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Childhood Diabetes Symptoms

Childhood diabetes, or type 1 diabetes, occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin. Childhood diabetes is also referred to as juvenile diabetes or type 1 juvenile diabetes. Unlike type 2 diabetes, childhood diabetes is not known to be preventable or reversible through diet and exercise. Insulin must be taken to stay alive and healthy. For parents, knowing the symptoms of childhood diabetes is important.

  1. Weight Loss

    • Weight loss is a major early symptom of childhood diabetes. There is too much glucose in the blood but the child's body is unable to get adequate energy, nutrition or insulin from the glucose. Weight loss results.

    Frequent Urination

    • Trips to the bathroom may increase as your child's body tries to expel the overabundance of glucose in her blood. Frequent urination can be the first of the childhood diabetes symptoms to occur and one of the first for a parent to notice. One of the signs of frequent urination, especially at night, may be an increase in the frequency of the child wetting the bed.

    Appetite Increase

    • An increase in appetite can occur during childhood diabetes. Your child may complain often about being hungry. This occurs because the glucose in the child's blood is not being utilized as energy. The child's muscles, organs, tissues and nerves experience a lack of energy and nourishment. As a result, the child can become excessively hungry.

    Increased Thirst

    • Since bodily fluids and water are expelled with frequent urination, the child will become thirstier to replace those lost fluids. Electrolytes are also lost during urination, so the child requests more liquids to help replace them.

    Blurry Vision

    • If the child complains about not being able to see objects clearly, such as the blackboard at school, childhood diabetes could be the culprit.Early treatment by a doctor can help counteract this childhood diabetes symptom.

    Fatigue

    • The child may feel weak, fatigued and want to rest more often than normal. The weakness occurs because of the lack of energy being produced in the child's cells.

    Prolonged Wound Healing

    • Cuts and scrapes that seem to take a long time to heal can be an indicator of juvenile diabetes. The overabundance of sugar in the blood damages the capillaries, creates fatty deposits and causes the blood pathways to narrow. The flow of blood through the body reduces, decreasing the nutrition and oxygen present that is needed by the child's cells. Nerve damage can also occur. The presence of bacteria, which can occur because of the lack of nutrient-rich blood circulation, can keep wounds from healing in a normal amount of time.

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