Why Is My Child Sweating At Night And What Can I Do?
A common question among parents is why do my baby or toddler have night sweats and what can they do about it?
A parent’s concern might arise when their child starts having night sweats while sleeping. If your child has night sweats, then you need to know the answer to these questions:
1)
Why Does My Baby Have Night Sweats During Sleep?
There are many reasons why your baby may have night sweats during sleep. Some of them include:
– Infantile Rheumatoid Arthritis (IRA) – This disease is a chronic inflammatory disorder that affects the joints. IRA causes inflammation in the joints which results in pain and swelling. IRA usually begins before birth but can occur at any time in some babies. RA is one of the most common childhood diseases and affects 1 out of every 100 infants born each year.
Babies with IRA may experience joint pain, stiffness, and swelling during sleep.
– Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) – This is a rare but very tragic death in which a baby dies suddenly and unexpectedly in its crib. There are several theories as to why sudden infant deaths happen, but the most likely reason is suffocation or strangulation due to a tight-fitting bed sheet or other object.
2)
What Are The Treatments For My Infant With Night Sweats?
There is no cure for IRA, but your baby’s doctor may prescribe a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) such as Naproxen to reduce the swelling and pain. If the medication does not seem to relieve the symptoms, your doctor may also suggest a corticosteroid such as prednisone to decrease the swelling.
If your baby is found to have SIDS, there is no way to prevent it from occurring again. However, there are several things you can do to try to prevent the reoccurrence such as:
– Removing pillows, comforters, and other soft objects from your child’s sleep area.
– Using a pacifier at nap time and bedtime.
– Making sure your baby does not get too hot or too cold while sleeping.
Talking to your doctor is the best way to get help for night sweats in infants.
Night Sweats In Children Information:
Children Sweating:
Sweating is a natural body function that helps regulate body temperature. When the body heats up, the sweat glands output fluid onto the skin’s surface, which then evaporates, taking some of the body heat with it. When the body cools down, the evaporation stops and thus the cooling of the body is regulated. Some children sweat excessively, and this is known as pediatric hyperhidrosis.
Children Sweating From Head:
There are two types of sweat glands: The ones that are connected to the skin, and the ones that are connected directly into the bloodstream. The sweat glands that are connected into the bloodstream cause the most severe types of hyperhidrosis. These types of children’s sweating often start early in life, sometimes even before birth. This causes them to have a very severe form of pediatric hyperhidrosis.
Children Sweating From Abdominal Area:
These children are often misdiagnosed with having an eating disorder, or sometimes even diabetes. The excessive sweating usually starts at a very early age, and excessive sweating in the abdominal area is often a sign of an underlying medical condition. This type of pediatric hyperhidrosis is very severe in most cases, and it may even be life-threatening if left untreated for too long.
Children Sweating In Hands And Feet:
These children are prone to having very sweaty hands and feet. Their sweating is triggered by nerves that are stimulated by emotional response or by something as simple as eating a highly spicy meal. This type of pediatric hyperhidrosis is not as severe as the others, but it may be just as embarrassing for your child to deal with at school.
Children Sweating Treatment:
While there is no cure for excessive sweating, there are various pharmaceuticals that can help to control it. Your doctor may suggest a course of Botox Injections to block the signals from the nerves to the sweat glands. Anticholinergics are also helpful in controlling nerve signals to the sweat glands.
Children Sweating Home Remedies:
There are also home remedies that can help your child with their excessive sweating. One of the most popular home remedies is tea tree oil. This is a natural substance that is found in Australia in various different plant species. Rubbing this substance on the skin several times a day can help control the sweating, but it must be used regularly or it will not work at all.
Other popular home remedies include tomato juice, corn starch, and even talc.
If your child has been diagnosed with pediatric hyperhidrosis, you should talk to your doctor about which treatment options are best for your child’s specific situation.
Children Sweating: (Hands, Feet, Armpits, Groin, Underarms, Neck)
When someone suffers from excessive sweating that is not caused by some sort of emotional or physical factor it’s known as primary hyperhidrosis. This type of sweating can affect several areas of the body such as the hands, feet, armpits, groin and underarms or in some cases nearly the entire body. This condition can also affect babies, children and adults.
