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Signs & Symptoms of Child Onset Diabetes

According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, approximately 13,000 children are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes annually in the United States. This condition is also called juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes. Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body doesn't manufacture enough of a hormone called insulin. This hormone transfers glucose from the blood into the cells, where it is used for energy. The lack of insulin in the body causes glucose to build up in the blood, which is referred to as high blood sugar. Symptoms of type 1 diabetes can affect the body gradually or suddenly.

  1. Thirst and Urination

    • When Type 1 diabetes is present, the body pulls fluid from the tissues to help dilute the excess glucose in the blood, which can make your child more thirsty than usual as the body tries to replace this fluid. The extra glucose is flushed out of the body in the urine. This action causes the person to make frequent trips to the bathroom to pass large amounts of urine. The increased need to urinate can cause your child to wet the bed at night.

    Blurred Vision

    • Your child may complain of blurred vision if he has child-onset diabetes. The body can pull fluid from the lenses of the eyes when a person's blood sugar is too high, which can affect the way the eyes focus.

    Hunger

    • A person with type 1 diabetes can experience intense hunger. Since the cells don't have the necessary amount of glucose for energy, the body craves more food to use as fuel, but the tissues won't receive the required energy without the help of insulin.

    Weight Loss and Fatigue

    • Despite an increased appetite, your child can lose weight. The muscles and fat stores shrink as the body breaks down these tissues as a way to get energy to the hungry cells. The Mayo Clinic reports that an unexplained weight loss is often the first symptom of this condition. When the body doesn't have enough energy, your child can experience fatigue and lethargy.

    Infections

    • The first symptom of type 1 diabetes in babies and young children may be a yeast infection that causes a severe diaper rash. A vaginal yeast infection in a girl that hasn't started puberty can be a symptom of type 1 diabetes.

    Diabetic Ketoacidosis

    • If type 1 diabetes goes undiagnosed and untreated, the blood sugar can become very high, which causes diabetic ketoacidosis. Symptoms of this serious condition can be mistaken for the flu or appendicitis. Symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis include deep and rapid breathing; dry skin and mouth; flushed face; fruity-smelling breath; nausea or vomiting, which can interfere with the ability to keep fluids down; stomach pain; and loss of consciousness.

    High Blood Sugar

    • According to the National Institutes of Health, additional signs of type 1 diabetes include at least two fasting blood glucose levels of greater than 126 mg/dL, a non-fasting glucose level of greater than 200 mg/dL accompanied by symptoms of this condition and an oral glucose tolerance test result of greater than 200 mg/dL two hours after drinking a glucose solution.

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