“Why does my son sweat so much?”
My son is 7 years old and he sweats a lot, sometimes more than the average adult. Should this be a concern? Why could he be sweating so much? This typically happens overnight.
3 Answers
Excessive sweating could be from active children's normal reaction to sports activities or overheating due to type of metabolism. But one needs to rule out abnormalities by a check-up in a pediatrician office.
Sweating is the natural thermostat of the body. The body's heat is dissipated through sweating to maintain the body's core temperature is a narrow range from 97°F (36.1°C) to 99°F (37.2°C), for an average of 98.6°F (37°C). It is a normal healthy function of the sweat glands when there is a change in the body's core temperature either due to hot weather, metabolic, hormonal, neuronal or temperament.
The sweat glands get activated to dissipate heat by releasing water and salt as coolants to regulate the body's core temperature. The body's core temperature should be maintained at a normal range to allow normal cellular function. If core body temperature exceeds acceptable range, proteins that are vital to the intricate and complex cellular function may get altered or denatured, compromising survival.
Hot or warm temperature, and physical activity are potent causes of increased body temperature. Exercise or physically demanding work increases metabolic rate that increases heat production and the demand to cool the body through sweating. Sweating is therefore the preferred mode of water excretion instead of the kidneys because adrenalin surge in exercise and other situations demand a better way of releasing water without wasting time to go to washroom during fight and flight. Sweating may therefore be a natural adaptation to conserve time.
The sweat gland are called exocrine because they release their content through a duct system to the surface of the skin for evaporation. There are about 3 million sweat gland throughout the body. The sweat glands are very efficient and effective means of cooling and a person can loose up to 2 litters an hour or 15 litters a day under maximum physical demand. This is about 10% of what the kidneys would filter a day.
There are two kinds of sweat gland:
1) Eccrine sweat glands are the majority spread throughout the body in various densities. They are highly mainly concentrated in the palm, sole, head and neck. However the Eccrine glands are spread through out the body.
The Eccrine sweat gland are the main (primary) body coolant (thermostat) as they mainly use water and small amount of salt as a cooling medium. These glands release 99% water and 1% salt primarily sodium and to a smaller extent potassium and very little calcium and magnesium. Eccrine glands are supplied mostly by sympathetic nervous system, cholinergic fibers. These cholinergic fibers are primarily sensitive to body temperature changes. Adrenergic fibers are also involved to some extent. Change in body's core temperatures does not affect the sweat glands on palms and soles, but secrete mostly at times of emotional stress.
2) Apocrine sweat glands are only found in the axillar area (armpit) and pubic area have limited role in cooling of human beings. There are also apocrine glands on the eye lid and ear canal (cerumen glands). Apocrine sweat glands are not active until puberty. During puberty the apocrine sweat glands get switched on and can produce copious amount of secretion (armpit and pubic area) as puberty progresses.
Apocrine sweat glands do not release the sweat directly to the skin surface but secrete the sweat into the pilary canal of the hair follicle. They produce thick substance that contain fats, protein and androgens. They secrete them in to the hair follicles and the local bacteria in the hair follicles break it down to give the characteristic odor which is typical in puberty.
There are many causes of sweating including, exercise, hot weather, spicy food, heavy meal, emotional stress, obesity, pregnancy, illness, tumors, hormonal imbalance, neuronal and temperament. Sweating can be primary hyperhidrosis or secondary hyperhidrosis (due to known medical causes). It can be localized (50%) to specific areas of the body or generalized to the whole area of the body. It can be throughout the day or only at night. It could be physiological response or pathological response or Idiopathic (most cases of hyperhidrosis).
Many types of food can cause excessive sweating either during the day or at night. Hot and spicy foods make us sweat though not every one responds the same way. Heavy meals make us sweat as they may lead to more insulin response. Some food may trigger adrenalin response. For some people proteins eaten at dinner make cause night time sweating via stimulating hypoglycemia or adrenalin.
Hormonal cause of excessive sweating are rare. Some of the hormonal causes can be hyperthyroidism, premenopausal state, Ovulation, pregnancy, pheocromocytoma, carcinoid syndrome, diabetes, hypoglycemia, adrenalin excess etc.
The symptoms of hyperthyroidism are; rapid heartbeat, hand tremors, mood swings, fatigue nervousness, muscle weakness, trouble sleeping, weight loss, frequent hunger, hyper defecation, and abnormal period. It is mainly caused by autoimmune disease called Graves disease but there are also other entities involved in thyrotoxicosis such as over active thyroid nodules and others.
