“What are the early signs of diabetes in children?”
My doctor said my 9 year old may have diabetes. I want to know what are the early signs of diabetes in children?
4 Answers
increase urination, increased thirst and weight loss
Your Dr. should be able to tell if your child has diabetes in about 10 seconds with a finger stick blood sugar test so I don't understand why he or she should say your 9 yr. old "may" have it. Anyway here are the cardinal signs you should watch for: 1) polyuria=excess & frequent urination. 2) polydipsia=excess thirst 3) polyphagia=increased hunger that in spite of eating a lot wt. loss occurs. These are the cardinal signs but there are others such as severe fatigue, loss of coordination, dull mentality, etc and just plain "I don't feel well"
Your child needs a urine test for sugar & ketones, a blood test for sugar & a test called HbA1c. He may also need a test of his antibodies to differenciate Type I from Type 2 diabetes since this will determine the treatment if he or she has diabetes. Get the Dr. to do these tests & find out for sure & I'll pray he does not have it. Good Luck!
Your child needs a urine test for sugar & ketones, a blood test for sugar & a test called HbA1c. He may also need a test of his antibodies to differenciate Type I from Type 2 diabetes since this will determine the treatment if he or she has diabetes. Get the Dr. to do these tests & find out for sure & I'll pray he does not have it. Good Luck!
Diabetes and the earliest signs:
Diabetes is a common metabolic disorder. It is caused by either insulin deficiency or insulin resistance. Most children will have type 1 diabetes which is a state of absolute insulin deficiency. It is mainly an autoimmune process where by insulin producing cells called beta cells are destroyed in the process. It is more common in the Caucasian children. Type 2 diabetes is also becoming more common in children due to the epidemics of obesity which results in insulin resistance. The incidence of type 2 diabetes is more common in the minority population than the caucasian population. Diabetes (type 1 and type 2) can be diagnosed clinically and biochemically.
1) Any person with symptoms of excessive urination, excessive thirsty, bed wetting, nocturia, weight loss and abnormal blood sugars above 200mg/dl have diabetes unless proven otherwise.
2) Any random blood sugar greater than 200 mg/dl at more than one occasion.
3) Any fasting blood sugar (at least after 8 hrs. fasting) >126 mg/dl at more than one occasion.
4) Any blood sugar >200 mg/dl on more than one occasion using the 2 hour standard glucola test of 75 gm. ( 1.75 mg/kg up to 75 grams) performed after 8 hours of fasting on more than one occasion.
5) Hemoglobin A1c greater or equal to 6.5%
Another entity call a prediabetes state can also be established using blood sugar reference ranges if the individual is at risk for diabetes.
Biochemically, a prediabetes state can be established as follows:
1) Fasting blood sugars between 99-126mg/dl at least in more than one occasion.
2) Blood sugars between 140-200 mg/dl in the standard 2 hour glucola test on more than one occasion.
3) Hemoglobin A1c between 5.7-6.4%
The earlies signs of diabetes for both type 1 and type 2, are therefore; (biochemical markers) such as, abnormal blood sugars and abnormal hemoglobin A1c, followed by clinical signs, such as, excessive drinking, excessive urination, bed wetting, nocturia, weight loss etc. Again the first one to be abnormal are the biochemical markers before the emergence of the clinical signs and symptoms.`
If you suspect your daughter/son has symptoms of diabetes or if she is at high risk for diabetes, you should check her/his blood sugars fasting and random (if you have access to glucometer). If you get >200mg/dl persistently with or with out frank symptoms of diabetes, you may take her/him to her/his doctor promptly. If you do not get high blood sugars you may be dealing with other conditions that share similar symptoms. If you do not have an access to glucometer and you suspect diabetes you should take her/him to her/his doctor or to the emergency room.
Good luck.
Diabetes is a common metabolic disorder. It is caused by either insulin deficiency or insulin resistance. Most children will have type 1 diabetes which is a state of absolute insulin deficiency. It is mainly an autoimmune process where by insulin producing cells called beta cells are destroyed in the process. It is more common in the Caucasian children. Type 2 diabetes is also becoming more common in children due to the epidemics of obesity which results in insulin resistance. The incidence of type 2 diabetes is more common in the minority population than the caucasian population. Diabetes (type 1 and type 2) can be diagnosed clinically and biochemically.
1) Any person with symptoms of excessive urination, excessive thirsty, bed wetting, nocturia, weight loss and abnormal blood sugars above 200mg/dl have diabetes unless proven otherwise.
2) Any random blood sugar greater than 200 mg/dl at more than one occasion.
3) Any fasting blood sugar (at least after 8 hrs. fasting) >126 mg/dl at more than one occasion.
4) Any blood sugar >200 mg/dl on more than one occasion using the 2 hour standard glucola test of 75 gm. ( 1.75 mg/kg up to 75 grams) performed after 8 hours of fasting on more than one occasion.
5) Hemoglobin A1c greater or equal to 6.5%
Another entity call a prediabetes state can also be established using blood sugar reference ranges if the individual is at risk for diabetes.
Biochemically, a prediabetes state can be established as follows:
1) Fasting blood sugars between 99-126mg/dl at least in more than one occasion.
2) Blood sugars between 140-200 mg/dl in the standard 2 hour glucola test on more than one occasion.
3) Hemoglobin A1c between 5.7-6.4%
The earlies signs of diabetes for both type 1 and type 2, are therefore; (biochemical markers) such as, abnormal blood sugars and abnormal hemoglobin A1c, followed by clinical signs, such as, excessive drinking, excessive urination, bed wetting, nocturia, weight loss etc. Again the first one to be abnormal are the biochemical markers before the emergence of the clinical signs and symptoms.`
If you suspect your daughter/son has symptoms of diabetes or if she is at high risk for diabetes, you should check her/his blood sugars fasting and random (if you have access to glucometer). If you get >200mg/dl persistently with or with out frank symptoms of diabetes, you may take her/him to her/his doctor promptly. If you do not get high blood sugars you may be dealing with other conditions that share similar symptoms. If you do not have an access to glucometer and you suspect diabetes you should take her/him to her/his doctor or to the emergency room.
Good luck.
Check a blood sugar. Your doctor can have it done in minutes.
