Responsible parents who carefully monitor the development of the newborn crumbs notice even minor deviations from the norm in his condition. And they are alarmed if the baby's legs and hands are sweating. This can be both a simple reaction of the body to environmental factors, and a manifestation of developing diseases. Let's figure out why some babies have excessive sweating of their limbs and whether it is necessary to sound the alarm if the child suddenly has such a problem.
Natural causes that cause sweating
Sweating is the physiological response of the body to internal and external factors. Its task is to normalize water-salt metabolism and establish thermoregulation. Factors such as emotional outburst, physical activity, excess fluid intake, staying in a stuffy room, too hot clothes or a plaid, as well as some ailments can trigger increased sweating.
In infants, legs and hands sweat, not only from natural causes. Such a manifestation may indicate the development of any pathological process in the baby's body, but you do not need to panic right away. First, it is necessary to exclude all natural factors that affect the thermoregulation of the baby.
The mechanism of thermoregulation is poorly developed in newborns. In addition, the child has just begun to get used to the effects of environmental factors. That is why even a slight change in temperature upwards or overheating from clothes cause an acute reaction in the crumbs, and increased sweating begins.
A few words about the features of thermoregulation baby
The temperature of the human body is kept at the same level, regardless of climate. If a person is healthy, then the value does not exceed 36.6-37 ° C. It is the thermoregulation mechanism that maintains temperature at the same level. However, it works in children in a special way. And parents who ask themselves why babies are sweating their arms and legs need to know about it.
So, immediately after the baby is born, an unstable temperature is observed from the following factors:
- with too much overheating;
- if there is overcooling of the legs;
- from eating food;
- with crying and the manifestation of colic;
- if the child has a congenital pathology and disease.
The younger the baby, the greater the heat transfer in his body. In young children, thermoregulation is imperfect. Therefore, parents should carefully monitor that the baby is not cold or hot. First of all, the legs of the baby sweat and hands, if his family did not choose the right clothes for him.
Primary and secondary hyperhidrosis
Parents who observe the phenomenon described in a child should establish why this is happening. This may be due to primary or secondary hyperhidrosis. The first is not a sign of disease and is external in nature. The hereditary factor can also be attributed to it.
But secondary hyperhidrosis is a sign that serious diseases occur in the body of the crumbs. We will talk about them below.
What diseases can excessive sweating indicate?
According to doctors, if the baby has wet hands and feet, they can sweat in certain diseases, the presence of which the specialist should check first of all:
- thyroid disease;
- hormonal disbalance;
- impaired renal and lung function;
- hypertension;
- rickets;
- worming;
- diabetes.
Rickets is a serious illness and occurs when there is not enough vitamin D in the baby’s body. With this diagnosis, the baby has severe sweating of the legs, nape and palms. In addition, the phenomenon can be observed after prolonged improper use of drugs.
Why do babies feet and hands sweat? The reasons identified by medical specialists are as follows:
- Incomplete endocrine system.
- Increased body weight of the baby.
- Artificial feeding.
- Problems in the functioning of the digestive system.
- Reception of antibiotics, drugs that contribute to vasoconstriction, as well as antipyretic drugs.
Remember that premature babies suffer from sweating hands and legs much more often than children born on time.
What says Dr. Komarovsky
What to do if the baby sweats arms and legs? Komarovsky, one of the best pediatricians, says that the temperature of the arms and legs of even an adult, and not just a child, is slightly lower than in the area where we used to put a thermometer. If, feeling the baby’s legs, you feel that they are cold, you need to pay attention not to the thermometer, but to the degree of blood circulation. If the skin is cool and has a pink tint, then the crumbs are not cold. In the case when cyanosis is observed, it is necessary to shelter the child, because he is freezing.
There are also cases when cool, moist feet and palms of infants indicate incipient rickets. Prevention of this disease is the regular intake of vitamin D, produced by pharmaceutical companies in the form of tasteless drops.