Pheochromocytoma is a rare endocrine neoplasia that involves multiple organs that are connected by endocrine dysfunction. episodic surge of catecholamine (adrenal) cause episodic diaphoresis, flushing and elevation in blood pressure.
Hypoglycemia is a state of low blood sugar due to many causes that produce excess insulin. In diabetic patients injecting excess insulin or eating less meals can cause hypoglycemia. There are also a different mechanism for sweating in diabetic patients. Gustatory sweating from nerve damage is common in diabetics. This sweating takes place on forehead, neck, face, and scalp after ingesting food. The sweating is mainly in response to adrenalin release not to low blood sugar.
Pancreatic tumors (insulinomas) cause hypoglycemia and the correction mechanism of adrenalin surge that causes profuse sweating.
Obese/overweight people need to cool more and can easily sweat if they are not in a cool room.
Warm room and extra covering blankets and tight cloths may lead to sweating.
Many kinds of foods, medications and supplements can cause low blood sugar leading to adrenalin surge in trying to correct the low blood sugar. A person with hypoglycemia is really diaphoretic not because the blood sugar is low but due to the body's correction mechanism which involves surges in adrenalin release.
Excessive sweating that have no physiological or pathological explanation without the need to cool the body's core temperature is called hyperhidrosis (primary hyperhidrosis). About 2% of the population have some form of primary hyperhidrosis (Idiopathic hyperhidrosis), 50% of them may sweat under their arm.
Excessive sweating of any kind need to be evaluated thoroughly. The person need to see his doctor for proper and complete evaluation. A detailed history, physical exam and laboratory evaluation is necessary. Consider seeing the doctor especially when you have excessive sweating for a long time, when the sweating is interfering with your daily life or interpersonal relations, when it is socially embracing, when you have night sweats, or when you have medical or emotion conditions or when you are taking medications.
Treatment should be based on the cause of the hyperhidrosis. known cause of excessive sweating should be directed in treating the cause. If there are no known causes (idiopathic) you may want to try the following:
1) Use cool room. cool your bedroom before going to bed. And change bed sheets daily
2) Take warm bath or shower before bed.
3) Apply antiperspirants if localized sweating and apply them in clean skin
4) Wear loose dress (clothing). Use cotton or natural fibers. Avoid synthetic fibers
5) maintain clean hygiene.
If sweating becomes bothersome more medical help can be sought. Aluminum chloride based antiperspirants can be considered initially. Drysol is a good initial deodorant to consider. Anticholinergic medications such as Oxybutynin and benzatropin can be helpful with primary hyperhidrosis.
Iontophoresis treatment with low electrical current and Botox injection for localized sweating especially underarm sweating are other alternatives.
Surgical removal of some sweat glands and sympathetic nerve supply to certain sweat glands will be reserved for severe cases of hyperhidrosis.
Going back to your son: Your son is sweating excessively, mainly at night time. This could be primarily primary hyperhidrosis that is not related to any secondary medical causes or core body temperature. In primary hyperhidrosis the sweat glands are active with out any need to cool the core body temperature or any physiologic or disease causes. Secondary causes medical or hormonal issue are unlikely in the absence of any other symptoms except excess sweating. Excess hormones such as hyperthyroidism, elevated cortisol, hypoglycemia, pheochromocytoma, carcinoid syndrome. diabetes will have other symptoms in addition to sweating.
Medical conditions such as infection, fever, tumors etcetera will have other symptoms as well.
Night sweat can be a sign of serious medical condition. It should be taken seriously until there is an explanation or every thing is ruled out. Certain foods including high proteins and foods that may lead to excess insulin production may cause night sweat due to hypoglycemia and adrenalin release. This can be avoided by eating lighter dinner or avoiding food that cause night sweating.
You can improve the night sweating by having less bed sheets and lighter cotton blankets and cooling the bedroom. Warm bath or warm shower (not cold) before bed time will help cool down the body when going to bed.
You should have your son proper medical evaluation.
Make sure hormonal and medical issue are ruled out. Anxiety is also a common cause of sweating. mostly it will involve armpit during puberty and adulthood. Before puberty since apocrine glands are not that active it primarily involves the sole and palm (hand).
When people are nervous/anxious, they make more adrenal and they are in a fight or flight mode. Anxiety can be treated better with psychological counseling though medications may be needed in some situations.
