11 Signs Your Kid May Have Diabetes

As your children grow older and continue to develop, you’ll want to pay more attention to their health and the many potential concerns that children can face. Unfortunately, diabetes is one of the health concerns you’ll want to watch for over time. There are many signs your kid may have diabetes, including changes in appetite, sudden discoloration of the skin, mood changes, frequent urination, and more. Check out the red flags here, and if you notice any patterns, speak to your child’s healthcare provider right away.

Your Child Keeps Losing Weight

One of the most significant signs your kid may have diabetes is when they have unexpected weight loss. Diabetes is a disease that occurs when your body can’t properly process blood sugar levels. When your body can’t regulate those levels, it tries to use other sources of energy besides sugars. As a result, your body burns off the sugars and fat, and weight loss is inevitable. If you notice your child is not gaining weight or they’re losing weight quickly, it may be time to speak to a doctor.

Extreme Hunger

When the blood sugar isn’t regulated properly, conflicting messages are sent to the brain, which alerts it that your body has a need for food. So, if your child asks for more food after a full meal, and they do so frequently, it may be a cause for concern. The problem is that when the body’s primary source of energy is breaking down fats, it can lead to a buildup of acids. This is a serious problem that’s called diabetic ketoacidosis. The symptoms can include fatigue, abdominal pain, and nausea. If left unchecked, it can lead to more serious complications or a trip to the emergency room. That said, keep an eye on your kids, and if they appear to be sick, take it seriously.

They Urinate Very Frequently

A big part of diabetes for both kids and adults is the failure of the kidneys to break down sugar in the body. Because of this, the kidneys are working overtime to flush out the excess and unprocessed sugars. This occurs via urination. That’s why it’s one of the signs your kid may have diabetes. Kids can wet their diapers and shorts all the time at this young age. However, it if seems like they keep having accidents in their diapers or in their beds or they ask to go to the bathroom very frequently, it may be time to speak to a doctor. Granted, this is not a single sign of diabetes, so you may want to compare this with the other issues on this list.

They Constantly Ask For Something to Drink

Many times, when it comes to diabetes, one thing leads to another. If you notice that your child is urinating a lot more often and they are asking for water or something to drink more frequently, you have more of a case of potential diabetes. When you have to urinate so much and eliminate water, your thirst will increase as a sign that your body is trying to rehydrate. Sometimes, the thirst can continue throughout the day even if they do get something to drink. Then, the more they drink, the more often they may have to urinate. So, it can be an endless cycle. Many kids will ask to drink over a gallon of liquid per day. If your child does, consider it to be a red flag.

They Frequently Have Darkened Skin

One of the more unsettling signs your kid may have diabetes is when their skin is darkened. This change often occurs near the neck or armpit. It’s a result of the body resisting your pancreas from releasing glucose into the blood. The condition is often called acanthosis nigricans. It is more commonly associated with type 2 diabetes. If you notice this, and it’s not a bruise from playing, speak to the doctor.

They Have Impaired Vision

One of the little-known side effects of diabetes is loss of vision. Diabetes is one of the leading causes of blindness in North America. While research is still being conducted about the phenomena, vision impairment is one of the complications because of the negative effects on the eye’s retina and the vessels that feed the blood to your retina. That doesn’t necessarily mean that your child will go blind due to diabetes. Instead, your kids could experience various issues, including eyesight floaters and blurred vision. If your child complains about these issues, see an optometrist. They have certain tests that can check to see if it’s a legitimate problem. Studies show that vision impairment can affect many people with type 1 diabetes, but only 5% develop severe vision issues. Still, it’s not something to take lightly.

They Have an Unexpected Diaper Rash or Yeast Infection

A really bad diaper rash that won’t go away may point to a diagnosis of diabetes. In girls, this may also show up as a yeast infection. Often, it’s the fact that they have diabetes that leads to the increased possibility of yeast infection. However, like many of the other symptoms on this list, having one doesn’t automatically mean they have diabetes. This is a phenomenon that’s still being heavily researched.

Mood Swings

Another one of the lesser-known side effects of diabetes is the potential for mood swings. Much of that is based on the idea that your child’s body is acting differently and it can cause them to be irritable. It’s also based on your child’s blood sugar levels. If they’re too high or too low, it could cause your kid to act differently. Too much blood sugar is called hyperglycemia. Too little blood sugar is hypoglycemia. Hyperglycemia is typically associated with sadness or anger. Hypoglycemia often leads to nervousness. There’s also the chance that your child could begin to experience a phenomenon known as diabetes distress, which often brings feelings of anxiety and stress. It can be hard to detect mood swings, especially in younger children, but if you notice any red flags, speak to the pediatrician.

They’re Often Tired

If your child has never been energetic or they’re suddenly less animated than they were in the past, it could be one of the signs your kid may have diabetes. Again, the culprit may be low blood sugar. Research has shown that people who go to sleep with low blood sugar often wake up with a feeling of fatigue in the morning. They also continue to be tired and less energetic as the day goes on. It’s important to bring your child to a doctor if you see issues. Long-term diabetes can result in nerve damage called diabetic neuropathy. That’s where the blood sugar is too high for too long. That results in numbness and tingling and the wasting away of the muscles that can cause weakness in the arms and legs. While that extreme issue is more likely in adults, you don’t want it to get to that point. So, have your child checked out if necessary.

Their Sores Don’t Go Away

It’s not uncommon for your kids to play outside and explore and get into mischief and end the day with cuts, bruises, or sores. Take care of those injuries as necessary. However, if you notice that those sores are not going away over time, it may be an indication of diabetes. One of the most obvious signs is when those cuts don’t heal in the time they should. There are various reasons why this is so. One is that high blood sugar can cause damage to the blood vessels, which prevents oxygen and nutrients from getting to the wound. Another reason is that diabetes can attack the body and make the immune system weaker. That makes fighting disease and infection that much harder. Go to the doctor if the wounds persist or last a long time.

Their Breath is Fruity

While it may seem pleasant at first, if you notice that your child frequently has breath that smells like fruit, it may be one of the signs your kid may have diabetes. The simple explanation for this is that there is excess sugar in the blood. Plus, when your body burns fat instead of sugar, it produces substances called ketones that can lead to this fruity breath. The odor can be a bit different for everyone. However, it usually smells fruity, sweet, or like wine. Granted, this scent may be due to your child eating fruit, but if it’s combined with any of the other factors on this list, it could be a red flag.

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