Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Recognizing Pre-Symptoms and Early Symptoms
• Part 2 of 3: Identifying Later Symptoms
• Part 3 of 3: See a doctor
• Tips
• Warnings

Childhood diabetes, more commonly known as type 1 diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, is a condition in which the pancreas, which normally produces insulin, stops synthesizing it. Insulin is needed by the body as this hormone regulates the amount of sugar (glucose) in the blood and is involved in the delivery of glucose to cells for energy. If the body does not produce insulin, glucose remains in the blood and blood sugar levels become too high. Although type 1 diabetes can develop at any age, it usually occurs before the age of 30 and is the most common type of diabetes in children. Typically, childhood diabetes symptoms develop fairly quickly. Type 1 diabetes must be diagnosed as early as possible, as it gets worse over time and can lead to serious health problems such as kidney failure, coma, and even death.

Attention:the information in this article is for informational purposes only.Before using any methods, consult your doctor.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Recognizing Pre-Symptoms and Early Symptoms

1. 1 Track how often the child is thirsty. All symptoms of first-degree diabetes are the result of hyperglycemia, or high glucose levels, and the body is trying to cope with this problem. One of the most common symptoms is increased thirst (polydipsia). Excessive thirst occurs when the body tries to remove all glucose from the bloodstream, as it is useless because there is no insulin to help deliver it to the cells. The child may be constantly thirsty or drink unusually large amounts of water that far exceed the normal daily intake.
   • Typically, children are advised to drink five to eight glasses (1.2–2 liters) of fluid per day. Young children (5–8 years old) should drink less (about 5 glasses, or 1.2 liters per day), and older children should drink more (8 glasses, or 2 liters).
   • However, these are general guidelines, as only you can know how much water and other fluids your child drinks daily. See if your child is drinking more fluids than usual. If he used to drink only three glasses of water during the day and a glass of milk at dinner, but now he constantly drinks water and other drinks and drinks much more than 3-4 glasses per day, this may be cause for concern.
   • A child may feel thirst that cannot be quenched even though he drinks a lot of water. The child may even become dehydrated.
2. 2 See if your child is using the restroom more often than usual. Too frequent urination, or polyuria, is the result of the body trying to excrete excess glucose in the urine. This is naturally also caused by increased thirst. If the child drinks more fluids, his body will produce more urine, which will increase the frequency of urination.
   • Pay special attention to whether the child is urinating more often than usual in the middle of the night.
   • There is no specific norm as to how many times a child should urinate throughout the day - it depends on the amount of food and water consumed, so what is normal for one child may not necessarily be the same for another. However, you can compare your current urinary frequency with what you had before. For example, if the child used to go to the restroom on average seven times, but now he goes there 12 times a day, you should be on your guard. Particular attention should be paid to the night time. If your child has never gotten up in the middle of the night to go to the toilet before, but now does it two, three or four times a night, you need to see a doctor.
   • Look for signs of dehydration from frequent urination, among other things. A child may have sunken eyes, dry mouth, and skin that is not firm enough. Try pulling back the skin on the back of your hand - if it doesn't come down right away, it's a sign of dehydration.
   • You should also pay close attention to the fact that the child has begun to wet the bed again. This is especially important if the child is already potty trained and has not wetted the bed for a long time.
3. 3 Pay attention to unexplained weight loss. Childhood diabetes often leads to weight loss due to metabolic disorders associated with high blood sugar levels. Most often, weight decreases rapidly, although sometimes it can be a gradual process.
   • Weight loss in childhood diabetes can even make the child look emaciated, thinner, and weakened. Also note that in type 1 diabetes, weight loss is often accompanied by a decrease in muscle mass.
   • Generally, if you unintentionally lose weight, you should see your doctor.
4. 4 Notice that the child suddenly begins to feel hungry. The reduction in muscle mass and fatty tissue mass caused by type 1 diabetes, as well as the loss of calories, leads to a decrease in energy and, as a result, an increase in hunger. As a result, a paradoxical situation arises - despite a markedly increased appetite, the child can lose weight.
   • Polyphagia, or increased appetite, occurs when the body is trying to get glucose from the blood, which is needed by its cells. Therefore, the child eats more to provide his body with glucose and energy, but this does not work. Without insulin, it doesn't matter how much the child eats: the glucose received from food will remain in the blood and will not enter the cells.
   • There are no medical or scientific criteria for assessing a child's hunger. Some children eat more than others. Keep in mind that children are more likely to experience hunger during periods of intense growth. It is best to compare the child's behavior with the previous time to assess whether he is much more often hungry than before. For example, if a child usually ate three meals a day, but has eaten everything before and then asks for supplements in the past few weeks, this could be a worrying sign. If at the same time the child experiences increased thirst and visits the restroom more often, this behavior is unlikely to be caused by intensive growth.
5. 5 Note that the child seems to be tired all the time. Typically, the loss of calories and glucose for energy, as well as a decrease in adipose tissue and muscle, leads to fatigue and a loss of interest in games and other favorite activities.
   • Sometimes exhaustion makes children more irritable and their mood changes often.
   • As with the other symptoms mentioned above, the child's sleep pattern needs to be assessed based on what is normal for him. If the child used to sleep at night for 7 hours, but now he sleeps for 10 hours and still complains of fatigue or wants to sleep and shows slowness and lethargy after a full night's sleep, this is suspicious and may be due not only to the fact that he is growing intensively or strongly gets tired. Such signs may indicate diabetes.
6. 6 Pay attention to the child's complaints about blurred vision. High blood sugar changes the water content of the eye lenses, which dilate, resulting in blurry, blurry, or blurred vision. If a child complains of blurred vision and repeated visits to an ophthalmologist have not yielded any results, consult a doctor to rule out the likelihood of type 1 diabetes.
   • Vision usually returns to normal once blood sugar levels stabilize.