Parents who have noticed excessive sweating of their arms, legs and neck, and also note a deterioration in their child’s sleep, should seek medical help to prevent the development of the disease.
Dr. Komarovsky also says that the described phenomenon may indicate malfunctioning of the thyroid gland and the development of pathologies of the nervous system. Therefore, it is necessary to consult doctors and not to leave disturbing symptoms without attention.
Useful tips and preventative measures
There are some factors that contribute to increased sweating of the legs and arms of the child. If they are eliminated, the situation will change in a positive direction.
- Ventilate the apartment every day, and the room where the child sleeps, at least twice a day.
- Bathe your baby in a warm bath daily from the first days of life.
- The kid should take air baths. To do this, undress it completely, remove the diaper and hold it without clothes for several minutes.
- Give your child a massage. A professional massage therapist is invited to gain some knowledge. After several sessions, mom will be able to carry out the procedure on her own.
- Do not lubricate the baby's palms and feet with baby cream and oil.
- Breastfeed your baby as long as possible, because natural feeding is the prevention of many diseases.
- Buy clothes for a child that are made from natural materials.
- Wash children's items with such products that are designed for this.
- Do not wrap the baby in warm clothing or swaddle it tight. Also, you do not need to wrap the child in an extra blanket unnecessarily.
- Add decoctions of plants to the bathing water: calendula, string, chamomile, oak bark.
Experts note that increased sweating of the feet and hands of the infant in some cases occurs due to stressful situations. For example, if parents raise their voice too much during a conversation, mom and dad are nervous or they are in a bad mood.
If all external irritants have been excluded, and the legs and arms are sweating in the baby, it is imperative to visit specialists. They will be able to make an accurate diagnosis and tell you how to treat the child.
Anxiety symptoms
If suddenly the baby has excessive sweating of the arms and legs, then parents should be worried in the following cases:
- When the baby often and sweats heavily while feeding or playing.
- If the sweat smells strongly, and the skin integuments are irritated.
- In case sweating of certain parts of the body is observed.
- If the moist areas of the skin are cold.
You should also worry if the baby does not sleep well and becomes restless.
In the first stages of the disease, the child's legs, armpits and arms sweat. Often this is associated with the peculiarities of the functioning of the sweat glands or nervous excitement. Some parts of the body then become covered due to a reaction to stress or when environmental conditions change. In this case, the sweat smells strongly and has a sour smell.
What to do?
Do babies sweat their legs and arms? Surely every parent wants to know what to do in this situation. In any case, you do not need to self-medicate. If you have eliminated all the annoying external factors and sweating is still observed, it is necessary to show the child to a specialist. He will prescribe the appropriate tests, conduct an examination and will be able to find out if the baby has hidden serious diseases. Remember that if the legs and arms sweat in the baby, only a doctor prescribes treatment for secondary hyperhidrosis. For primary hyperhidrosis, he will give you useful recommendations.
What tests need to be passed?
If you follow all the above recommendations, regularly ventilate the room and do not overheat the child, but his arms and legs continue to sweat, this is probably due to the development of some diseases. Only a doctor can exclude them. To do this, pass the appropriate tests:
- General analysis of blood, as well as urine.
- Sweat analysis to detect cystic fibrosis.
- A blood test to determine the level of sugar and hormones.
- Analysis determining the Wassermann reaction.
Also, the child is sent for an ultrasound examination of the thyroid gland. Such a thorough examination is necessary so that the doctor can make an accurate diagnosis.
The list of analyzes is approximate; it can be shortened or supplemented. After all, each case is individual. But doctors will surely find out the reasons why the hands and legs are sweating in the baby.
Conclusion
When the palms and feet of the baby begin to liberate sweat profusely, this may indicate a healthy body reaction to interaction with the outside world. But at the same time, this phenomenon sometimes indicates that a disease develops in the child's body. It is very important not to panic and not to self-medicate the baby. Suspecting something was wrong, parents should immediately consult a doctor for advice.