Still, if your kid seems thirsty a lot, it’s worth a trip to the pediatrician. This symptom must be considered alongside any others, as well as a review of your child’s family and health history (and perhaps test results), to come to any conclusions.
Diabetes in Children
Parents often worry about diabetes in general, but most are really concerned about type 1 diabetes—the kind that typically starts in childhood and requires treatment with insulin shots. Type I diabetes, however, is actually the least common type of diabetes, affecting only 5% of people with the disease. Type 2 diabetes, which used to be thought of as “adult-onset” diabetes, is much more common. Many parents bring their children for a diabetes evaluation because they have frequent urination and increased thirst. These are classic signs of diabetes that occur when the kidneys can’t process the excess glucose in the body well and fast enough, causing that sugar to mix into and be excreted with urine—taking other fluids along with it. The problem is that many kids, especially toddlers and preschoolers, will ask for and drink as much juice as you let them have, even if they aren’t necessarily thirsty. And if they drink a lot of juice, that means they are going to have to urinate a lot. That’s why kids who go to their pediatrician with just the symptoms of being thirsty and urinating frequently usually don’t end up having diabetes.
Type I Diabetes Symptoms
It is important to know how to recognize diabetes symptoms as kids with type 1 diabetes can end up in a diabetic coma if the diagnosis is delayed too long. The symptoms, which typically develop over a short period of time (days to weeks) often include:
Frequent urination (polyuria)Being very thirsty or drinking a lot (polydipsia)
Concern increases if other diabetes symptoms are present, such as:
Eating a lot or extreme hunger (polyphagia)Unusual weight lossExtreme fatigueIrritabilityBlurred vision
Craving sugar is not typically a symptom of diabetes. Although genetics is a risk factor (the risk is about 3% if a child’s mother has type 1 diabetes and 5% if their father has diabetes), 85% of kids with type 1 diabetes have no family history of diabetes. Weight loss is an especially important red flag symptom for type 1 diabetes. If a child has the classic symptoms of diabetes, such as frequent urination, increased thirst, and weight loss, then a pediatrician will likely suspect diabetes even before a urinalysis or blood sugar test is completed. Weight loss can occur because of dehydration, a loss of body fat (calorie loss from increased sugar in the child’s urine), or both. On the other hand, if a child has other diabetes symptoms without weight loss, it’s still important to do these tests. But the chance that diabetes will be found is much lower. The peak ages for diagnosis of type 1 diabetes are between ages 5 and 7 years, and then again at the start of puberty. Keep in mind that when children have frequent urination associated with diabetes, it is usually large amounts of urine each time. Children who have to urinate frequently, but only void a small amount, likely have another cause instead of diabetes. It is still important to see your pediatrician, as conditions such as a urinary tract infection might be causing symptoms.
Type 2 Diabetes Symptoms
Unfortunately, children with type 2 diabetes may have no symptoms at all, which can make early diagnosis difficult. Many type 2 diabetes symptoms are actually late symptoms of the condition, which develop gradually after many years of having diabetes. These signs and symptoms can include:
Type 1 diabetes symptoms, including frequent urination, increased thirst, weight loss, and extreme hungerFrequent infectionsIncreased risk of infections; for example, catching viruses very easily compared with beforeCuts and bruises that heal slowlyBlurred vision (a possible symptom of retinopathy due to diabetes)FatigueNumbness or tingling in the hands and feet (symptoms of diabetic peripheral neuropathy)
Because children with type 2 diabetes may not have any classic diabetes symptoms, pediatricians and parents should instead look for other signs and risk factors for the disease. These can include being overweight, having acanthosis nigricans (areas of darkened skin, usually on the back of a child’s neck) or striae (stretch marks), and a positive family history of type 2 diabetes. High-risk kids can be routinely screened for diabetes, including a hemoglobin A1C test. This test gives an average reading of blood sugar over a period of weeks to months.
Infections in Kids With Diabetes
Children with type 1 diabetes may also have symptoms of an infection, such as fever, cough, vomiting, or a sore throat. It is often an infection that triggers the diagnosis. The infection doesn’t cause the child to have diabetes. But before the infection, the child may have been able to drink plenty of fluids to keep up with their frequent urination. When they get sick, they fall behind on fluid intake. That can lead to dehydration and worsening symptoms, even progression to diabetic ketoacidosis, which can be a medical emergency.
A Word From Verywell
If your child is exhibiting any of the symptoms mentioned here, it is important to talk to your doctor. Many should be addressed by your pediatrician, even if they are not related to diabetes. They could be caused by other medical conditions. Kids are not just “little adults.” They often have unique symptoms related to illness. If you feel anything is just not right with your child, even if you can’t describe exactly what that is, trust your instinct as a parent and call or make an appointment to see your pediatrician.