Part 2 of 3: Identifying Later Symptoms

1. 1 Look out for recurring fungal infections. Diabetics have elevated blood sugar (glucose) levels and vaginal secretions. It is an ideal environment for accelerated growth of fungal cells, leading to fungal infections. As a result, the child can often suffer from fungal skin diseases.
   • Note that the baby often scratches the genital area. Girls may have frequent recurrences of vaginal fungal infections, which are accompanied by itching and discomfort in the vaginal area and a small amount of white or yellowish discharge with an unpleasant odor.
   • Another type of fungal infection that can result from reduced immunity in childhood diabetes is the so-called athlete's foot, which is white discharge and peeling of the skin on the toes and soles of the feet.
   • Boys, especially if they are not circumcised, may also have a fungal (yeast) infection around the glans of the penis.
2. 2 Watch out for any recurring skin infections. Under normal conditions, the body successfully copes with infections, but diabetes mellitus negatively affects the functioning of the immune system.In addition, high blood glucose accelerates unwanted bacterial growth, leading to frequent skin infections that manifest as blisters, abscesses, carbuncles and ulcers.
   • Another consequence of frequent skin infections is that the lesions heal slowly. Even small cuts, scrapes and wounds can take an unusually long time to heal. Pay attention to any abnormalities.
3. 3 Pay attention to vitiligo. Vitiligo is an autoimmune disorder that results in decreased levels of the skin pigment melanin. Melanin gives color to hair, skin and eyes. In type 1 diabetes, the body produces autoantibodies that destroy melanin. As a result, white spots appear on the skin.
   • Although with type 1 diabetes, vitiligo does not develop very often and far from immediately, if a child has white spots on the skin, it is worth checking if he has diabetes.
4. 4 Pay attention to vomiting or heavy breathing. These symptoms can appear with diabetes as it develops. If you notice dangerous symptoms such as vomiting or too heavy breathing in your child, you should seek immediate medical attention.
   • These symptoms can be a sign of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), which can lead to a life-threatening coma. They appear quickly, sometimes within 24 hours. DKA can lead to death if not properly treated.

