Night sweats - Causes and ways to deal with it

Posted by Doctor Pediatric Center - Vinmec Times City International Hospital

Watching your baby sleep peacefully is a blissful experience. What if you wake up and find your baby drenched in sweat from sleep? As a parent, you may be worried and curious to know if night sweats are normal in your baby. Through this article will answer your questions about the causes of night sweats in babies.

Night sweats is a popular term used to refer to a phenomenon that occurs when a child sweats excessively at night while sleeping, There are many causes of night sweats, and this condition should not be ignored the most. is when it happens often.

Habits When babies are fast asleep, they tend to sweat, because babies don't move as much as adults. Body temperature can rise when a baby is in one position for a long time and sweating is the body's way of adjusting to this temperature rise.
Location of sweat glands Unlike adults, babies' sweat glands are located near the head. This causes babies to sweat too much at night, especially because they don't change their head position while they sleep, as much as they do when they're awake. As mentioned above, sleeping in the same position can cause your body temperature to rise, and sweating helps to ensure that your body temperature is regulated.

Room temperature High room temperature can also cause your baby to sweat excessively at night.
Blankets Covering children with blankets in the summer is a common practice. This causes the child's body temperature to rise, and leads to excessive sweating.

There are a number of health conditions that can lead to abnormal sweating in babies when they are sleeping at night.
Congenital heart disease Children with congenital heart disease may sweat abnormally at night while sleeping. Such disorders appear while they are still in the womb, and these babies tend to sweat excessively not only during sleep but also while eating and playing.
Sleep apnea Sleep apnea: Sleep apnea is a phenomenon that sometimes a child does not breathe for a short period of time, this causes some other organs in the body to work to compensate, leading to a state of exertion. exertion, and therefore the child sweats more. Children with sleep apnea also show other symptoms such as blue skin and wheezing, along with night sweats.

Pathology Sometimes, even though the room temperature is controlled, a child still sweats at night. This is due to a condition called hyperhidrosis or excessive sweating. However, this is not a serious condition and can be cured.

Control room temperature: Make sure that the room temperature is always cool. Remove unnecessary blankets and towels from the crib to ensure a comfortable and safe sleep.
Keep children hydrated: Provide enough water for children before bed. This will help compensate for the water loss that occurs from sweating.
Dress your baby appropriately: Remember to dress your baby in breathable and light clothing. This will keep the baby's body temperature under control and reduce night sweats. Regardless of whether your child has a problem with night sweats or not, it is important to dress them in comfortable clothes for a good night's sleep.

You may need to consult a doctor if your child continues to sweat at night, even after taking the above precautions. The cause of night sweats in children must be diagnosed in time, for proper treatment.
Watch for other signs or symptoms in your baby, like head banging, kicking, teeth grinding, snoring and snorting. If you notice these symptoms, along with night sweats, in your baby, you need to consult your pediatrician.
Head banging: This is often seen in children who are in pain. Earaches and teething are common causes of head banging. Teeth grinding: Pain from teething, discomfort from an earache or discomfort from a stuffy nose, can cause teeth grinding. Snoring and snoring: Children with a stuffy nose due to a cold may snore and snort while sleeping. To be healthy and develop well, it is necessary to have a nutritious diet that is both quantitative and qualitative. If children are not provided with adequate and balanced nutrients, it will lead to diseases of excess or lack of nutrients, which adversely affect the comprehensive development of children in terms of physical, mental and motor skills.
Children who do not eat properly are at risk of micro-mineral deficiency causing anorexia, growth retardation, malabsorption,... If they notice the above signs, parents should supplement their children with products. The supplement contains lysine, essential micro-minerals and vitamins such as zinc, chromium, selenium, and B vitamins to help fully meet the nutritional needs of children. At the same time, these essential vitamins also support digestion, enhance nutrient absorption, help improve anorexia, and help children eat well.
Parents can learn more:
Signs of zinc deficiency in children
Micronutrient deficiency and failure to gain weight in children
Please regularly visit Vinmec.com website and update useful information to take care of your child. Take care of the baby and the whole family.