Signs and Symptoms of Pediatric Diabetes

Pediatric diabetes, or type 1 diabetes, is a disease that afflicts as many as 1-in-400 children. Diabetes occurs when the pancreas stops producing insulin, which metabolizes sugar that the body uses for energy. If the signs and symptoms of pediatric diabetes are addressed promptly, however, a diagnosed child can expect to live a long, healthy life.

• About 1-in-400 children is diagnosed with pediatric diabetes.

Extreme Thirst

• The most common early symptom of pediatric diabetes is extreme thirst, and thus the need to urinate often. Thirst is caused by excess sugar in the bloodstream that pulls fluid from the body's tissues.

Unexplained Weight Loss

• Weight loss occurs when the body is unable to metabolize sugar and begins to break down fat reserves and muscle instead.

Extreme Hunger

• Another side effect of the body's inability to metabolize sugar is that internal organs are depleted of their reserves, and a feeling of extreme hunger results.

Fatigue and Irritability

• As the body continues to struggle with the depletion of its cells' energy, feelings of intense fatigue and sluggishness are common. This extreme fatigue can in turn cause unusually intense irritability.

Prognosis

• With prompt diagnosis and treatment, the long-term outlook for children with pediatric diabetes is excellent. This involves a strict regimen of tailoring insulin injections to match carbohydrate intake at meals, which allows the body to function as it normally would.