Night Sweats In Children: Causes, Symptoms And Treatment

Sleep apnea and certain medications can cause children to sweat excessively when asleep.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Shashidhar A, MD, DM Dr. Shashidhar A Dr. Shashidhar AMD, DM MomJunction on FacebookFollow MomJunction on Linkedin Specialty: Pediatrics and NeonatologyExperience: 14 years
Written by , Medical Doctor Dr Bisny T. Joseph Medical Doctor Follow MomJunction on Linkedin Specialty: Health and Medical TreatmentsExperience: 5 years
Edited by , M.Sc. (Food & Nutrition), MBA Swati Patwal M.Sc. (Food & Nutrition), MBA Follow MomJunction on Linkedin Specialty: Food, Nutrition and HealthExperience: 10 years
Fact-checked by , B.Tech Anindita Ghatak B.Tech Follow MomJunction on Linkedin Specialty: Health & WellnessExperience: 3 years
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A girl is sleeping in a bad

Image: Shutterstock

Sleep hyperhidrosis or night sweats in children can be due to various reasons. It is more common on warm days or when they wear heavy clothes, and thus there is no need to worry. However, if your child is sweating more than usual without any climatic or other reasons, you may seek a pediatrician consultation. Moreover, some health conditions such as hormonal issues and infections can cause night sweats in children. So, read on to know the causes, diagnosis, treatment, and tips to prevent night sweats in children.

In This Article

Possible Causes Of Night Sweats In Children And Teens

There are numerous reasons behind the occurrence of night sweats in children. Here we have listed a few possible reasons, besides excess clothing and heat that might cause night sweats in children.

  1. Sleep apnea: Nocturnal sweating or night sweats is one of the symptoms reported in children experiencing sleep apneaiA condition wherein breathing is repeatedly interrupted while a person is asleep. . This a condition where airflow is obstructed near the upper airway causing snoring. A study has found three times more nocturnal sweating in people with obstructive sleep apnea than in the general population (1). Being overweight and obese are risk factors for sleep apnea.

    Nocturnal sweating or night sweats is a symptom reported in children experiencing sleep apnea

    Image: Shutterstock

  1. Infections: Bacterial infections could also cause night sweats in children. According to the University of Rochester, night sweats could be a symptom of bacterial endocarditis (infection in the heart’s lining) (2). Nocturnal sweat is also among the symptoms of tuberculosis in children (3).

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The hormonal changes during puberty may also cause increased sweating in children (8).

  1. Medications: Certain medications such as antipyretics, antihypertensives, and others may cause night sweating in adults (4). However, it is not known if these medicines cause night sweating or localized or generalized excessive sweating (diaphoresis) among children.
  1. Other conditions: Some other conditions that may cause night sweats are gastroesophageal reflux diseases, hyperthyroidism, immunodeficiencyiA state in which the immune system’s ability to fight diseases and infections reduces. , and hypoglycemiaiA condition when the blood sugar drops below the normal levels. (4). But there is inadequate research to connect these conditions to sweating at night.
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Allergic rhinitis, tonsillitis, insomnia, and parasomnia are some more conditions that may cause night sweats in children. It may be more common in boys when compared to girls (9).

In some cases, night sweating may occur due to nightmares and immune system disorders. Neurological disorders, such as autonomic neuropathy, are also associated with night sweats.

While night sweating is a symptom of an underlying health condition or illness, it is important to also pay attention to other symptoms that could indicate that the child is unwell.

Symptoms And Diagnosis Of Night Sweats In Children 

A physical examination will help a physician diagnose the cause of night sweats

Image: Shutterstock

Along with night sweating, some children may have symptoms such as a fever, cough, discomfort while sleeping, and breathing issues. If these prolong for a long while, then take your child to the doctor. A physician can diagnose the cause of night sweats based on the child’s medical history, physical examination, and overall health.

Parents can take some measures at home to make a child with night sweats feel comfortable.

How To Help Your Child Deal With Night Sweat?

The following steps may help the child feel better and stop the night sweating.

  • Keep the temperature of the room cooler. You may switch on the fan or keep the windows open or switch on the AC at a comfortable temperature.
  • You may keep an ice pack under the pillow of your child if the weather is hot.
  • A cold shower before sleeping may help.
  • Drinking cold water can help avoid dehydration and may help maintain body temperature.
  • Avoiding spicy food before sleeping may help maintain body temperature.
  • Apply a wet cloth on the forehead of the child during the night.

    Helping a child deal with night sweats

    Image: Shutterstock

  • You may get a cool mattress for your child and replace heavy bed sheets and comforters with light ones.

If the child seems unwell or the night sweating continues to be in excess, then consult a physician.

In the next section, we address a few common questions asked about night sweating in children. 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Does cancer cause night sweats in children?

