrics:
- Sweating, or damp hair. Check your baby's hairline, neck and scalp for signs of sweat.
- Flushed, red cheeks.
- A hot chest or back. Compare the temperature of your baby's chest, tummy or back with your own - if they are hot and sweaty, they're likely too hot.
- Rapid breathing. If your child is breathing faster than usual, they are trying to cool down.
- Heat rash. Small pink or red bumps clustered on the neck, back and chest indicate trapped heat.
- Restless or disrupted sleep. If your baby is too hot they may struggle to settle down.
- Unusual drowsiness or lethargy - on the other hand, if your baby is limp, extremely sleepy or hard to wake then you must seek urgent medical attention.
Keeping your baby cool
To try and lower the risk of overheating, it's important to monitor the temperature in your baby's bedroom. Bedrooms should be kept around 16C to 20C for optimal sleep conditions.
If you want to check your baby's temperature you should do so by feeling their chest or the back of their neck. This is because a baby's hands and feet are often cooler than the rest of their body so aren't a proper indication of their real body temperature.
