Friends ds doesn't respond to heat stimuli!!

[mum2toby]

What I mean is....she told me that another friend who is a Nursery nurse noticed that her son put his hand on a hot radiator and didn't seem to notice for a few seconds. He about 18mths old.

My friend said the radiator was hot enough to make an adult jump, but not hot enough to do any serious damage. But he didn't jump, he held on for a few seconds then walked away without flinching!!

He responds to other pain stimuli though coz I've seen him fall and bump his head..... he screamed and screamed as any other child would!

Has anyone heard of this problem before? Is there something wrong with him or does he just have a high pain threshold (if there is such a thing!).

I'd love to be able to put her mind at rest or point her in the right direction.

Our DS2(2yrs in June) does this ALL the time. The radiators in our house get really hot, enough to make me pull my hand away quickly but he just stands there with his hands on them without any reaction. He does the same with cups of tea, I'll tell him it's hot and he just stands there trying to hold the cup for me, it amazes me at times.
I have to say it didn't even cross my mind that there might might a problem and to be quite honest I don't think there is, although I'd be interested to know otherwise
I hope I've helped in some way.

Thanks EmmaTG.

She seems to have gotten herself quite worked up about it. Perhaps her 'friend' who mentioned this to her should've have noted any other strange incidents rather than just jumping in and totally freaking her out!

I'm no scientist, but perhaps it is because babies/toddlers aren't yet aware of cause and effect - ie. that putting their hand on something hot is causing that pain they are feeling. It is a learned response to pulll hand away when brain registers "hot". Who knows....?

Thanks Dinny. I hope so, for her sake. She's very worried he has some sort of condition! Anybody know of a website where I can check it out?

I'm just refreshing this to see if anyone else can help?? Any websites that could help???

M2T

There are people with high pain thresholds. (I know this as I'm one of them and DW is totally at the other end of the spectrum with almost no pain threshold)

Some people can withstand a lot hotter temps than others and some can withstand colder temps than others.

I'd only be worried if he holds on so long it starts to cause damage and he still doesn't flinch.

Thanks SH.