What are the reasons why children sweat a lot?

Sweating is a normal physiological reaction of the body. When the weather is hot or when you are very active, it will cause excessive sweating. Children nowadays are the treasures of their families. Once something abnormal happens to a child, they will become very anxious. The same is true for the problem of children sweating. So, what are the reasons why children sweat a lot? Let’s take a closer look below.

It is mostly normal for babies to sweat excessively, which is medically called physiological hyperhidrosis. For example, the hot weather in summer causes children to sweat excessively; infants and young children sweat on their heads and necks when they just fall asleep, but the sweat decreases after they fall asleep; babies sweat a lot after playing, running and jumping, but are generally in good condition; in winter, babies wear too many clothes, the quilts are too thick at night, and the indoor air-conditioning temperature is too high, causing babies to overheat and sweat a lot. Some babies sweat only on the head and forehead, commonly known as "steamer head". This is also physiological sweating and parents do not need to worry.

Unusual causes of excessive sweating in children

Babies sweat too much due to certain diseases, which manifests as sweating a lot when they are quiet or after falling asleep at night. The sweat can wet the pillow and clothes, which is called "pathological sweating." Such as active rickets in infants and young children, active tuberculosis in children, hypoglycemia in children, excessive dose of antipyretics and mental factors, such as excessive excitement and fear. Some babies have endocrine diseases (such as hyperthyroidism, etc.), which can also cause pathological sweating. In addition to excessive sweating, each disease also has many other disease manifestations. Parents need to take their baby to the hospital for further examinations.

(1) Active rickets: Infants under one year old sweat a lot. If they lack outdoor activities and sunlight, and do not add cod liver oil and calcium powder in time, parents should observe whether their babies have other symptoms of rickets in addition to sweating, such as crying at night, crying and shaking their heads on the pillow while sleeping, resulting in hair loss circles on the back of the head (also known as occipital baldness), ping-pong head (the bone in the occipital bone becomes soft and feels like touching a ping-pong ball), square skull (the forehead is protruding and the head is shaped like a square box), and a large anterior fontanelle that closes late. Parents should take their baby to the hospital for examination by a doctor to make a clear diagnosis.

(2) Children with active tuberculosis often sweat a lot not only in the first half of the night, but also in the second half of the night before dawn, which is called "night sweats." At the same time, there are poor appetite, low fever in the afternoon (some have high fever), flushed face, weight loss, and some have cough, enlarged liver and spleen, swollen lymph nodes and other symptoms. There is often a history of contact with tuberculosis, and the elderly, parents or nannies in the family suffer from tuberculosis.

(3) Hypoglycemia often occurs in the hot summer when babies sweat a lot, refuse to eat at night, and feel listless when waking up in the morning. The children show symptoms of sadness and restlessness, pale complexion, cold sweats, even profuse sweating, and cold limbs.

(4) Pediatric endocrine diseases (this type of disease causing hyperhidrosis is relatively rare). For example, hyperthyroidism is more common in school-age children, mostly girls. It may manifest as excessive sweating, irritability, increased appetite without weight gain, panic, heart palpitations, and even bulging eyes. Babies with obesity also sweat easily, and they sweat a lot when they move or walk.

The above is an introduction to the reasons why children sweat excessively. I hope it will be helpful to parents. If a child is generally active, he or she will sweat easily. However, if the child is sweating all the time under normal circumstances, parents should pay attention to it. It is best to go to the hospital for a comprehensive examination and then take effective measures for treatment to prevent more serious harm to the child.