Causes of sweating of the head in a child during sleep. What causes a child's head to sweat? Excessive sweating in children

Frequent sweating in newborns should be a cause of concern for parents, because if a child’s head sweats, especially during sleep, this may be a consequence of the development of rickets. To rule out this terrible disease, it is recommended to consult a doctor as soon as possible.

Causes of sweating in a child

Newborn babies are susceptible to a variety of diseases. Having discovered the first signs of possible anomalies, radically quick measures should be taken to eliminate the likelihood of their development. One of the alarming symptoms may be that the child's head is sweating a lot.
This may be due to a variety of reasons:

• The simplest explanation is that the baby’s sebaceous glands are not yet developed, so they do not work correctly. While the body as a whole adequately responds to changes in temperature and environmental conditions, the scalp does not have time to process and remove excess fluid at night, so the head sweats. This leads to the accumulation of excess moisture, especially during sleep, when the baby’s head lies on the pillow, and hair only aggravates the accumulation of sweat;
• Another natural explanation for excessive sweating may be the child’s excessive activity, especially if not only the head, but also other parts of the body are sweating. Spending most of the time in motion, the newborn loses a lot of energy, which leads to active sweating;
• If your baby sweats mostly only when he sleeps, first check the temperature in the room. When environmental conditions are normal, it is most likely caused by a malfunction of the body. The most likely reasons: lack of vitamin D, development of rickets, harmful effects medications(analgesics, antibiotics and some vitamins have this effect);
• Uncomfortable clothing can also cause the child to sweat a lot, primarily affecting the head. To avoid such troubles, try to dress your baby according to the weather - do not wrap him up, remember that the optimal temperature in the room is about 24 degrees;
• sweating of the head during sleep in older children may occur due to a violation hormonal levels, This common problem adolescence, i.e. 14-17 years.

Thus, to determine exactly why a child’s head is sweating solely by external signs impossible, but an experienced doctor will immediately tell you about the possible risks, having studied the behavior of the baby, his appearance, organ development and acquired skills. The fact that the baby often sweats when sleeping and awake will not necessarily be a consequence of a dangerous illness, but as a preventive measure, the pediatrician will most likely prescribe taking vitamin D2 and D3 in drops - this is a harmless supplement, and it is especially relevant in the cool season when children are rarely in the sun.

Signs of the development of rickets in a child and how to deal with it

The most bad reason Excessive sweating of the head - the development of rickets. This is a dangerous disease in young children, which without proper treatment can lead to disastrous consequences.

In addition to sweating during sleep, rickets has other symptoms:

• the area of ​​the head where the baby most often lies when sleeping looks very worn out;
• the skull takes on a non-standard elongated shape, the temporal bones are deformed;
• the fontanelles on the head begin to soften;
• body tone decreases, muscle mass relaxes and the child becomes lethargic and inactive;
• tummy swells;
• the position of the limbs changes - they can bend and turn in different directions;
• violated emotional condition baby - he often cries in his sleep, is capricious during the day, gets scared of familiar things and becomes overly restless.

To make an accurate diagnosis, it is necessary to carry out appropriate tests - you will need to draw blood from a vein. Only based on the results can the doctor make a final verdict. Treatment of rickets in advanced forms will not bring much results, therefore the best option It will be possible to prevent the occurrence of the disease by regularly taking vitamin D2 or D3. This will prevent the development of deformations, both external and internal organs, and will also relieve your baby from excessive sweating of the head and body.

Vitamins, however, can cause considerable harm to health, since their excess is also unacceptable for developing organism, as well as a disadvantage. The optimal proportion for a newborn is 1 drop per day, but how to give it?

There are several ways to take vitamin D:

• dripping into the baby's mouth is a dangerous option. The dispenser often malfunctions, so instead of 1 drop, 2 or even 3 may pour out. Of course, nothing bad will happen at once, but regularly increasing the amount of product is quite dangerous;
• It is also not worth offering medicine from a spoon, since the drop will spread over the surface and the child is unlikely to receive the amount of the medicine he needs;
• dripping on is an ideal option. Firstly, you see the end result, and secondly, the child will eat a full drop of vitamins.

Regular intake of vitamins and other supplements that are important for the growth and development of a child’s body (as prescribed by a doctor) will help maintain the health of the newborn at the proper level and protect the baby from possible unpleasant diseases.

