Diabetes is not a common childhood illness, but it is a very serious disease, affecting more than 13,000 children each year.
You should know the symptoms of diabetes in children so that you can bring any of these symptoms to the attention of your child’s pediatrician.
One of the most common symptoms of diabetes is frequent urination and unusual thirst. When the levels of glucose in the blood are high, the kidneys attempt to flush it from the system, resulting in frequent urination.
Because the body is constantly producing more urine, more fluid intake is needed to prevent dehydration. Not all bedwetting is a sign of diabetes, but if your child suddenly starts wetting the bed after having been dry for some time, that is something you should make your child’s pediatrician aware of.
Weight loss or a failure to gain weight is another common symptom. Children with diabetes usually have a good appetite, or even a larger than normal appetite, but do not gain weight as would be expected given the calories they are taking in. Unusual weight loss in any child should be brought to the attention of the child’s pediatrician.
Children are usually energy powerhouses, never feeling tired. A child with diabetes, however, may often feel tired because his body is not properly metabolizing energy.
If your daughter has not yet experienced puberty, but she develops a yeast infection, which can be a sign of diabetes.
If your child has a scratch or wound that does not seem to be healing properly, that can also be a sign of diabetes.
There is currently no cure for diabetes, but with careful management, the disease can be controlled with minimal side effects.
