What Causes Excessive Sleepiness in Children?

The primary cause is insufficient sleep and excessive fatigue—for example, a sudden increase in the number of family members or prolonged playtime for the child. Secondary symptoms include low spirits, excessive drowsiness, decreased appetite, sallow complexion, excessive sweating, fatigue, and coughing or wheezing. Another possible cause is drug toxicity, such as accidental ingestion by a child of an adult’s sleeping pills, leading to pronounced drowsiness. Regardless of the underlying cause of the drowsiness, prompt medical attention is essential.