What caring mother would like it when her child’s head sweats in his sleep? It’s unlikely that there will be at least one. After all, it is precisely this symptom that doctors, women’s forums, and just neighborhood mothers like to attribute to the manifestation of rickets. Is it worth sounding the alarm at the sight of wet pillows in the morning and why do children’s heads sweat so often?

The first days after birth, the baby may sweat frequently and heavily. Parents should not worry about the baby - this is explained by incompletely formed sweat glands, which in infancy are mainly located on the child’s head and react sharply to the slightest irritants.

Your baby may sweat profusely if:

• It's time to sleep. With strong sweating in the temples and back of the head when falling asleep, the baby’s body responds to lack of sleep. In the first 3 months, the child’s period of wakefulness should not exceed 0.5 – 1 hour;
• Tired. Babies often sweat during feeding. This is not associated with special physiological processes; babies simply get tired of sucking a bottle or their mother’s breast. This seems implausible, but the process of sucking for a baby sometimes becomes very labor-intensive. The baby's sweating works in this case, as during strong physical exertion;
• Wrapped in the “wrong” fabrics. Young parents often neglect advice experienced mothers, choose synthetic materials for the newborn and “wrap up” the child warmly. This puts the baby at risk of overheating. Just a few overheats in infancy disrupt the child’s natural heat exchange. In the future, such a baby will catch colds from the slightest draft. But this is not even where the danger of overheating of a newborn lies. Acute overheating can cause sudden infant death.

Why does a child's head sweat at 6 and 9 months?

Babies up to one year old sleep for a long time, and sweating of the head at this age manifests itself clearly - to the point that wet spots form on the pillow.

At 6 months, the baby still gets tired quickly and, if the sleep-wake pattern is disrupted, may sweat heavily during sleep. The second most common pillow for a six-month-old baby is down and feather pillows. In addition to the fact that down and feathers are very “hot” fillings for sleeping sets, they can cause severe allergies in a child.

At 9 months due to “fault” thick hair. By the end of the first year of life, most children acquire voluminous hair, which mothers do not cut due to superstitions. If you “at least squeeze” the child’s head after sleep, it is better not to wait a year and shave off the hair.

When all factors influencing sweating have been excluded, but the child’s head continues to sweat, it is better to consult a pediatrician. At the age of 6–9 months, serious diseases may already appear, the symptom of which is excessive sweating of the head, such as:

• Rickets. When rickets is so severe that the baby cannot sleep peacefully - he constantly turns his head in his sleep, combing the hair on the back of his head;
• Diabetes. Diseases can be indirectly suspected when there is profuse sweating of the head and neck, while the lower part of the body remains dry.

From 1 to 3 years: what does sweating in the head mean?

At the end of the 1st year of life, the child enters a period of rapid physical and emotional development. Bright positive and negative emotions can be projected into sleep, so the child often sweats a lot at night and sleeps restlessly.

S intensifies during the recovery period after colds, as well as as a result of taking certain medications. Typically, once the child recovers and the medications are stopped, sweating returns to normal.

If a completely healthy 2-3 year old child develops symptoms, we can mention a genetic predisposition. Parents should ask their close relatives: did they themselves have problems with sweating in childhood?

Important: In some cases, a feature of the child’s autonomic nervous system is responsible for excessive sweating of the head.

Like, for example, the heartbeat, it is controlled by the autonomic nervous system. And if she is programmed for the fact that the child’s sweating will occur according to the type “a lot of moisture on the head, little on the back,” then so be it. Same individual feature ANS can explain the fact that some people blush when embarrassed, while others do not.

What does Dr. Komarovsky say about sweating of the head?

Speaking about the causes of children's sweating, one cannot help but turn to the famous children's "Aibolit" and simply a friend of all kids - Dr. Komarovsky. Evgeniy Olegovich advises, first of all, to discard . Children's sweating is a normal reaction of the body to the external environment. In 99% of cases, the cause of profuse sweating at night is the banal “hot”. The child is hot and the tiny body tries in every possible way to prevent overheating, forcing the sweat glands to work without stopping.

Heat-loving mothers and fathers, whose hands are reaching out to wrap their child in a warm blanket, should remember: the baby’s metabolism occurs very quickly, with intense heat production. There is no need to worry about your child being hypothermic. Just like you don’t need to dress your baby in woolen socks, sweaters and hats every time.

