The Causes of Excessive Sweating

Are you concerned your childsweats too much?

Unlike older children and teens, hyperhidrosis (excessive sweat) in younger children isn’t common.

Verywell / Brianna Gilmartin

Types of Excessive Sweating

There are two different types of excessive sweating.

Causes of Excessive Sweating in Young Children

Verywell / Brianna Gilmartin

They often have sweaty palms, feet, or armpits.

Their faces might also sweat too much.

Young children don’t often sweat excessively.

If the heat and humidity are high, then sweating is completely normal.

What Causes Excessive Sweating?

A common cause of excessive sweating is over-bundling (overdressing your child) or keeping your home too warm.

In general, babies and young children should be dressed similarly to adults in the home.

Yet many parents bundle their children much more than they bundle themselves.

Other “normal” causes of excessive sweating include anxiety, a fever, or physical activity.

With young children, you’re probably familiar with the amount of sweat typical when they’re active.

Primary hyperhidrosis is often thought to be an inherited trait.

If one parent has hyperhidrosis, the likelihood of a child also having it is much higher.

Research indicates that hyperhidrosis is a dominant trait, which increases the chances of inheritance.

With secondary hyperhidrosis, the conditions that cause excessive sweating can range from mild to serious.

Check with your pediatrician if it continues or if your child has other symptoms, like a fever.

Diagnosis

If your child seems to sweat excessively, it’s important to see their pediatrician.

Excess sweating doesn’t mean that your child has a serious medical condition.

Many children who have excessive sweating are healthy.

Then they will carefully examine your child and may do some blood tests.

It is important to make an appointment with your child’s pediatrician if you notice excessive sweating.

Most causes can be effectively treated, especially if they are diagnosed early.

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Center for Hyperhidrosis at Columbia University Medical Center.Is Hyperhidrosis Genetic?

PediatricEducation.org.What causes sweaty babies?