My Son Sweats A Lot, What Is Wrong With Him?
It is not uncommon to notice on some occasions that our child sweats a lot. Excessive sweating is also known as hyperhidrosis. Although its cause may lie in some underlying disease, the most normal thing is that it is primary hyperhidrosis.
This is produced by an immaturity in the child’s regulatory systems. So, below, we tell you everything you need to know about children who sweat a lot.
What is hyperhidrosis?
Hyperhidrosis is excess sweating. Sweat is a liquid produced by the body that it expels to the outside through the skin. This liquid is mainly composed of water and mineral salts. It also contains other substances such as sugar or urea. It is produced in structures in the human body known as sweat glands.
The main function of sweat is the regulation of body temperature. The organism functions optimally if it remains stable around 37 ºC.
The way in which sweat regulates body temperature is as follows: sweat passes through the skin through structures called pores. Once it is on the surface of the skin, the water it contains evaporates, cooling the body. It is the central nervous system that is responsible for sending the signals that regulate the amount of sweat and when it occurs.
Apart from regulating body temperature, sweat is also responsible for eliminating waste substances. Likewise, it also regulates the pH of the skin, which serves as a natural barrier for the defense of both germs and bacteria and fungi.
Why does my child sweat a lot?
Although hyperhidrosis may have its cause in some underlying pathology, the most normal thing is that we are faced with a primary hyperhidrosis. This means that no pathological cause is found to justify this excess sweating.
What happens is that, until 4 or 5 years of age, the child’s sweat regulation system has not yet fully matured. Thus, the sweat glands do not work 100%. Your child’s body temperature can rise more sharply. In addition, the amount of sweat that is produced and perspires is not totally well regulated either, so this excess that we are talking about can occur.
In addition to this, it is believed that there are also certain genetic factors that are related to this problem. This means that children have family members with excessive sweating problems. This excess sweating will probably accompany you throughout your life and will begin to manifest itself in these stages.
Other causes why a child sweats a lot
Although, as we have commented, the most common is that a specific cause is not found for which excess sweating occurs, on other occasions, it is produced for various specific reasons. Some of the most common are
- Bacterial or viral infections.
- Disorder or pathology of the central nervous system that regulates the production of sweat.
- Hormonal disorders that cause the message sent by the central nervous system to not be transmitted to the rest of the body as it should.
Of course, another reason why the child sweats a lot can be overcoat. This occurs especially in babies, as there are many parents who put excess clothing on their babies.
How can excessive sweating affect a child?
Excess sweating in children, as in adults, can affect different areas and decrease the quality of life. A very important aspect among those who are affected is the child’s self-esteem. At these ages, these types of problems are complicated, because other children do not understand or empathize and can lead to teasing on their part, which ends up making the infant a complex.
What can I do if my child sweats a lot?
There are certain steps that can be taken to help control excess sweating in your child. Some of the most important are
- Carry out proper hygiene. It is necessary for the child to shower once a day to remove the traces of sweat. If not removed, these debris can be the perfect place for fungi and other bacteria to grow. In addition, it will be a problem of bad body odor.
- Wear clothes with natural and fresh fabrics. Synthetic or tight-fitting clothing encourages sweat production. In addition, after each laying, it will be advisable to wash the child’s clothes.
- Prevent the little one from being overweight. Excess body fat causes more sweat to be produced. This is because fat is a good protector from the cold, so, in excess, it causes the infant’s body temperature to rise more quickly and to sweat more.
There are also some specialized treatments, based on deodorants, medications, and topical treatments. But these will have to be prescribed by a specialist.
As for excess sweat in children, you should know …
It is a common problem and, the vast majority of the time, without good cause. Although it is not a serious condition, it is always advisable to go to the specialist. This will be the one who studies the case to verify that there is no underlying pathology. In addition, it will give recommendations that will improve the infant’s quality of life and will establish a specific treatment, if it deems it necessary.
