How to Spot Diabetes in Your Child

Even in health-conscious homes, conditions like childhood diabetes can go unrecognized in their early stages. Understanding the basic signs can help parents act early and seek care before complications develop.

Your child’s body uses glucose as its main source of fuel to stay healthy and keep running. 

Insulin is like a bridge that helps glucose cross from the bloodstream into cells. But when your child has diabetes, the body either can’t make insulin (Type 1 diabetes) or the insulin doesn’t work as it should (Type 2 diabetes).

When there’s no “bridge,” glucose can’t enter cells normally, which causes blood sugar levels to become too high. Too much sugar in the blood can make your child sick if they don’t get treatment.

Recognizing the early symptoms of diabetes in children can help parents identify warning signs and seek medical assistance before serious complications develop. Because your child may not always be able to explain how they feel, and early symptoms can look like normal childhood changes, it’s vital to be aware of symptoms.

Early Symptoms

• Blurred vision: High blood sugar can cause brief changes in vision.
• Extreme thirst: When your child’s blood sugar is high, it causes their body to lose fluids. The result is dehydration. So, one of the earliest signs of diabetes may be your child constantly asking for something to drink or still seeming to be thirsty after getting what would normally be enough fluid.
• Fatigue and low energy: Children with diabetes may appear more tired, weak or less interested in play and school activities than they normally would be. They may also struggle to stay focused.
• Frequent urination: Because the body tries to remove extra sugar through urine, children with diabetes often need to urinate more frequently. They may wake up at night to use the bathroom or wet the bed, even if they’re already toilet-trained.
• Increased hunger: If glucose isn’t reaching the cells that need energy, your child may feel hungry all the time, even if they’ve just eaten.
• Unexplained weight loss: If your child’s body starts breaking down fat and muscle for energy, they can lose weight even if they’re eating more.

Some symptoms may not be as common but can signal more serious problems and shouldn’t be ignored. They may be signs of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), which means your child needs care right away. 

Serious Symptoms

• Cuts or bruises that heal slowly
• Frequent infections, such as skin or yeast infections
• Fruity-smelling breath
• Mood changes, including irritability or sudden behavior changes
• Nausea, vomiting or stomach pain

Although there’s some overlap in symptoms, there are differences between the two types of diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes often advances quickly. Symptoms may appear over several days or weeks, and children can become very sick within a short period. Type 1 diabetes is commonly diagnosed in younger children but can occur at any age.

Type 2 diabetes is more common in older children and teens and usually progresses more slowly. This makes it harder to notice at first. One common sign, though, is the development of dark patches of skin around your child’s neck or armpits, since this is directly linked to insulin resistance.

If you notice any of these symptoms, trust your instincts and seek medical care right away. Early diagnosis and treatment can make a life-changing difference, helping your child stay healthy and active while preventing serious complications. Diabetes can feel overwhelming at first, but with proper care, education and support, children with diabetes can thrive.

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By AdventHealth

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