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Could head sweating indicate a bigger problem?
By Dr. Jonathan Wright on 01/20/2011
Question: I've noticed that when I go in to check on my son after he's gone to sleep that his head and pillow are damp from sweat. Is this normal?
Dr. Wright: Head sweating is one of the symptoms of rickets, a severe vitamin D deficiency disease that usually occurs in childhood. But over 20 years ago, Dr. Joseph T. Hart discovered that it doesn't necessarily indicate full-blown rickets. He found that head sweating could also be a sign of a less-severe vitamin D deficiency.
Talk to your child's doctor to rule out any other possible causes. If everything checks out, you may want to consider starting him on a vitamin D supplement, or increasing the dosage of any vitamin D supplements he might already be taking.
Dr. Hart found that a dose of 1,200 IU of vitamin D per day generally clears up any deficiency and the symptoms -- like head sweating -- that accompany it.
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Jonathan V. Wright, M.D. has degrees from both Harvard University (cum laude) and the University of Michigan. More than any other doctor, he practically invented the modern science of applied nutritional biochemistry and he has advanced nutritional medicine for nearly three decades.
As of today, Dr. Wright has received over 35,000 patient visits at his now-famous Tahoma Clinic in Washington State.
To learn more about Dr. Wright, and to sign up for his free Health e-Tips eLetter, please visit www.wrightnewsletter.com.
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Comments
Mr. Sirajul Islam
Well, a good question raised. Many children have this problem, but it could be a pointer for bigger disease as Dr. Wright hinted. Vitamin D deficiency is a know major reason for rickets. It was thought earlier that Vitamin C deficiency is resoponsible. We can change lifestyle so that we, as well as our children can get enough vitamins naturally. Exposure to sunlight for 15-20 min, taking cod liver oil, eggs, fishes can do the tricks. Taking vegetable and fruits raw are also important. But you can, as Dr. Wright advised, see a doctor to check whether your son can pass the TB skin test (10mm max), and if not, get a chest x-ray.
F W Bomonti DC
An additional thought could be a sleep related issue such as apnea. More young people are being diagnosed with sleep apnea now that there is a greater awareness of the condition.
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