In summary it is important that you discuss this with your doctor. The doctor will perform complete medical, physical and psychological evaluation to distinguish the different causes of the sweating (between primary hyperhidrosis or secondary to various medical or hormonal).
Good Luck.
The sweat glands get activated to dissipate heat by releasing water and salt as coolants to regulate the body's core temperature. The body's core temperature should be maintained at a normal range to allow normal cellular function. If core body temperature exceeds acceptable range, proteins that are vital to the intricate and complex cellular function may get altered or denatured, compromising survival.
Hot or warm temperature, and physical activity are potent causes of increased body temperature. Exercise or physically demanding work increases metabolic rate that increases heat production and the demand to cool the body through sweating. Sweating is therefore the preferred mode of water excretion instead of the kidneys because adrenalin surge in exercise and other situations demand a better way of releasing water without wasting time to go to washroom during fight and flight. Sweating may therefore be a natural adaptation to conserve time.
The sweat gland are called exocrine because they release their content through a duct system to the surface of the skin for evaporation. There are about 3 million sweat gland throughout the body. The sweat glands are very efficient and effective means of cooling and a person can loose up to 2 litters an hour or 15 litters a day under maximum physical demand. This is about 10% of what the kidneys would filter a day.
There are two kinds of sweat gland:
1) Eccrine sweat glands are the majority spread throughout the body in various densities. They are highly mainly concentrated in the palm, sole, head and neck. However the Eccrine glands are spread through out the body.
The Eccrine sweat gland are the main (primary) body coolant (thermostat) as they mainly use water and small amount of salt as a cooling medium. These glands release 99% water and 1% salt primarily sodium and to a smaller extent potassium and very little calcium and magnesium. Eccrine glands are supplied mostly by sympathetic nervous system, cholinergic fibers. These cholinergic fibers are primarily sensitive to body temperature changes. Adrenergic fibers are also involved to some extent. Change in body's core temperatures does not affect the sweat glands on palms and soles, but secrete mostly at times of emotional stress.
2) Apocrine sweat glands are only found in the axillar area (armpit) and pubic area have limited role in cooling of human beings. There are also apocrine glands on the eye lid and ear canal (cerumen glands). Apocrine sweat glands are not active until puberty. During puberty the apocrine sweat glands get switched on and can produce copious amount of secretion (armpit and pubic area) as puberty progresses.
Apocrine sweat glands do not release the sweat directly to the skin surface but secrete the sweat into the pilary canal of the hair follicle. They produce thick substance that contain fats, protein and androgens. They secrete them in to the hair follicles and the local bacteria in the hair follicles break it down to give the characteristic odor which is typical in puberty.
There are many causes of sweating including, exercise, hot weather, spicy food, heavy meal, emotional stress, obesity, pregnancy, illness, tumors, hormonal imbalance, neuronal and temperament. Sweating can be primary hyperhidrosis or secondary hyperhidrosis (due to known medical causes). It can be localized (50%) to specific areas of the body or generalized to the whole area of the body. It can be throughout the day or only at night. It could be physiological response or pathological response or Idiopathic (most cases of hyperhidrosis).
Many types of food can cause excessive sweating either during the day or at night. Hot and spicy foods make us sweat though not every one responds the same way. Heavy meals make us sweat as they may lead to more insulin response. Some food may trigger adrenalin response. For some people proteins eaten at dinner make cause night time sweating via stimulating hypoglycemia or adrenalin.
Hormonal cause of excessive sweating are rare. Some of the hormonal causes can be hyperthyroidism, premenopausal state, Ovulation, pregnancy, pheocromocytoma, carcinoid syndrome, diabetes, hypoglycemia, adrenalin excess etc.
The symptoms of hyperthyroidism are; rapid heartbeat, hand tremors, mood swings, fatigue nervousness, muscle weakness, trouble sleeping, weight loss, frequent hunger, hyper defecation, and abnormal period. It is mainly caused by autoimmune disease called Graves disease but there are also other entities involved in thyrotoxicosis such as over active thyroid nodules and others.
Pheochromocytoma is a rare endocrine neoplasia that involves multiple organs that are connected by endocrine dysfunction. episodic surge of catecholamine (adrenal) cause episodic diaphoresis, flushing and elevation in blood pressure.
