Patient's question:
A child who is one year and eight months old often sweats profusely and has difficulty sleeping at night. Some people say this is due to heart fire and dryness, but I'm not sure if that's the case. Is there any method to address this?Doctor's answer:
Hello: 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 stimulating foods. Once the cause of hyperhidrosis is ruled out, the symptom disappears. Moreover, children with this type of hyperhidrosis are generally in good health and show no other diseases.Pathological hyperhidrosis in children is more complex, as it is a symptom resulting from the combined effect of multiple diseases. Therefore, it is essential to accurately diagnose the relevant 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, gradually decreasing after deep sleep.
- For tuberculosis or other chronic wasting diseases, hyperhidrosis occurs throughout the night, which is known as "night sweats" in traditional Chinese medicine.
- Hyperhidrosis during an empty stomach may suggest hypoglycemia.
- Hyperhidrosis when standing up suddenly after squatting should be checked for orthostatic hypotension caused by temporary cerebral ischemia.
Hyperhidrosis with Associated Symptoms
- Hyperhidrosis accompanied by bald spots on the head (commonly referred to as "hat-shaped baldness" in children) and skeletal changes like a square forehead or (beaded ribs) is often indicative of rickets.
- Hyperhidrosis accompanied by low-grade fever, decreased appetite, and weight loss should raise suspicion of tuberculosis or other chronic wasting diseases.
- Hyperhidrosis accompanied by wandering joint pain and tachycardia should prompt attention to rheumatoid arthritis.
Hyperhidrosis and Age
- Hyperhidrosis in infants and young children warrants attention for active rickets.
- Older children with hyperhidrosis should be particularly monitored for tuberculosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and parasitic infections.
Location of Hyperhidrosis
- Generalized hyperhidrosis is often associated with infectious conditions.