Dr. Gwenn Schurgin O'Keeffe, MD, FAAP

Dear Dr. Gwenn,

My son is four years old and sweats an awful a lot, is that normal? He does this mainly at night while he sleeps. Also, how does one stop the constant complaining of "my leg hurts?" I rub it for about 15 minutes and he still wants more.

Signed,
Angel

Dear Angel:

All kids sweat and many sweat more when sleeping. Make sure his room is at a comfortable temperature and he is not dressed too warmly or covered in too many blankets.

To evaluate the leg pain, the first question to ask is whether the discomfort is interfering with activity at all. If not, likely this is a combination of growing pains as well as attention seeking. Consult your pediatrician if you notice your child not keeping up with other kids or needing to rest during the day because of muscle cramps or pain. Similarly, if your child is becoming somewhat needy, that is a signal to you that your child is feeling anxious when you are not around. That is not at all uncommon for 4 year olds. Talk to your pediatrician if the complaints become more consuming or are interfering with normal daily activities, including social time.

Best,
Dr. Gwenn

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About the Author
Pediatrician, Dr. Gwenn Schurgin O'Keeffe, MD, is a board-certified pediatrician and Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Gwenn is an experienced columnist, educator, and practicing pediatrician. Dr. Gwenn strives to write as if she were talking to a parent. As a parent herself, she knows how important it is to obtain information but also understand how precious little time parents have to find that information on the internet. Pediatrics Now was developed to fill that gap and provide a bridge between the parenting and pediatrics worlds.

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