The optimal temperature for a children's room, according to Komarovsky, should not exceed 22 C°. Do not neglect regular ventilation of the living space and try to set the air humidity within 40–50%. If possible, get an air conditioner and a humidifier, and don’t be afraid to turn them on when the baby is in the room. At this temperature and the absence of drafts, the risk of a child catching a cold is reduced to zero.

As for warm “sweatshop” materials, Dr. Komarovsky suggests removing them from the baby’s crib altogether. Wanting to create a “cozy nest” for their baby, parents often go overboard and equip the sleeping area with soft synthetic materials which cause sweating. An ideal option for a baby, especially in infancy, there will be a thick mattress without soft bedding materials, a flat pillow or no pillow and a thin woolen (not quilted) blanket.

On the issue of diagnosing rickets when seeing a baby’s wet head after sleep, Komarovsky speaks unequivocally: “Sweating of the head is not the primary and non-primary symptom of rickets.”

Important: Violation of phosphorus-calcium metabolism in the body leads to the development of rickets. In later stages, the disease causes changes in bone tissue: deformation of the skull and curvature of the legs. Another striking sign of rickets is an unnaturally distended – frog-like – belly.

Should you be wary of rickets if your child's head sweats during sleep?

Before you succumb to the general fashion of seeing wet pillows as a manifestation of rickets, you should correlate the baby’s condition with the signs initial stage diseases:

• Nuchal baldness as a result of increased sweating of the head;
• Unreasonable fearfulness;
• Anxiety;
• The child often refuses to eat and is malnourished;
• Digestive disorders (constipation, diarrhea);
• Urine acquires .

The next stage of rickets is characterized by:

1. Hypotonicity, a condition where muscle tone decreases. Grasping movements become sluggish. The child often lies motionless, spread out and relaxed;
2. Excessive joint flexibility. The child’s joints become hypermobile, the baby can easily reach his mouth with his feet;
3. Delayed motor development. The child later begins to hold his head up, stand, sit up and roll over.

Deformation of bone tissue occurs after 2–3 weeks and is accompanied by the following symptoms:

1. The bones that form the sutures on the child’s skull become flexible and pliable;
2. The edges of the large fontanel give in easily when pressed. The child’s fontanel closes later than in other children;
3. The occipital bones soften. The back of the head is deformed and flattened;
4. On palpation, an increase in internal organs is noted.

Does the child whine, constantly toss and turn in the crib and has his head constantly wet from sweat? Or maybe in addition to his head, his palms are also wet with sweat, and the sweat itself has bad smell? This sure sign that the child is sick and needs to see a doctor urgently. At this age, children are especially susceptible and susceptible to dangerous illnesses. may be one of the symptoms dangerous disease– rickets. The pediatrician will conduct an examination, identify the cause of concern and, if necessary, prescribe medications.

What to do if your child's head is sweating

First of all, it is necessary to determine the cause of sweating, only then can treatment begin. Most often, the reasons why a child’s head sweats are not physical, in the sense of illness, but everyday ones, for example, a stuffy room, tight clothes made of non-natural fabrics. A baby's skin is so delicate that even the slightest irritation can cause a reaction in the body. If your child's head is sweating, you should do the following:

If everything is in order, the house is not hot and there are no unsafe clothes or toys, but the child is still sweating, then you need to consult a doctor as soon as possible. In this case, every day of delay can lead to undesirable consequences, as some kind of disease may develop. Considering the tender age of the child, his weak, just developing immunity, any more or less dangerous infection can lead to dire consequences.

Sweating can occur for various reasons. It can occur naturally, in the process of rapid growth and development of the body. For example, in adolescents there is increased sweating at the age of 12–13 years, when hormonal changes occur, puberty begins. But if sweating is observed in small children under one year of age, it is accompanied by crying, irritability, and unpleasant odor sweat, then frequent sweating should cause concern for parents. Excessive sweating, most likely, this is one of the signs of the presence of some dangerous illness, for example:

All of the above ailments are very dangerous, given the child’s body, so you cannot do without the help of a doctor. Self-medication is dangerous, especially since diseases started in childhood can leave a mark for life, cause disability and even death of a child.

What to do if your child sweats a lot during sleep

Many parents notice that their little one... How to explain this, and is it worth seeing a doctor? Sweating during sleep in children aged 2 to 12 years is observed with disorders of the thyroid gland. In addition to sweating, the following are also observed:

To make an accurate diagnosis, you need to be examined by an endocrinologist. Usually the doctor prescribes an ultrasound of the thyroid gland and blood donation for hormone analysis. Usually, when confirming the diagnosis, the doctor prescribes iodine-containing drugs, less often prescribes hormonal drugs.

