The most common sites are the hands and feet. Some children even as young as Key Stage One can be affected by hyperhidrosis of the hands and feet. Other areas of the body that can be affected are the armpits, face/head, chest, back and groin. These sites are typically affected at or after puberty. Most people, once they develop hyperhidrosis, are affected for life.

We don’t know precisely what causes it, but we do know that the nerves that make us sweat are switched on more in people who have the condition.

Imagine what your average day would be like if your hands or feet were constantly wet and you might begin to understand how a person with hyperhidrosis is affected. Holding a pen and writing on paper which just absorbs the sweat from the hand, holding hands with parents, siblings, friends is often avoided.
Shoes and socks can be wet through all day long which eventually causes shoes to rot and then leaving footprints when walking across the floor without them on. When it affects the body embarrassing wet patches appear on clothes. Although typically worse in the summer when the temperature is raised, people with hyperhidrosis also sweat in the winter and when it is colder.

You can hopefully see how these effects on young people not only prevent them from performing everyday tasks we take for granted but can often lead to isolation from not wanting to get involved with many activities, especially ones that highlight the fact that they are sweating heavily.

It cannot be cured but there are several methods to manage the condition and treat the symptoms. The GP can prescribe strong antiperspirants which are applied to the skin at night time so they are effective during the following day. For the hands, feet and underarms a procedure called iontophoresis is often used. This passes a small electric current through the skin to reduce sweating. This can be started in hospitals, but parents often buy their own for their child to use at home. When simple measures don’t work, there are  specialist doctors called dermatologists that can provide other treatments.

Pencils with softer graphite are less likely to tear paper when sharpened to a point and move over the paper easier so HB or B grade would be recommended. Mechanical pencils will remove issues that can surround the sharpening process. If erasers are used, it is important to keep the erasing surface dry otherwise it will smudge. Grips placed over the pencil or pen, or choosing pencils or pens with a built-in grip, will aid use for those with sweating hands.

Protection of the paper onto which the child is writing is important to prevent it getting damp. A paper towel or cardboard placed under the hand will help. The environment is important too, so ensuring there is a good air flow and ventilation to help remove the moisture form the skin can help; a fan or an open window might be helpful. There is more chance that the child could ruin work with their wet hands so understanding and some extra time to complete a task could remove the worry for them.

If a child’s hands are affected, then it is highly likely their feet will be too. Although sweat itself is odourless, in the confines of shoes and socks, bacteria present on the skin cause smells. This could be noticed by other children. The child may wish to change their socks regularly and if possible, have a second pair of shoes so that they can alternate the pairs giving the other pair a chance to dry out properly. However, given the cost of children's shoes this is not going to be an option for many.  Walking across tiled and non-carpeted floor surfaces may cause the child to slip because their feet will be wet, in the same way everyone’s are when they get out of the bath or shower.