Question
How can you tell if a child sweats because of heat or because they are deficient in calcium? How can you distinguish between these two conditions in an 18-month-old child? Additionally, what are some suitable calcium supplements, and at what time of day is calcium absorption most likely to occur in children?
Answer
Pathological sweating occurs in children during quiet periods, such as the sweating associated with rickets, which typically manifests as night sweats after falling asleep, especially on the head of the child. This condition is often accompanied by the phenomenon known as “scalp alopecia.” As long as vitamin D and calcium supplementation is administered at the right time, rickets can be controlled, and sweating will cease. If a child sweats not only during the first half of the night but also in the second half and before dawn, accompanied by low fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, flushed cheeks, and other symptoms, they may be infected with tuberculosis. Parents should take their child to the hospital for relevant examinations and treatment. As for