Excessive sweating during sleep in young children under three years of age can be caused by lymphatic diathesis. This is a disease that is inherited. In addition to nocturnal hyperhidrosis, this disease is characterized by symptoms such as, decreased muscle tone, unnatural pale color skin.

Excessive sweating can also be caused by a disruption of the autonomic system. Many children grow very quickly and not all body systems develop in proportion. This leads to the fact that not all organs work normally. Very often, disruptions occur, especially in the development of the nervous system, which leads to sweating during sleep. If examinations do not reveal any pathologies, then sweating during sleep is normal phenomenon which will go away as you grow older.

Should I see a doctor?

Abundant and frequent occurrence should alert caring parents, since seemingly minor manifestations can be signs of very serious diseases. Rickets is especially dangerous and has consequences in case of delayed treatment, so if the child sweats, especially in his sleep, then you should consult a doctor, at least for consultation and examination. The consequences of untimely treatment are sad: the child lags behind physically and mental development, his immunity is much weaker than that of a healthy baby. If parents notice:

• The child's palms are very sweaty, but there is no reason for this. The room has normal temperature and humidity;
• The appearance of diaper rash in areas of heavy sweating;
• The discharge acquires an unpleasant color and odor;
• The fontanelles begin to soften, the skull may acquire an unnaturally elongated shape;
• The tummy is swollen;
• There is too much anxiety, the child constantly cries for no apparent reason;
• Sweat is too thick or too thin;

If you have all or at least several of the listed signs, you should consult a doctor immediately. The listed symptoms are signs of rickets.

What is the reason for this feature? Is it dangerous? What actions should I take? Should I worry?

Such questions immediately arise in the thoughts of young parents if they are faced with such a problem for the first time. First of all, we note that sweating is a normal and standard phenomenon.

Every normal person sweats.

This physiological phenomenon, which are designed to remove waste and toxins from the body, cool the body temperature, and prevent tissue from drying out.

Everyday reasons why a child's head sweats

You are sure that your baby is absolutely healthy! But your head is sweating?! There may be several reasons. Many of them are household ones and have nothing to do with terrible diseases.

In particular:

• . Caring mothers and fathers think that the baby is so tiny, he is constantly cold. This means we need to put as many warm things on him as possible. Even if it’s summer outside and the apartment is warm. What if it blows? Pediatricians recommend approaching the issue of clothing wisely and not wrapping up your baby, especially if he moves a lot.
• . I caught a commonplace acute respiratory infection, which is not as scary as my parents think. Sweat secretion in in this case– protection of the body. This means that the baby is struggling, his organs and receptors are working normally. Are removed from the body harmful substances, which quite likely provoked the disease.
• The baby is agitated or upset. Then he may also sweat profusely. If the baby has suffered severe emotional stress, there is nothing surprising in increased sweating. This is a completely normal reaction of the body. Watch your child: as soon as he calms down, the sweating will go away!
• If your baby is not getting enough sleep or is feeling overtired, he is sweating too. Monitor your daily routine, is it properly structured and debugged? Make sure your child falls asleep at the same time, eats and plays at certain hours, and sets aside time for walks.
• Medicines prescribed by the doctor may cause sweating in a child. Sometimes this is written in the instructions for use of the medication. Read the instructions carefully so that next time you understand what is happening to your baby.

Diseases in which a child's head sweats, and this is normal

A child's head sweats when he is sick. In some cases, this is not a reason to panic. Namely:

• cold;
• allergy;
• neurosis;

If the baby has a slight cold, the body will try to cope on its own. He will produce sweat to drive out the disease in the truest sense of the word. There is no need to worry if the child’s body temperature does not rise above 38 degrees.

A child may be allergic to down and feathers in pillows, mattress filling, and much more. Food allergies are common. Maybe sweat is just allergic reaction? To understand this, you need to completely eliminate allergens. If the baby continues to sweat (it is the head that is sweating), consult a pediatrician.

The baby is experiencing stress. This is why my head sweats. Why is the child nervous? What's bothering him? Create a comfortable environment so that the baby feels safe, and then his head will stop sweating.

