Some infants sweat excessively while sleeping and may wake up drenched in their own sweat. Babies do tend to sweat during the night, but this is completely normal and shouldn’t cause any cause for alarm. Any child, regardless of age, is susceptible to experiencing night sweats. Night sweats in babies could happen regularly or only occasionally. Find out what causes your baby to sweat during the night and what you can do to help them feel better.
What Is Night Sweat In Babies?
Night sweats are episodes of profuse sweating that occur repeatedly throughout the night and are severe enough to wet the sleeper’s pajamas or bed linens. Your frustration and anxiety are understandable when your baby wakes up hot and sticky from night sweats. Anyone, regardless of age, is capable of experiencing night-time perspiration while sleeping; however, babies are especially susceptible to night sweats due to their underdeveloped thermoregulatory systems. Night sweats can make the baby exhausted and probably cranky.
Is It Normal For Babies To Sweat While Sleeping?
If you are wondering “can babies get night sweats”, yes, it is quite normal for them. While babies are much smaller than adults, their sweat glands are still active. They also lack the ability to control their own temperature. Furthermore, night-time sweating can be caused by a wide range of factors, and not all of them should be taken as cause for alarm.
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However, excessive sweating in babies can also be an indication of an underlying health issue. If your baby experiences a sudden onset of heavy sweating with other symptoms of an illness and it persists for a long period of time, you should consult a pediatrician ASAP.
At What Age Do Babies Start Sweating?
Night sweats are more common in young children because they are unable to control their body temperature as effectively as older children and adults. At some point between the fourth and fifth months of gestation, eccrine glands begin to take shape, initially appearing on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.
Eventually, they will cover almost the entire body, but when a baby is born, not all of them will be fully active. It takes a few weeks after a baby is born before they reach its full potential in terms of its ability to sweat.
What Causes Night Sweats In Babies?
One of the main reasons why children sweat at night is that their bodies haven’t yet learned how to control their temperatures properly. Deep sleep is associated with increased body temperature in both adults and children. But this can be hard for babies because their systems for controlling body temperature aren’t fully developed yet, and they have more sweat glands than they should for their size. The result is a baby’s body getting too hot, which can lead to sweating.,
There are many other potential causes of night sweats in infants, just as there are in adults. It could be a side effect of the drug, an infection, or an underlying health problem.
Here are some reasons for excessive sweating in babies:
1. Too many layers of clothes
Parents who are worried about their infant becoming too cold will often dress or wrap them in multiple layers of clothing and blankets. When a baby is overdressed or covered with too many blankets, their body temperature rises, which can lead to sweating. Dressing a baby in appropriate clothes as per the season is the right approach. No points for guessing that!
Related Reading: How To Dress Baby For Sleep In Summer – 11 Tips Ensure Comfortable Sleep
2. Crying a lot
It takes a lot of strength and stamina to cry. If a baby cries too much, or has colic, it can wear them out and cause them to sweat. When a baby stops crying, this type of sweating usually stops.
3. Warm room
Night sweats in infants are often brought on by sleeping in overly warm rooms. Room temperatures rise when air circulation is restricted and humidity levels are high. Babies will begin to perspire profusely if the room temperature is too high. Sweating is the body’s way of cooling down when it gets too hot.
4. Lying in the same position
Babies are unable to move around on their own and may remain in one position for several hours. In this kind of situation, the infant might get hot and sweat more than usual. Furthermore, while sleeping, your baby will go through various sleep cycles, including deep sleep.
Some infants may experience excessive sweating even when they are in a deep sleep state. In most cases, there is no reason to be concerned about it.
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5. Fever and medicines
Sweating is a common symptom of fever in infants, especially during the night. During a bout with a cold or infection, they could possibly develop a fever. Infants may sweat more than usual if they are given fever-reducing medications like acetaminophen1.
6. Infant sleep apnea
A condition known as sleep apnea occurs when there is a pause in breathing that lasts for twenty seconds or longer while a person is sleeping. The prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea in children ranges from one to ten percent2.
Snoring, difficulty breathing, or mouth breathing during sleep are symptoms of this disorder. Babies who have sleep apnea frequently have night-time sweating3.
7. Certain underlying health issues can also cause sweating in babies
A wide range of medical conditions can cause babies to sweat more than usual.
- Idiopathic hyperhidrosis
A medical condition or symptom is said to be “idiopathic” if its cause is unknown. To put it simply, idiopathic hyperhidrosis is characterized by excessive sweating in the absence of a known medical condition.
Most babies with hyperhidrosis have the same number and size of sweat glands as others. Sweat glands are more active due to increased nervous system activity. It’s very unusual, but it’s not a big deal. Babies’ conditions usually improve as they get older. Unfortunately, the root of hyperhidrosis is still unknown, and it may only affect certain areas of the body.
