Patient's question:
My baby was born at the Maternal and Child Health Hospital on June 27th of this year (currently 6 months old), weighing 3.2KG at birth. He was breastfed for 2 months, then switched to milk formula (calcium and vitamin D supplements were added). His weight was 9KG at 3 months and 10KG at 6 months.On December 22nd, he received intravenous drips for upper respiratory symptoms at the hospital.
Now, he has been experiencing poor appetite, reduced sleep time, frequent crying at night without apparent reason, sweating, and significant weight loss.
Since switching to stage 2 milk formula and rice porridge after 6 months, he often vomits milk, and his stomach also has loose stools (2-3 times a day).
I am very concerned.
Doctor's answer:
Hello: Based on the situation you described, it is recommended to actively take the child to the hospital for a trace element examination. Childhood hyperhidrosis can be divided into two major categories: physiological hyperhidrosis and pathological hyperhidrosis. Physiological hyperhidrosis often has obvious causes, such as wearing too many clothes, intense exercise, or consuming spicy and irritating foods. Once the cause of hyperhidrosis is ruled out, the symptom will disappear. Moreover, children with this type of hyperhidrosis are generally in good health and show no other diseases.Pathological hyperhidrosis in children has more complex causes and is a symptom resulting from the combined effect of multiple diseases. Therefore, it is essential to accurately diagnose the related diseases causing hyperhidrosis in children, identify the root cause, and then effectively treat the condition.
So, how can parents observe and distinguish the nature of their child's hyperhidrosis?
Timing of Hyperhidrosis
- For active rickets, hyperhidrosis is often more pronounced after falling asleep at night and gradually decreases after deep sleep.
- For tuberculosis or other chronic wasting diseases, hyperhidrosis occurs throughout the night, which is known in traditional Chinese medicine as "night sweats."
- Hyperhidrosis during an empty stomach may suggest hypoglycemia.
- Hyperhidrosis when suddenly standing up after squatting should be checked for orthostatic hypotension caused by temporary cerebral ischemia.
Hyperhidrosis with Accompanying Symptoms
- Hyperhidrosis accompanied by bald spots on the head (commonly referred to as "hat-shaped baldness") and skeletal changes such as a square forehead or (beaded ribs) is often associated with rickets.
- Hyperhidrosis accompanied by low-grade fever, reduced appetite, and weight loss should raise suspicion of tuberculosis or other chronic wasting diseases.
- Hyperhidrosis accompanied by wandering joint pain and an increased heart rate should prompt attention to rheumatism.
Hyperhidrosis and Age
- Hyperhidrosis in infants and young children should be checked for active rickets.
- Older children with hyperhidrosis...