When teeth are being cut, the baby behaves restlessly, which is why the head sweats. Don't worry, it will go away quickly!

In what cases is a child’s sweaty head a sign of anxiety or additional symptoms that require urgent medical attention?

Sometimes the fact that a child’s head is sweating can become a reason not only for concern, but also for urgent medical attention.

Does your child have a sweaty head but a dry body? Perhaps he has:

• virus;
• heart pathology;
• disorders of the thyroid gland;
• endocrine disruption.

Identify similar failures in children's body impossible at home. Need professional help. Do not make diagnoses yourself, and under no circumstances treat a child without the intervention of a qualified doctor. This can lead to tragic consequences and death!

To understand whether the baby is suffering from serious illnesses, the doctor will prescribe additional tests and studies. Mom will be given directions for a blood test, urine test, stool test (in some cases), ultrasound examination abdominal cavity, heads, hearts. Only based on the results of all checks can a diagnosis be made and treatment prescribed.

Which doctor should I go to if my child’s head is sweating?

Have you ruled out all household causes, your baby hasn’t caught a cold, isn’t teething, or has any allergies? Then - urgently see a doctor? To which? To begin with, go to your local pediatrician. He will examine the baby and tell you how to proceed. You may need to contact:

• (to confirm or deny diabetes mellitus);
• oncologist (he will indicate the presence or absence of tumors (malignant or benign);
• TB specialist (will rule out or confirm);
• (examines the body for the presence of infections - hepatitis, malaria, influenza and others);
• a neurologist (will help you understand whether the baby suffers from depression, schizophrenia, autism and other dangerous mental illnesses);

• toxicologist (if there was poisoning);
• a dermatologist (if sweating is associated with a skin disease).

Doctor Komarovsky's opinion

The famous pediatrician, guru of modern mothers and fathers, does not shy away from the topic of excessive sweating of the head in children younger age. Here's what he says about this:

• Excessive sweating is often caused by a room that is too hot for the baby. Once you ventilate the room and humidify it, sweating immediately disappears. Normal temperature in the baby’s room – from 20 to 22 degrees Celsius;
• sometimes excessive sweating is an individual characteristic of the body;
• weak nervous system. Even if the baby is in comfortable conditions, he may become nervous due to poor sleep or a loud, sharp sound;
• This is indicated not only by increased sweating in the head area, but also by a number of other signs, including baldness, constant anxiety, lack of appetite, thickening of the bones;
• sweating of the head during the day is normal, at night it is a cause for concern, it is better to consult a doctor;
• The baby's activity often leads to sweating. If your baby strains to suck on the breast, pacifier or bottle, he will certainly sweat in the head area.

What can cause a child's sweaty head? Consequences

If a baby's head sweats for everyday reasons, it can lead to. These are rashes in the form of a red rash, often the inflammation resembles water blisters. We must fight them. Otherwise, due to constant itching, the baby will feel unwell and will cry more often, which will greatly upset the parents.

If your head sweats due to serious illnesses, the consequences can be dire. In particular, rickets leads to bone curvature. The deformity cannot be corrected or reversed. Diabetes can lead to death, as can other serious illnesses such as thyroid problems or heart failure. The nature of the discharge is important - do they have a smell, color, do they cause discomfort to the baby?

Remember, you shouldn’t panic, but you shouldn’t put on the brakes either. Are you worried? Consult your doctor and take your baby to the doctor. It’s better to worry than not to pay attention and not notice the problem in time. Most childhood diseases are easily treatable if you start taking the right medications on time.

Self-treatment of the child is excluded. Do not process delicate skin baby with deodorants or antiperspirants - this can lead to even greater, even tragic consequences!

VIDEO The child's head is sweating

VIDEO Excessive sweating in babies

The body of an infant and a child in the first years of life differs in almost all respects from an adult. It can be difficult to understand what physiological manifestations for newborns or children in early age are normal and when to be seriously concerned. So, parents may be concerned when their child sweats while sleeping. They want to know - is this normal or a sign of serious pathologies?

Do newborns sweat?

To prevent overheating and maintain the correct body temperature, it is necessary to both produce heat and release it into the environment. The process of heat transfer is controlled by the nervous system by changing the tension of the vascular walls. But in a newborn it still continues to develop, so the thermoregulation system is not debugged.

