Many babies sweat heavily at night and develop bald patches on the back of their heads, causing considerable worry for parents who wonder if this indicates calcium deficiency. In reality, sweating and bald patches aren't necessarily signs of low calcium. Let's explore this further!
Many moms encounter this scenario while caring for their babies: At night, without covering my baby, her head feels drenched in sweat when I touch it—even though I don't feel particularly warm myself.Is excessive sweating caused by calcium deficiency?
Five scenarios where children experience physiological sweating
Sweating during sleep is common in infants and doesn't necessarily indicate poor health or illness. Many parents assume it stems from a weak constitution, leading to persistent sweating. In reality, a significant number of children experience physiological sweating. This refers to sweating during sleep in otherwise healthy, well-developed children without underlying medical conditions.This type of sweating often occurs on the head and neck, typically in the first half of the night shortly after falling asleep. It usually subsides as the child enters deep sleep.
It is commonly caused by the following five factors:
1. Infants and toddlers have high metabolic rates and are naturally active. Some remain restless even after going to bed, leading to sweating on the head after falling asleep.
2. Parents often rely on their own subjective feelings to determine the optimal room temperature for their child, tending to cover babies with multiple blankets, swaddling them tightly. Children, whose nervous systems are still developing and who are in a period of rapid growth, have highly active metabolism. When exposed to excessive heat, they regulate their body temperature by sweating to evaporate internal heat.
3. Some active children burn significant calories during daytime activities. If their bodies cannot dissipate excess heat through sweating, it accumulates internally, potentially raising their evening temperature to around 38°C (98.6°F). After falling asleep, their heat production decreases and sympathetic nervous system sensitivity weakens, prompting the body to release excess heat through perspiration to maintain normal temperature.
4. Additionally, consuming milk, malted milk, or chocolate before bedtime can trigger sweating. Some parents give their children milk or malted milk before sleep. As the child sleeps, the body generates significant heat, primarily dissipated through skin perspiration.
5. During hot, humid summer weather, poor ventilation in the bedroom makes babies sweat more easily.
Parents need not be overly concerned about physiological sweating, as it is a natural phenomenon during a baby's growth. This tendency typically diminishes as the child ages.