Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to worry about toddler suddenly sweating at night?

24 replies

Anxietyismytoxictrait · 18/05/2022 21:16

DS is two. He’s always been a hot child, runs warm, gets bright red and shiny faced as soon as the sun comes out or he’s running about but we’ve never noticed it at night, even when the room is really warm.

This week he’s had a horrible infection (he’s on antibiotics now) with horribly high temps of 40. He’s on the mend now, we’ve been able to stop the alternating of calpol and nurofen and today is the first day his temp has been normal.

last night his hair was so damp at the back of his head his pillow was damp. I thought it was the fever finally breaking as he’s been closer to normal today but he’s like it again tonight and his forehead is a bit sweaty too. He’s not wearing too much, if anything I was worried he wasn’t wearing enough, and he’s slept in far hotter rooms and not sweat like this.

it seems to be worse in the first 4 ish hours after going to bed and didn’t happen during nap time.

he’s got a bit of a cough, is teething at the same time so is a bit in the wars.

it is niggling me because it’s new - he’s not had it before, and I was wondering if it could be related to the infection still or if toddlers do sometimes just go through night sweats?
has anyone had experience of this just randomly starting?

OP posts:
JaneJeffer · 18/05/2022 21:28

Does he have thick hair? DS1 was like this as a child.

Original poster
Anxietyismytoxictrait · 18/05/2022 21:29

He does, but he always has!
I’m just a bit puzzled why it’s started out of the blue.

OP posts:
Jl3003 · 18/05/2022 21:32

Both my kids are super sweaty sleepers, and it didn’t start until they were about 2 and a half, but if you’re worried best thing is to keep an eye on him especially if he’s been poorly.

PrincessRamone · 18/05/2022 21:35

DS2 was a sweaty kid. I often had to change the bed during the night because he had sweated right through the sheets. Grew out of it at about age 9.

that’s said, if related to recent illness, worth getting it checked out.

Tandora · 18/05/2022 21:37

I think you are over analysing / worrying (totally understandable we all do!!) he’s recovering from a fever, weather’s been hot, he’s a toddler- they are sweaty at night 😅. I would only worry about this if it went on for a couple of weeks and he was consistently drenching through his clothes.
what you are describing sounds totally normal xxx
hope he feels better OP! Xx

Original poster
Anxietyismytoxictrait · 18/05/2022 21:38

Thanks.
I was wondering if it was to do with his body temp regulating as it’s still not back to what it normally is.
he feels hot to touch but has no temperature.

the pillow is only slightly damp so he’s not wringing wet or sweating through sheets (yet!) but I guess I’ve always had the association that night sweats are a bit of a red flag.

I couldn’t find much about it being normal for toddlers to suddenly start sweating at night which is what concerned me.

I’ll see if I can chat to the doctor tomorrow - it’s a run of the mill throat infection he’s had (as far as we know) and he seems to be much better now apart from this and the intermittent cough.

OP posts:
AncientAzalea · 18/05/2022 21:39

It's been pretty warm at night here. All three of mine have run hot. When ds used to nap with me during the day his hair would be wet and my arm would be too!

Original poster
Anxietyismytoxictrait · 18/05/2022 21:40

@Tandora probably bang on as you can see from my username! Unfortunately a fully fledged member of the health anxiety brigade and I tend to catastrophise everything! Usually I can find some info to balance my worst case scenario thinking but made the mistake of googling and lots of awful things came up! I think it’s just the fact it’s a new development.

OP posts:
Original poster
Anxietyismytoxictrait · 18/05/2022 21:41

@AncientAzalea yes his room has been warmer than usual here too so he’s been wearing less - I think had he not slept in a much hotter room pre infection and not been sweaty then I would have probably just put it down to that.

OP posts:
TerryChoc · 18/05/2022 21:43

My LO has been this recently, also on antibiotics and seemed to break through but still getting night sweats and that weird warm smell that we all know! I’ve just put it down to still coming through it. The body heats up to try kill off whatever illness it has so they’ll just be still fighting it off

DDivaStar · 18/05/2022 21:43

His body will be fighting illness still, so temp could still raise at night. End of the day is often when you feel worse. Id give it a few days and it should settle down.

orwellwasright · 18/05/2022 21:44

Is he peri-menopausal?

Darbs76 · 18/05/2022 21:48

Probably started recently as the weather has changed. I wouldn’t worry it sounds normal

Iamnotokifyouarenotok · 18/05/2022 21:50

My daughter was about 2 when she started sweating a lot at night. She is 28 and absolutely fine !

Original poster
Anxietyismytoxictrait · 18/05/2022 21:54

@TerryChoc this is what I wondered but his temp seems normal when it’s happening! Although actually it did raise a tiny bit before bed so maybe that’s what it is.

thanks everyone I will get proper reassurance too I just wanted to be able to sleep tonight and not get gripped by the anxiety spirals

OP posts:
JaneJeffer · 18/05/2022 21:55

orwellwasright · 18/05/2022 21:44

Is he peri-menopausal?

Grin
cottagegardenflower · 18/05/2022 22:00

It's the tail end of his viral infection

Original poster
Anxietyismytoxictrait · 18/05/2022 22:18

@orwellwasright no that’s me 😁

OP posts:
Theluggage15 · 18/05/2022 22:50

My son was a right sweaty sleeper when he was a toddler. And yes often had a damp to the touch pillow. He’s 22 now, not sure if he’s still sweaty at night, could ask his girlfriend but she might think me a bit odd!

lisavanderpumpscloset · 18/05/2022 23:19

My DS is 7. Ever since he was a baby he has sweated through his clothes when asleep. I eventually noticed it happens just after he's fallen asleep, he isn't sweating all night and it happens whether or not he's unwell. No idea why but he's perfectly fine

Yazo · 19/05/2022 00:18

YABU it's quite warm at night now, have you change down his duvet, pjs and kept a window open? I woke up sweaty last night it's just summer calling.

Original poster
Anxietyismytoxictrait · 19/05/2022 19:43

Thank you I’ve calmed down a lot today. He was a bit sweaty this afternoon which has made me feel better as it’s not exclusively night sweating! I’ll keep an eye on it but think it’s most likely a combination of the end of the infection and hot weather. I also took the mattress protector off his bed as this is a new addition and is a bit plasticky so figured it was probably adding to him being hot!

OP posts:
InChocolateWeTrust · 19/05/2022 20:06

My kids go sweaty like that at the start of the night when they are in a very deep sleep. It only started at the age when their sleep got much deeper (18m for ds, more like 28m for dd), where a jet plane could take off above them and they wouldnt wake.

Original poster
Anxietyismytoxictrait · 20/05/2022 00:44

So far tonight no sign of any sweaty hair, could be a coincidence we will see.
I suspect he’s just turning into a very sweaty toddler, he’s always been the tomato cheeked one at soft play etc or as soon as he starts running. on a sunny day he positively glows like a beacon he gets so red so I don’t really know why I’m surprised! I guess because he didn’t feel hot to touch.
thanks for all the helpful posts

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page