Diabetic Symptoms in Kids - By: Julia Hanf

It can be hard to spot diabetic symptoms in children. Unfortunately diabetes in children is often overlooked because its symptoms seem to be harmless. Typical symptoms include thirst and frequent urination; however, in children, these symptoms may not be immediately evident, or severe enough to indicate a problem.

Diabetes Types - The majority of children diagnosed with diabetes have type 1, formerly called juvenile diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that causes the immune cells to attack the beta cells in the pancreas. The body uses insulin to convert sugars, starches and other food products into energy. When the beta cells are attacked they stop producing insulin all together, or don’t produce enough insulin to meet the body’s needs. In Type 2 diabetes beta cells continue to produce insulin. In some cases, insulin production is not sufficient, but in other case the problem is that the body is enabling to respond appropriately to the insulin that is produced.

Thirst and Frequent Urination - Symptoms of diabetes are usually the same despite the type. Because your child’s pancreas is no longer able to adequately convert sugars and starches into energy, his body’s glucose, or sugar level, starts to rise. This rise in blood sugar causes extra fluid to be pulled from the tissues, which causes thirst. Obviously the more fluid your child drinks, the more he will urinate.

Hunger and Weight Loss - Lack of insulin also means that your child’s muscles and organs don’t get the energy they need for optimal function. When this happens, your child’s body demands more food in an attempt to amp up his energy level, increasing his appetite. While your child may be eating more, he may also be rapidly losing weight as muscle and fat stores start to shrink. Unexplained weight loss is always a cause for concern and should be evaluated by your child’s doctor.

Other Symptoms - Fluid is can be pulled from the eyes, resulting in blurred vision. If your child already wears glasses, this symptom can be easily confused with а need to change your child’s eyeglass prescription. Irritability and fatigue are other symptoms of diabetes. In girls yeast infections are common.

Risk Factors - According to the Canters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each year more than 13,000 children in the United States are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. The CDC report that cases of type 2 diabetes in children have risen in last two decades. Weighing more than the recommended standards and being inactive are major risk factors for developing type 2. If you have a close family member who has been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, your child may be at an increased risk for developing the disease, though the majority of children diagnosed with type 1 have no family history of the disease.

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