Question

Is excessive sweating in children a sign of a cold?

Answer

At this stage, the baby’s nervous system has not fully developed, and the nerves that manage sweat glands are particularly excited at night. Therefore, mothers should pay attention to the care, as excess sweat that is not wiped away promptly can cause salt in the sweat to easily irritate the baby’s skin, leading to itching and “nape baldness.” However, if in addition to nape baldness, there are symptoms such as night terrors, night crying, irritability, and abnormal bone development, it may be rickets, indicating a calcium deficiency. Generally, children who sweat excessively often have night sweats due to yin deficiency and heat disturbance, causing the heart fluid to fail to be contained. What we often see is that children start to sweat a lot soon after falling asleep, often drenching pillowcases, nightgowns, and other clothing. This is because the body temperature of children rises when they first fall asleep, making excessive sweating in these children particularly apparent. This is a physiological phenomenon.