By the time of birth, babies have the same number of sweat glands as an adult, but most of them begin to function only from 3-5 months. In this case, the sweating process starts gradually. The sweat glands on the head turn on the fastest, then on the forehead, torso, and finally on the limbs. Sweat begins to be produced most adequately after the age of 6, and the peak activity of the glands occurs during puberty.

If hyperhidrosis in a child’s sleep is the only complaint, then parents should not panic. A healthy newborn will experience increased sweating. As a rule, it is associated with the active phase of sleep. The baby, going to bed, relieves excess tension by increasing the secretion of sweat.

In young children, increased sweating often occurs not only when the body is overheated, but also when the body cools down.

Sign of pathology

If the head of a newborn or older baby sweats heavily, then pediatricians may suspect the following pathologies:

• rickets;
• viral infection;
• heart diseases;
• endocrine diseases.

A thorough history and comprehensive examination will help determine exactly why the baby is sweating.

Most often, this disease occurs in the first year of life, when babies grow quickly, but they have a pronounced deficiency of vitamin D. The pathology affects the nervous and skeletal systems. In this case, the head may become foggy along with the following symptoms:

• sleep becomes shallow and intermittent;
• the baby is irritable, whiny;
• the back of the baby's head becomes bald;
• muscle weakness is observed;
• bone deformations occur;
• the functioning of the digestive organs is disrupted.

Sweating can be so severe that your pillow becomes wet after sleep. Sticky sweat causes irritation skin. The baby often turns his head in the crib, which leads to bald patches in the back of the head.

Infection

Increased sweating during sleep may indicate that the child is infected with an acute respiratory infection, influenza, or one of the intestinal infections. But in this case, sweating is accompanied by a feverish state, lack of appetite, and lethargy. After treatment of the infectious disease and complete recovery, sweating during sleep goes away.

Heart diseases

Hyperhidrosis of the head during sleep, along with heavy breathing and a dry cough, may indicate cardiac pathologies. In addition, suspect diseases of cardio-vascular system it is possible if the baby's skin between the wings of the nose and upper lip, weight loss, he gets tired quickly. With such symptoms, parents should not delay visiting a child consultation.

Endocrine diseases

Increased sweating of the head against the background of dryness of the rest of the body can occur when diabetes mellitus. However, with this disease, sweating occurs when the child falls asleep and while awake. He also constantly asks for water and empties frequently. bladder and looks very lethargic. In this case, a consultation with an endocrinologist is required.
Hyperhidrosis of the head during sleep and wakefulness can occur against the background of increased thyroid function.

Causes depending on age

When parents go to the doctor with a complaint that the child often has a wet head while sleeping, then the age of the baby will be decisive in making an accurate diagnosis.

4-5 months

If a child at this age sweats heavily in the back of the head and neck, so it remains wet pillow, then this may be the first sign of a lack of vitamin D. Although most often the culprit is a common mistake made by parents. They dress the baby too warmly and create a hot microclimate in the room.

8 months

If an 8-month-old child sweats heavily while sleeping, then rickets cannot be ruled out. But more often than not, ordinary overwork is responsible. When a child crawls, plays, laughs or cries a lot before going to bed, the back of his head will certainly become wet during sleep.

1 year

In children over one year of age, cases of rickets are already unlikely. But the baby’s psyche becomes even more mobile. All the emotions experienced during the day will certainly affect hyperhidrosis during sleep. And if one year old child the daily routine is disrupted, as a result of which he lacks sleep or is tired, then this can also lead to a wet head during sleep episodes.

2 years

Sometimes, when a newborn sweats, parents are not as worried as when a grown-up baby develops a wet forehead and wet back of the head during sleep. At 2 years old, children can already walk independently, move a lot and sleep soundly at night, almost like adults. At this age, excessive sweating is no longer normal, and it can be caused not only by serious somatic diseases, but also by the following factors:

1. Attacks of night terrors. The child screams in his sleep, but it is difficult to wake him up. He is breathing heavily, rapidly, he has tachycardia and increased sweating both in the head and throughout the body.
2. Environmental factor. In polluted industrial areas, children are sicker and more likely to suffer from chills, fever, and hyperhidrosis.
3. Infectious diseases. When viruses and bacteria enter a child’s body, this is often accompanied by a sharp increase in body temperature and increased sweating.

If this condition is not episodic, then parents definitely need to take their baby for a consultation at a children’s clinic.