Excessive sweating in children is referred to as pediatric hyperhidrosis, and oftentimes the condition can start as early as birth. While not life-threatening, it can lead to social anxiety, as well as difficulties with daily living. Those who suffer from excessive sweating are less likely to partake in social activities and are often teased at school or work. As a result, they tend to have low self-esteem and suffer from depression as well.
What are the causes of pediatric hyperhidrosis?
The causes of this condition vary depending upon the age of the patient as well as the location of the excessive sweating.
For instance, newborns and infants may suffer from focal hyperhidrosis which is caused by an underlying medical condition such as cystic fibrosis or Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome. In these cases, the sweating will be worse in specific locations such as the armpits, groin or head.
Children between the ages of four and fourteen tend to suffer from generalized hyperhidrosis which is commonly triggered by anxiety, stress or hot temperatures. Although children within this age range are more likely to suffer from excessive sweating, the condition can occur in younger children as well.
Adults who suffer from excessive sweating will often experience the onset of the condition during their adolescent years. Generalized hyperhidrosis will typically result in adults and is often caused by stress or anxiety.
Although there are many potential causes of pediatric hyperhidrosis, it can also be caused by inefficient emotional processing or a weakened nervous system as related to the brain.
What are the symptoms of children sweating?
The main symptom that a parent will notice in their child is excessive sweating which is usually present on the forehead, armpits or palms of the hands. Other symptoms may also include a salty taste in the mouth, as well as drowsiness. infants may also exhibit irritability as a result of excessive sweating.
The symptoms of this condition may resemble other medical conditions. Always consult your child’s physician for a diagnosis.
How is pediatric hyperhidrosis diagnosed?
In many cases, a child’s excessive sweating may be caused by an underlying condition such as meningitis or gastroenteritis. Always seek prompt medical attention if your child exhibits the symptoms of excessive sweating as these could be a medical emergency.
If your doctor believes that your child’s excessive sweating may be caused by an underlying medical condition he or she will likely refer you to a pediatrician or a general practitioner. Your child’s doctor will ask you to describe the symptoms as well as your child’s medical history. He or she may also perform a physical examination and order blood and urine tests.
In some cases where there is anxiety related hyperhidrosis, your doctor may refer you to a psychiatrist or a psychologist. These professionals will help you or your child learn relaxation techniques in an effort to reduce the risk of anxiety attacks.
Treatments for children with hyperhidrosis
There is no cure for excessive sweating, but there are a variety of ways to manage the condition. Your child’s treatment plan will be based on his or her age and the severity of the condition.
Mild cases of pediatric hyperhidrosis may be managed by limiting your child’s intake of certain medications such as decongestants and diuretics. Your child may also benefit from using lotions and deodorants that will help to block the pores that are causing the excessive sweating.
One of the most common treatments for children with excessive sweating is psychotherapy. This treatment involves teaching the child relaxation techniques in an effort to reduce their anxiety levels. These relaxation techniques may also be used during times of stress in order to prevent an anxiety attack.
Another form of treatment that has been used for children with excessive sweating is Cognitive Behavior Therapy.
Sources & references used in this article:
Cold Sweat: My Father James Brown and Me by Y Brown, RG Fisher – 2014 – books.google.com
Don’t Sweat it by T Kelly – Voiceworks, 2020 – search.informit.com.au
No sweat: Fashion, free trade, and the rights of garment workers by A Ross – 1997 – books.google.com
Thoracic actinomycosis mimicking primary tuberculosis by P Goussard, R Gie, S Kling… – The Pediatric infectious …, 1999 – journals.lww.com
Tonsillar hyperplasia in children: a cause of obstructive sleep apneas, CO2 retention, and retarded growth by MG Lind, BPW Lundell – Archives of Otolaryngology, 1982 – jamanetwork.com
Sweating the Small Stuff by T Cunningham – Narrative inquiry in bioethics, 2013 – muse.jhu.edu
Six children with coughs: The second diagnosis by S Yudkin – The Lancet, 1961 – Elsevier