Part 3 of 3: See a doctor

1. 1 Know when to see your doctor. In many cases, type 1 diabetes is first diagnosed in the emergency department where children are admitted with diabetic coma or diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). Although these conditions can be treated with intravenous fluids and insulin, it is best not to bring the matter to an emergency and consult a doctor immediately if you suspect your child has diabetes. Do not wait for the child to pass out due to DKA and your suspicions are confirmed. Check in time if the child has diabetes!
   • You should immediately seek medical attention if you experience any of the following symptoms: loss of appetite, nausea or vomiting, high fever, abdominal pain, fruity odor from the mouth (you will probably notice this smell, but the child will not smell it).
2. 2 See your doctor for a check-up on your child. If you suspect your child may have type 1 diabetes, see your doctor right away. To diagnose diabetes, your doctor will order a blood test to help determine the amount of sugar in your child's blood. There are two options: a hemoglobin test and a blood sugar test (usually taken on an empty stomach).
   • Analysis for glycated hemoglobin (A1c) allows you to judge the level of sugar in a child's blood over the past 2-3 months by measuring the percentage of sugar associated with hemoglobin in the blood. Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. The higher the blood sugar level, the more sugar will be attached to the hemoglobin. If two different analyzes show 6.5% or higher, it is indicative of diabetes. This is the standard test for detecting and controlling diabetes.
   • Blood sugar test... This test takes a blood sample. Regardless of whether a child has recently eaten, blood sugar levels above 11 millimoles per liter (mmol / L), or 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg / dL), may indicate diabetes, especially if other symptoms are present. The doctor may also order a fasting blood test after a night's sleep. In this case, a sugar level of 5.5–6.9 mmol / L (100–125 mg / dL) indicates prediabetes, while a sugar level above 7 mmol / L (126 mg / dL), obtained in two different analyzes , indicates that the child has diabetes.
   • Your doctor may also order a urinalysis to confirm the diagnosis of type 1 diabetes.The presence of ketones in urine (these substances are formed as a result of the breakdown of fats in the body) indicates type 1 diabetes, not type 2 diabetes. Glucose in the urine is also a sign of diabetes.
3. 3 The doctor will diagnose and prescribe a treatment plan. After the necessary tests, the doctor uses their results and diagnostic criteria for diabetes to make an accurate diagnosis. After that, the child will need close medical supervision until the blood sugar level stabilizes. The doctor will need to determine the appropriate type of insulin and the appropriate dosage. Most likely, you will also need to consult with an endocrinologist (specialist in hormonal disorders), who will help clarify the treatment plan.
   • After your child is given basic insulin treatment for type 1 diabetes, you should see your doctor every few months and have some of the tests listed above again to make sure your blood sugar remains within normal range.
   • The child will also need regular eye and foot examinations - these are the places where the symptoms of poor diabetes treatment are the first to appear.
   • Although diabetes cannot be completely cured, technology and treatments have evolved to the point that most children with type 1 diabetes live normal and healthy lives if they know how to control the disease.

Tips

• Remember that type 1 diabetes, also called childhood diabetes, is not associated with poor diet or overweight.
• If a close relative (sister, brother, mother, or father) has diabetes, the child should be seen by a doctor at least once a year between the ages of 5 and 10 to make sure he is not suffering from the condition.

Warnings

• Many of the symptoms of type 1 diabetes (lethargy, increased thirst, and hunger) can be simply overlooked. If you have the slightest suspicion that your child has one or more symptoms of diabetes, see your doctor right away.
• With type 1 diabetes, early diagnosis, treatment, and control of the disease is absolutely essential to reduce the risk of serious complications, including heart disease, nerve damage, blindness, kidney damage, and even death.