3-4 years

At this age, the following reasons can cause increased sweating during sleep:

• hyperplasia of lymphoid tissue in combination with imbalance of the nervous system;
• overweight;
• heart and vascular diseases;
• allergies and respiratory diseases;
• metabolic and endocrine diseases;
• taking certain medications.

But he can sweat completely healthy child– due to improper microclimate or synthetic clothing.

6 years

The autonomic nervous system should be fully developed by the age of 6, but there are exceptions. Sweating during sleep at this age may indicate immaturity of this system. There may also be bad heredity, in addition to those pathologies that appear at 3-4 years.

From the parents, the baby can not only receive a direct tendency to hyperhidrosis, but also cystic fibrosis (tissue damage and disruption of the secretory activity of the exocrine glands). You can suspect such a pathology if parents note a very salty forehead in their child.

Pediatrician Evgeny Komarovsky, who has won the respect of many parents, recommends that before going to the hospital, you should check the conditions created for the child’s rest. You should pay attention to the following points:

1. Temperature conditions. Heat and stuffiness are not acceptable in a child’s bedroom. Acceptable air temperature should be 18-20 °C.
2. Air humidity. In the room where the baby sleeps, air humidity is allowed - 50-70%. It is very appropriate to use humidifiers for these purposes, or at least place a damp cloth on the heating radiators.
3. Ventilation. At a minimum, windows should be opened before bedtime and after the child rests, but it would be good to do this more often.
4. Bed sheets. Synthetics should be avoided. It increases sweating. It is optimal to equip a child’s sleeping place with bedding made from cotton fabrics, without textile dyes.
5. Cloth. The priority should be cotton fabrics, appropriate for the season. For winter and summer, you need to choose the right pajamas. It should be loose-fitting, without rough seams.
6. Bathing. Sweating babies should be taught to take cool baths/showers, which will improve the functioning of the sweat glands. After 2-3 weeks of regular water procedures a child can completely get rid of hyperhidrosis.
7. Control emotional background. You can fight hyperhidrosis with with the help of the lung massage with a relaxing effect 30 minutes before bedtime, walks fresh air, as well as taking warm baths with decoctions of soothing herbs (1-2 times a week).

For particularly sweaty babies, it is good to have a few pajamas in stock that can be changed several times a night.

Conclusion

Night sweats are a fairly common occurrence. Many patients come to pediatricians with similar complaints. Concerned parents would do well to remember the following:

1. The eccrine glands in a child function imperfectly until the age of 4-6 years. Most children easily outgrow this problem.
2. A child’s sweating is influenced by his makeup and temperament, as well as the family atmosphere and indoor microclimate.
3. Sweating during sleep is most often an individual feature of the formation of the autonomic nervous system. But in 1-3% of children, hyperhidrosis may indicate a serious pathology.

Excessive sweating during sleep is not a disease and does not require special treatment. But if other symptoms are added to sweating, then you should not delay visiting the pediatrician and the necessary diagnostics.

Many mothers notice that their child's head sweats during sleep. If this happens infrequently, then there is no need to worry. But when your baby sleeps sweaty almost every night, there's something to think about. There are many reasons why this happens. Some are quite harmless, but there are also pathological ones among them, which it is advisable to identify as early as possible.

Physiological factors

Most often, the reasons why a child’s head sweats a lot, mainly during sleep, are purely physiological and should not cause much concern for parents. It could be:

1. Overheating is a consequence of the habit of most mothers to dress their child warmly so that he does not become overcooled. Although in fact overheating is no less dangerous for a baby than low temperatures. The child must be dressed according to weather conditions. And it’s easy to check how he’s feeling - his nose is always the first to freeze. When you overheat, your head starts to sweat.
2. Overwork. Too big physical activity, after which the baby has already gone to bed, and his body continues to work intensively. Increased metabolism leads to sweating during sleep. The baby cannot yet determine overtiredness on his own, so you need to monitor the daily routine and alternate active games with quiet activities.
3. Down bed. Some still consider it the most natural and suitable for a baby. But down pillows and blankets are strictly contraindicated for small children! They create a greenhouse effect, causing sweating, and often cause an allergic cough that prevents you from sleeping peacefully at night. It is better to buy bedding for your baby with modern, safe, hypoallergenic fillings.
4. Synthetics. But the baby’s pillowcase, sheet and pajamas should only be made from natural fabrics that allow air to pass through and absorb moisture. Synthetics do not allow the skin to “breathe”, and the child begins to sweat heavily during sleep. When buying clothes for a child, you should not rely on tactile sensations- many modern synthetic fabrics very similar to natural ones. Be sure to look at the ingredients listed on the label. Synthetic additives can be no more than 10%.
5. Feeding. It's for infant is real work. To extract milk from mother's breast or a properly selected pacifier, he has to sweat a lot, not only in a figurative sense. This is completely normal. On the contrary, when milk flows too easily, the muscles are not trained, and the child often overeats, since the feeling of fullness is a little delayed, and he manages to drink more milk than the body really needs.