Some types of cancers might cause night sweats. For instance, night sweats are among the symptoms of Hodgkin’s diseaseiA type of cancer affecting the lymphatic system that originates from a specific white blood cell (lymphocytes) type. and Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, both types of cancer (5). Do note there are several other significant symptoms of cancer, and the occurrence of night sweats alone does not point to cancer.

2. Does childhood leukemia cause night sweats?

Night sweats are among the symptoms of childhood leukemia but are not the only symptom of the condition (6) Some other more prominent signs include irritability, weakness, weight loss, frequent infections, unusual bleeding, chills, flashes, and lumps in certain parts of the body.

3. Does anxiety cause night sweats?

According to Harvard Health Publishing, sweating is among the symptoms of anxiety in children (7). However, it is not known if sweating includes night sweats. There are no studies that connect children’s anxiety to night sweats.

4. Do children with diabetes sweat a lot?

Excessive sweating in children or hyperhidrosis can also occur due to diabetes. However, this mostly occurs during the early adulthood stages (8).

Medical conditions such as hormonal imbalances, medications, clothing, and climatic conditions can be reasons for night sweats in children. Rarely, anxiety and serious health conditions such as leukemia can cause sweating in the night hours. You may look for other symptoms with night sweating, such as fever, breathing problems, or cough. Preventive measures such as keeping the room cooler, avoiding spicy foods, drinking cold water, or taking cold showers before sleep may help some children. It is recommended to seek medical care if the symptoms persist regardless of any concerning symptoms.

Infographic: Helpful Ways To Stop Night-Time Sweating In Children

Night sweats in children may be common during hot weather or when they are dressed heavily. However, if you feel that your child’s night-time sweating is obstructing their sleep routine, you may try these helpful tricks to control night sweats in them.

how to help your child deal with night sweat (infographic)

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team

Key Pointers

  • Hormonal imbalances, bacterial infections, and sleep apnea can cause night sweats in children.
  • Conditions such as gastroesophageal reflux disease, immunodeficiency, hypoglycemia, and hyperthyroidism can contribute to this condition.
  • Night sweating can exhibit additional symptoms such as fever, cough, and breathing issues.
  • A cold shower, sleeping on a cool mattress, keeping room temperature cool, and avoiding spicy food can help alleviate night sweats.

Illustration: Night Sweats In Children: Causes Symptoms And Treatment

Night Sweats In Children_illustration

Image: Dall·E/MomJunction Design Team


Is your baby drenched in sleep-time sweat without fever? Decode the potential causes and discover remedies in this enlightening video, addressing concerns for your little one.

References

MomJunction's articles are written after analyzing the research works of expert authors and institutions. Our references consist of resources established by authorities in their respective fields. You can learn more about the authenticity of the information we present in our editorial policy.

1. E. S. Arnardottir et al.; Nocturnal sweating – a common symptom of obstructive sleep apnoea: the Icelandic sleep apnoea cohort; Royal College of Physicians
2. Bacterial Endocarditis in Children; University of Rochester
3. Tuberculosis Symptoms & Causes; Boston Children’s Hospital
4. A. J. Viera, M. M. Bond, and S. W Yates; Diagnosing night sweats; American Family Physician (2003)
5. Symptoms of Childhood Cancers; healthychildren.org
6. Childhood Leukemias; American Childhood Cancer Organization
7. F. Coltrera; Anxiety in Children; Harvard Health Publishing (2018)
8. Hyperhidrosis; Riley Children’s Health

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Dr. Shashidhar A
Dr. Shashidhar AMD
Dr. Shashidhar is a qualified pediatrician and neonatologist with 14 years of experience in pediatrics and neonatology. Currently, he is practicing at St John's Medical College and Tiny Tots Clinic in Koramangala, Bangalore, and is a part of an accomplished team taking care of preterm and sick newborns until discharge and follow up.

Read full bio of Dr. Shashidhar A
Dr Bisny T. Joseph
Dr Bisny T. JosephMedical Doctor
Dr. Bisny T. Joseph is a Georgian Board-certified physician. She has completed her professional graduate degree as a medical doctor from Tbilisi State Medical University, Georgia. She has around 5 years of experience in various sectors of medical affairs as a physician, medical reviewer, medical writer, health coach, and Q&A expert.

Read full bio of Dr Bisny T. Joseph
Swati Patwal
Swati PatwalM.Sc. (Food & Nutrition), MBA
Swati Patwal is a clinical nutritionist, a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) and a toddler mom with more than a decade of experience in diverse fields of nutrition. She started her career as a CSR project coordinator for a healthy eating and active lifestyle project catering to school children.

Read full bio of Swati Patwal
Anindita Ghatak
Anindita GhatakB.Tech
Anindita Ghatak holds a B.Tech degree in Biotechnology from Amity University, Kolkata. During the course of her studies, she has worked on different research projects in the fields of Microbiology and Bioinformatics. Anindita has over three years of experience writing medical articles for journals.

Read full bio of Anindita Ghatak