Parents should have discovered the phenomenon that babies are particularly prone to sweat when they sleep, even in the not so hot weather will often sweat several pieces of clothing a night. In this regard, some parents think that this is a normal phenomenon, there is no need to worry, but some other parents are always worried that their children sleep sweating is a sign of illness. So, is it a normal physiological phenomenon for babies to sweat in bed? Or is it a sign of illness? How can parents tell the difference between the two?
In fact, if a child sweats about 1-2 hours after going to sleep, it is usually normal physiological sweating. The reason for this is that children exercise a lot during the day and generate a lot of heat, so the body cannot distribute the excess heat outside the body through sweating, so the heat accumulates in the child’s body and the child’s body temperature can reach about 38°C at night. When the child falls asleep, the amount of heat generated decreases and the sympathetic nerves become less sensitive, so the body can only maintain a normal body temperature by sweating out the excess heat from the baby’s body. If the child continues to sweat a lot in the second half of the night when he or she is in a deep sleep, then it may be caused by some kind of disease.
A. Physiological sweating 1. Parents are usually used to judging the best environmental temperature for their babies by their own subjective feelings, and like to cover their babies with an extra layer of quilt, covering them tightly before they feel at ease. Because the brain nervous system of children is not yet developed, and is in the growth and development stage, the metabolism of the body is very vigorous, coupled with the stimulation of external overheating, can only evaporate the heat in the body through sweating, in order to regulate the body temperature and maintain a normal state.
2, some children are lively and active by nature, the amount of exercise during the day, so it will produce a lot of heat, however, the body is not capable of excess heat through sweating out, so the heat will accumulate in the child’s body, resulting in the child’s body temperature at night can reach about 38 ℃. When the baby goes to sleep, the amount of heat generated will be reduced, coupled with the reduced sensitivity of the sympathetic nerves, so the body will emit excess heat by way of sweating in order to maintain a normal body temperature.
3, in infancy and early childhood baby, because of the high metabolism, coupled with the baby active, many times even if the night has gone to bed ready to sleep is not restful, resulting in sleep head will also sweat.
4, if the baby drank milk, cream of wheat or ate chocolate before going to sleep, it is also easy to sweat. Because the baby’s body will produce a lot of heat after sleeping, the skin sweating is used to dissipate heat.
5, in the hot weather of summer, due to poor ventilation in the bedroom, the temperature is higher, then the baby is more likely to sweat.
For these kinds of physiological sweating, parents need not worry too much, this is just a physiological phenomenon in the growth process of the baby, and then as the baby grows up, this situation will gradually reduce.
Second, the case of pathological sweating General baby sweating in a quiet state belongs to pathological sweating, such as rickets-induced sweating, mainly manifested in the first half of the night after the baby falls asleep, the head will have obvious sweating, and will appear “pillow baldness”. In the face of this situation, parents should promptly give their babies calcium and vitamin D supplements to control the condition, and the baby will not sweat.
If the baby is sweating in the first half of the night, but still sweating in the second half of the night and before dawn, and accompanied by low fever, flushed cheeks, loss of appetite, fatigue and other symptoms, then there is a possibility of tuberculosis infection. In this case, parents should take the baby to the hospital for a relevant examination and proper treatment as soon as possible.
I would also like to remind parents that if they are not sure whether their baby is sweating pathologically, they must closely observe their baby’s accompanying symptoms and go to the hospital in time to confirm the diagnosis so that they do not miss the best time for treatment and cure the disease as soon as possible, and the sweating will naturally disappear.
Once you find that your baby is sweating while sleeping, parents should pay attention to your child’s daily life and determine whether it is physiological or pathological. If you are sure or suspect that the sweating is pathological, you should go to the hospital immediately.