night terrors - Help For Night Sweats

Night Sweats In Children

Children tend to sweat more at night when they are in a deep sleep, which is a higher percentage of the night for them. Since their bodies aren’t fully developed or mature yet their temperature regulation and sweat glands aren’t the same as adults. Add that to a heavy pair of pajamas, a warm room or too many blankets and you the chances of sweating while sleeping are even greater.

If you adjust the environmental factors but your child is still sweating excessively at night or if you notice any other symptoms along with this it is important to check with your pediatrician to make sure there isn’t another issue that needs to be addressed. In most cases night sweats in children isn’t something to be too concerned about, but you should still monitor the frequency and severity of the sweating. While there are many harmless causes, this can also be a sign of a medical condition.

Cold Night Sweats

by Joan

There are a few possible causes of cold sweats at night. Anxiety, fear or stress can cause cold night sweats, as well as pain from injuries or medical problems (heart attack), severe shortness of breath or low blood glucose levels (hypoglycemia). Having a nightmare can also cause this symptom. In most cases they aren’t caused by a serious medical condition but because they can be a sign of something more serious, even a heart attack, it is important to pay attention to them, and to notice if you are experiencing any other symptoms along with the sweating.

The reason they are called cold sweats is because the hypothalamus – our body’s internal thermostat — uses perspiration with other biological mechanisms to help cool the body when it feels it is overheated. Because body temperature drops while you are sweating, you may feel chills during or after sweating. Sometimes internal or external variables can confuse the hypothalamus causing it to trigger those biological mechanisms that cause sudden sweating even when it isn’t really necessary.