Children diagnosed with diabetes require medical treatment and it is advantageous that treatment starts early in the disease process. Early treatment starts with knowing the symptoms of diabetes. Once a disease of middle age, type 2 diabetes is being diagnosed more frequently in children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and is associated with overweight and obesity.
Significance
Children with diabetes exhibit symptoms that can put them at increased risk for complications such as: heart disease, decreased kidney function, vision problems, and circulation problems. Some diabetes symptoms in children can become life threatening. Diabetes symptoms in children can be a warning sign to parent's and caregivers to seek medical attention.
Types
The MayoClinic.com lists the following as symptoms of type 1 diabetes in children: increased thirst and frequent urination, extreme hunger, weight loss, fatigue, irritability or unusual behavior, blurred vision and yeast infection. According to the KidsHealth website symptoms of type 2 diabetes in children include frequent urination, excessive thirst, significant fatigue, overweight, obesity and dark patches of textured skin.
Misconceptions
It can be wrongly assumed that diabetes only happens to overweight children, which is why diabetes symptoms in normal weight children can sometimes be overlooked. While it is true that many children with type 2 diabetes are overweight, children with type 1 diabetes are usually not. Another misconception is that the symptoms of diabetes can be cured, which may be the case for children with type 2 diabetes, but has not been true for children with type 1 diabetes. Children with type 1 diabetes will always have to take insulin to avoid serious symptoms.
Prevention
The KidsHealth web site explains that to prevent symptoms of diabetes in children controlling blood sugar levels is key. Children with type 2 diabetes may require diet changes, exercise and medicine to help prevent symptoms. The MayoClinic.com explains that to prevent symptoms of type 1 diabetes in children in addition to diet and exercise, medicine such as insulin can help.
Theories
Theories about why some children with diabetes exhibit the symptoms characteristic of the disease are related to the effects of out-of-control blood sugar levels. Elevated blood sugar caused by diabetes can cause symptoms such as increased thirst and urination due to the high sugar content of the blood pulling fluid from cells in a child's body. Fatigue, a symptom of diabetes in children, can be caused by the lack of insulin, which normally allows sugar to enter cells; when cells are starved of sugar this can cause weakness and low energy.
References
- Diabetes Public Health Resource: Diabetes Home: Projects and Programs: Children and Diabetes
- Life With Diabetes e-Newsletter, July 2006: Ask a Medical Professional: Diabetes Myths and Misconceptions
- National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse: Diabetes A-Z List of Topics and Titles: National Diabetes Statistics, 2007
- MayoClinic.com: Type 1 diabetes in children: Basics: Symptoms
- KidsHealth: Parents: Medical Problems: Endocrine Glands, Growth & Diabetes:Type 2 Diabetes: What Is It?: Signs & Symptoms
