The number of diabetic children has tripled during the past three decades, according to the UK physician-driven medical website Netdoctor. Type I diabetes is the most common form of diabetes found in children, though some do develop type II diabetes. Both types of diabetes share common symptoms as well as symptoms specific to each. The exact cause of childhood diabetes is unknown, however.
Fatigue
Both type I and type II diabetes cause fatigue. This feeling of exhaustion is due to the body's inability to utilize blood sugar.
Impaired Vision
Impaired vision is a symptom common to both type I and type II diabetes, notes MayoClinic.com. High levels of blood sugar cause fluid to be pulled away from the eyes. The fluid loss can impair vision and affect the ability to focus vision clearly.
Enhanced Appetite
Both type I and type II diabetes involve an inability to make use of blood sugar and this triggers intense hunger. This hunger is a reaction to the energy deficiency brought about by the body's inability to utilize blood sugar, explains MayoClinic.com.
Weight Loss
Type I and type II diabetes prevent the body from utilizing blood sugar. This creates an need to convert fat stores and sometimes muscle tissue into energy, notes Kids Health. The eventual depletion of fat leads to weight loss.
Heightened Thirst and Increased Urination
Both types of diabetes cause symptoms of heightened thirst and more frequent urination. The frequent urination is caused by the kidneys attempt to flush out excess blood sugar. Heightened thirst can be the result of frequent urination, but can also be the result of fluid loss caused by the high levels of blood sugar, according MayoClinic.com.
Moodiness
Mood swings and irritability can be signs of type I diabetes in children. Fluctuations in blood sugar levels can affect mood. As such, a child's mood may depend upon blood sugar levels.
Yeast Infection
Type I diabetes can sometimes cause genital yeast infection among girls, according to MayoClinic.com.
Darkened Skin Patches
Acanthosis nigricans is a skin condition in which patches of darkened skin appear in the armpits and neck of children with type II diabetes, according to KidsHealth.org. Acanthosis nigricans could be a sign that the body is resisting insulin.
Slow-healing Wounds
Type II diabetics have wounds and infections that heal slowly. This is because type II diabetes can affect a child's immune response.