Related Reading: Cold Hands And Feet In Babies – Why It Happens And What To Do
- Congenital heart disease
Because their bodies are trying to make up for the condition by working harder to pump blood throughout the body, infants with congenital heart disease almost always sweat. According to experts, nearly 1% of infants are born with congenital heart disease4.
Babies with CHD frequently experience increased sweating, particularly those who are more likely to develop congenital heart failure (CHF). One of the earliest signs of congestive heart failure in infants is excessive sweating and crying5.
- Pulmonary issues
Night-time sweating in babies may be linked to a variety of other, more common health problems. These are probably linked to the respiratory system, including the nose, throat, and lungs. Night sweats aren’t a universal symptom of these conditions, so not all babies will have them. A medical research found that children with night sweats were more likely to have6:
- Allergies
- Runny nose from allergies
- Asthma
- Allergic skin reactions like eczema
Related Reading: 7 Common Choking Hazards For Babies At Home And What Can You Do?
How To Deal With Your Baby’s Sweating While Sleeping?
Making some adjustments to the baby’s environment may be helpful in stopping night sweats. Here’s what to do when your baby is sweating at night:
1. Make sure the room is at the right temperature
The ideal temperature for the baby’s room is somewhere in the middle, between warm and cool. Temperatures between 68 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit are ideal for babies (20 and 22 degrees Celsius). The room temperature can be checked with a separate thermometer, or you can use one of the many baby monitors on the market.
2. Make sure baby is dressed in seasonally appropriate clothing
Get the baby dressed for the weather in soft, breathable fabrics. The baby should be kept warm, just as it would have been in the womb. When infants are dressed in excessive layers, they run the risk of overheating quickly. Babies should wear one layer more than moms. That’s all. Pick out clothing made of a fabric that allows air to circulate and that is comfortable.
Related Reading: 9 Tips To Keep Baby Warm At Night In Winters
3. Pick light bedding for the baby
As parents, we think it’s only fair to upgrade our babies’ bedding to warmer materials when the weather gets colder. But this is often one of the most common reasons why infants sweat during the night.
Using inappropriate materials like polyester for baby bedding can make night sweats worse. Linen bedding is an excellent choice as it helps manage night sweats. Hollow linen fibers are more absorbent than cotton. The result is that they aid in maintaining a comfortable temperature throughout the night. The use of cotton percale or bamboo, which are both lightweight and breathable, is also an excellent option.
4. Control baby’s crying
It is possible to sweat excessively when babies cry too much. Therefore, it is extremely important to identify the issue that is causing the baby to cry and find a solution to it. It could be anything from hunger to a wet diaper to a nightmare. Try to calm the baby down and get them back to sleep. If you can, try relocating the baby’s sleep area. Sometimes it works.
5. Keep the baby hydrated
A baby may lose too much fluid if he or she sweats excessively. It raises the risk of becoming dehydrated. It is very dangerous for babies to be dehydrated. Keep the infant well hydrated to make up for fluids lost through perspiration.
When To Consult A Doctor For Baby’s Night Sweating?
In most cases, the solution to the problem of babies sweating can be as simple as making a few adjustments. If any of the following warning signs or symptoms appear, however, it is imperative that you seek medical attention as soon as possible.
- Your infant has a body temperature that is higher than 38 degrees Celsius (or 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit)
- If the infant displays symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea, such as snoring, gasping for air, and long pauses in breathing while sleeping
- The infant is not gaining weight normally, especially when sweating occurs during feeding attempts
- Has symptoms of infection, such as a high temperature or pain, that persist for more than two days
- Baby sweats profusely in temperatures that are comfortable, and the symptoms persist for several days
- Certain parts of the infant’s body give the impression of being unusually sweaty
- The Baby’s urine output has decreased, which may be an indicator of dehydration
- When a baby sweats excessively while being fed (it could be a sign of a heart problem)
Conclusion
Sweating is a natural and healthy bodily function for people of all ages, including infants. But if the baby is sweating a lot, it could mean that they are not comfortable. Sometimes this can be a sign of something much more serious going on with the baby’s health. In the case of any unusual symptoms, parents and caregivers should play it safe and consult a medical professional.
FAQ’s
There is typically no cause for concern regarding a child’s health if they experience normal levels of night sweats. It is essential, however, to rule out the possibility that the baby is experiencing an underlying condition that is causing the night sweats.
Teething does not cause sweating, contrary to popular belief. Many parents think that fever and teething are linked, which may make your baby sweat, but it’s not true.