It is quite easy to identify and eliminate such causes. And if sweating during sleep then disappears, it means the child is healthy and there is no reason to see a doctor.

Pathological causes

But sometimes the main reason why a child’s head sweats a lot during sleep is pathological changes in the body, which are important to detect and treat in time:

• high temperature, which the body tries to compensate for due to increased sweating;
• heart failure, characterized by cold, clammy sweat;
• overactivity of the thyroid gland, leading to accelerated metabolic processes and severe sweating;
• taking certain medications (sweating appears as a side effect).

If the baby has a temperature and sweats for this reason, then everything is more or less clear. But if everything physiological reasons identified and eliminated, but the head still constantly becomes wet when the child sleeps, it is better to consult a doctor and find out why this is happening.

It is better to make sure that there is no pathology than to “overlook” the disease and then undergo a long treatment.

Don't miss rickets!

But if a baby’s head sweats a lot, this may be the first sign of incipient rickets. There is an opinion that only children from low-income families are susceptible to this disease, but this is not true. Any child can get rickets. Its main cause is a critical lack of vitamin D, and it appears as a result of an unbalanced diet (especially if the baby is artificial), insufficient exposure to the sun, and other diseases.

On early stage Rickets is easy to cure, but an advanced disease is practically untreatable and affects not only the general condition, but also the appearance of the child.

Therefore, it is necessary to immediately show the baby to the doctor when, in addition to excessive sweating during sleep, other symptoms are present:

Only a doctor can diagnose rickets. Some mothers independently prescribe vitamin D to their baby for prevention, but do not adhere to the recommended dosages at all, believing that the vitamins will not cause harm. Such a mistake can lead to extremely negative consequences.

Hypervitaminosis for infants is as dangerous as a lack of vitamins. With an excess of vitamin D, normal calcium metabolism is disrupted and hypercalcemia (salt deposits) occurs, leading to diseases and deformation of the joints and spine, or hypercalceuria - when too much calcium is excreted in the urine, irritating the kidneys and causing their inflammation.

Therefore, you cannot prescribe or give vitamin D to your child on your own! It is already included in most high-quality baby foods and infant formulas.

To prevent rickets, you need to spend more time with your child in the fresh air and do hardening procedures, include them in the diet fresh fruits and vegetables, try to keep it on for at least six months breast milk, and if this is not possible, buy adapted fortified mixtures.

Comfortable sleep

Comfortable sleep for small child is especially important - during sleep, the body actively grows and cleanses itself of waste and toxins accumulated during the day. Not all babies like to go to bed, and if your baby is nervous before bed, the night can become restless, and loud crying will cause him to sweat a lot.

A unique bedtime ritual can be used to avoid this problem and ensure easy falling asleep, which must be organized in such a way that the child likes it and looks forward to it. Here's what it might look like:

• bathe your baby in a warm bath with the addition of herbal decoctions: lemon balm, chamomile, lavender - their aroma promotes relaxation;
• change him into beautiful pajamas made of high-quality natural fabric;
• put your favorite toy to bed together, explaining to it how important it is to have a good rest before tomorrow;
• Talk calmly with an older child about the past day to find out if there are any worries or fears;
• Sing a lullaby to a small child or read a fairy tale (always with a continuation, which he will hear tomorrow before going to bed!).

Such actions repeated day after day will develop a habit, and by a certain time the baby’s body will begin to relax and prepare for sleep.

Before putting your child to bed, be sure to ventilate the room, check the temperature and humidity, and change the lighting to a softer one that promotes relaxation.

These little tricks will save the nervous system of mother and baby. She won't have to put a screaming child to bed with a sweaty head from overexertion, and then wait until he's fast asleep to change him into dry clothes. Normally, a sleeping child should not sweat. And if you still cannot cope with the problem on your own, consult your pediatrician!