Symptoms of Diabetes in Children
Nearly 1.45 million people live with type 1 diabetes in the United States.
With over 60,000 new diagnoses of this autoimmune condition each year, it is important to understand the symptoms of diabetes in children, especially if you are a new parent or your child exhibits symptoms consistent with the condition.
While there is no current cure for type 1 diabetes, long-term condition management continues to evolve, improving the quality of life of millions each year living with this chronic and challenging disease.
If you’ve ever wondered about the symptoms of diabetes in children, we’re here to help.
Continue reading to learn more about type 1 diabetes and its effect on children.
What Is Type 1 Diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes is a complicated yet common autoimmune disorder. It occurs when the pancreas does not produce insulin or the insulin it does produce is attacked and mistakenly destroyed by the body’s immune system.
Insulin is a critical component in deriving energy from food. It becomes hard to maintain a healthy and stable blood sugar level when it’s not regulated or available.
The cause of type 1 diabetes is still widely unknown, although there is a genetic component to be aware of. If someone in your family has type 1 diabetes, you are more likely to be diagnosed with it, but that’s not always the case.
While symptoms can come on suddenly, it is important to understand that type 1 diabetes is not related to diet or lifestyle factors as its counterpart, type 2 diabetes, can be.
Most common in children, type 1 diabetes can also affect adults and be diagnosed well into adulthood.
Type 1 diabetes is often treated with daily insulin replacement therapy.
Symptoms of Diabetes in Children
While type 1 diabetes symptoms in children can vary in type and severity, the most common early signs include increased urination and thirst.
Other symptoms include
- fatigue
- dry mouth
- itchy or dry skin
- fruity-smelling breath
- vision changes
- extreme hunger
- unexplained weight loss
- mood and behavior changes
- yeast infections
It is important to note that untreated type 1 diabetes can quickly become life-threatening. Therefore, if your child is experiencing any of the above symptoms, along with heavy breathing, nausea, or vomiting, you should immediately bring them to your local urgent care or emergency room for further evaluation.
Prompt Blood Sugar Testing in Oxford
Your child’s health matters to us.
If you believe that your child may have undiagnosed type 1 or 2 diabetes, we are here to help.
We encourage you to get a blood sugar test to rule out a blood sugar imbalance that may indicate diabetes. Either way, we provide prompt and personalized diagnosis and treatment plans fit to meet the needs of your child’s healthcare goals.
We gladly work with your child’s pediatrician to provide complete and comprehensive feedback on all testing at our urgent care.
The best part? You don’t have to wait to get a blood sugar test. Simply walk into our facility when it works for you.
We are open seven days a week with no appointments required.