Hypoglycemia is a state of low blood sugar due to many causes that produce excess insulin. In diabetic patients injecting excess insulin or eating less meals can cause hypoglycemia. There are also a different mechanism for sweating in diabetic patients. Gustatory sweating from nerve damage is common in diabetics. This sweating takes place on forehead, neck, face, and scalp after ingesting food. The sweating is mainly in response to adrenalin release not to low blood sugar.
Pancreatic tumors (insulinomas) cause hypoglycemia and the correction mechanism of adrenalin surge that causes profuse sweating.
Obese/overweight people need to cool more and can easily sweat if they are not in a cool room.
Warm room and extra covering blankets and tight cloths may lead to sweating.
Many kinds of foods, medications and supplements can cause low blood sugar leading to adrenalin surge in trying to correct the low blood sugar. A person with hypoglycemia is really diaphoretic not because the blood sugar is low but due to the body's correction mechanism which involves surges in adrenalin release.
Excessive sweating that have no physiological or pathological explanation without the need to cool the body's core temperature is called hyperhidrosis (primary hyperhidrosis). About 2% of the population have some form of primary hyperhidrosis (Idiopathic hyperhidrosis), 50% of them may sweat under their arm.
Excessive sweating of any kind need to be evaluated thoroughly. The person need to see his doctor for proper and complete evaluation. A detailed history, physical exam and laboratory evaluation is necessary. Consider seeing the doctor especially when you have excessive sweating for a long time, when the sweating is interfering with your daily life or interpersonal relations, when it is socially embracing, when you have night sweats, or when you have medical or emotion conditions or when you are taking medications.
Treatment should be based on the cause of the hyperhidrosis. known cause of excessive sweating should be directed in treating the cause. If there are no known causes (idiopathic) you may want to try the following:
1) Use cool room. cool your bedroom before going to bed. And change bed sheets daily
2) Take warm bath or shower before bed.
3) Apply antiperspirants if localized sweating and apply them in clean skin
4) Wear loose dress (clothing). Use cotton or natural fibers. Avoid synthetic fibers
5) maintain clean hygiene.
If sweating becomes bothersome more medical help can be sought. Aluminum chloride based antiperspirants can be considered initially. Drysol is a good initial deodorant to consider. Anticholinergic medications such as Oxybutynin and benzatropin can be helpful with primary hyperhidrosis.
Iontophoresis treatment with low electrical current and Botox injection for localized sweating especially underarm sweating are other alternatives.
Surgical removal of some sweat glands and sympathetic nerve supply to certain sweat glands will be reserved for severe cases of hyperhidrosis.
Going back to your son: Your son is sweating excessively, mainly at night time. This could be primarily primary hyperhidrosis that is not related to any secondary medical causes or core body temperature. In primary hyperhidrosis the sweat glands are active with out any need to cool the core body temperature or any physiologic or disease causes. Secondary causes medical or hormonal issue are unlikely in the absence of any other symptoms except excess sweating. Excess hormones such as hyperthyroidism, elevated cortisol, hypoglycemia, pheochromocytoma, carcinoid syndrome. diabetes will have other symptoms in addition to sweating.
Medical conditions such as infection, fever, tumors etcetera will have other symptoms as well.
Night sweat can be a sign of serious medical condition. It should be taken seriously until there is an explanation or every thing is ruled out. Certain foods including high proteins and foods that may lead to excess insulin production may cause night sweat due to hypoglycemia and adrenalin release. This can be avoided by eating lighter dinner or avoiding food that cause night sweating.
You can improve the night sweating by having less bed sheets and lighter cotton blankets and cooling the bedroom. Warm bath or warm shower (not cold) before bed time will help cool down the body when going to bed.
You should have your son proper medical evaluation.
Make sure hormonal and medical issue are ruled out. Anxiety is also a common cause of sweating. mostly it will involve armpit during puberty and adulthood. Before puberty since apocrine glands are not that active it primarily involves the sole and palm (hand).
When people are nervous/anxious, they make more adrenal and they are in a fight or flight mode. Anxiety can be treated better with psychological counseling though medications may be needed in some situations.
In summary it is important that you discuss this with your doctor. The doctor will perform complete medical, physical and psychological evaluation to distinguish the different causes of the sweating (between primary hyperhidrosis or secondary to various medical or hormonal).
Good Luck.
If you son produces too much androgens (male sexual hormones produced by the adrenal glands) could be one reason to sweat a lot. There is a conditioncalled Nonclassical adrenal hyperplasia in which there are increased production of androgens. He deserves an evaluation by an endocrinologist.
