Sweating is a natural process that occurs in the human body. Sweat is involved in the process of removing toxins from the body, cools the skin. However, the appearance of cold sweat in a child during sleep can greatly alarm parents. The occurrence of cold perspiration can be a consequence of certain diseases, so its causes should be carefully analyzed.
How thermoregulation works in the human body
The normal temperature regime of the human body is limited to a small range. The body regulates temperature using natural mechanisms:
- Secretion of sweat glands – sweat, evaporating, cools the skin.
- An increase in the diameter of blood vessels – the flow of blood to the surface of the skin increases, heat transfer increases.
When children are mobile, run, play, it is a hot season, the appearance of sweat should not be alarming.
“Cold” sweat, appearing for no apparent reason, is a special reaction of the nervous system and is not accompanied by an increase in temperature. The situation may indicate painful processes in the child’s body.
Parents are especially worried about cold sticky sweat. Stickiness is the result of a mixture of sweat salts and sebum drying on the skin.
When a child sweats at night, it is especially important to observe the hygiene of sleep and rest. Ventilate the room before going to bed, use bedding made from natural materials.
Why healthy children sweat
The endocrine system of children works differently than that of adults. The reasons for the appearance of sweat in a dream in a healthy child may be as follows:
- Overheat. Pajamas, blanket too warm, the room is hot.
- Evening excitement. Emotional games before going to bed, vivid night dreams.
- Binge eating. Too heavy dinner can lead to vasodilation and profuse sweating during sleep.
- Excess weight. Large babies often have problems with excessive sweating.
What should parents be concerned about?
When the considered causes are excluded, but the appearance of cold sweat continues, you should consult a doctor.
Pay attention if the child has cold sweat, low body temperature or sweating is uneven. Let the appearance of a sharp smell of vinegar or ammonia from the baby’s body alert you.
The above symptoms may indicate the presence of the following diseases:
- Vitamin D deficiency, rickets.
- Diseases of the cardiovascular system.
- Disorders of the thyroid gland.
- Increased intracranial pressure.
- Mononucleosis.
- Low blood pressure, hypotension.
A sure sign of a viral disease is the appearance of a cough, runny nose, along with cold sweat. Hurry up with a doctor’s call!
After a viral illness, the appearance of cold sweat at night may persist for some time after recovery.
Night sweats in babies
The issue of the appearance of cold sweat in infants deserves special consideration. For infants, the situation with abundant release of cold sweat is quite common.
In the body of an infant, the mechanisms of thermoregulation are not fully configured. It is not for nothing that doctors advise in the first month after birth to put on a child a headdress, socks and armlets – “scratches”.
In full force, the baby’s heat transfer begins to work only by 5-6 years. At this age, the child can already consciously tell whether he is warm, whether he is cold.
Many babies sweat profusely when feeding, which scares their mothers. For a tiny creature, sucking milk is hard work, it is not surprising that the process is accompanied by sweating.
Night cold sweat can disturb the baby when the first teeth appear. Do not worry: there are inflammatory processes in the body that cause pain, fear and discomfort. Hence the profuse sweating.
When to take emergency action
Pay attention to cases when cold sticky sweat in a baby, combined with other symptoms, signals especially dangerous situations:
- Hypoglycemia. A condition when the blood sugar drops sharply can be observed not only in patients with diabetes mellitus, but also in healthy children.
- Hypoxia. Lack of oxygen in the body can occur due to poisoning, serious illness.
- Hypotension. Sudden drop in blood pressure due to allergies, severe infections.
- Shock. There are 4 types of shock: anaphylactic, septic, cardiogenic and neurogenic. Accompanied by a sharp violation of the blood supply to tissues and organs.
Finding out the causes of cold sweat in a child at night is not difficult. Be attentive to the general well-being of the child, pay attention to the time of sweating. Analyze all the factors influencing sweating in a particular case. Note the presence or absence of cough.
Call an ambulance immediately if you observe a child feeling unwell in the form of nausea, dizziness, headache or severe weakness, ammonia smell from the body, shivering, skin rashes.
Do not engage in ignoring the cause, self-treatment, do not make diagnoses. Contact a qualified specialist, pass the necessary tests. In case of detection of diseases, do not neglect medical prescriptions. Get the required treatment.
Let your baby’s sleep be strong and calm.