Parents know that babies and young children sleep longer and drink more water. However, if your child is suddenly more sleepy or thirsty than usual, it may be a symptom of type 1 diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes was formerly known as juvenile diabetes because it was mostly in children. A child may have type 1 diabetes as an infant, or may develop it later in life as a toddler or teenager. Symptoms of diabetes tend to appear after age 5. However, some patients do not begin to have symptoms of diabetes until they are in their 30s.
Knowing the symptoms of type 1 diabetes can help keep your child healthy.
What is type 1 diabetes?
What is type 1 diabetes?
The disease is similar to “diabetes”.
The disease is different from “classic” diabetes or type 2 diabetes, which is often associated with obesity and is more common in adults, but can also occur in children, usually after age 10.
If a child has type 1 diabetes, this means that his or her pancreas (an organ in the upper right side of the abdomen) produces little or no insulin. The disease is an autoimmune disorder, and diabetes occurs when the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the cells that make insulin.
What are the symptoms of type 1 diabetes?
Symptoms of type 1 diabetes in infants and children may appear suddenly. Watch for the following signs in infants and children:
- Sudden strange behavior (“drunken” movements);
- Fruity, sweet, or wine-smelling breath;
- extreme drowsiness or dysphoria;
- A persistent, intense feeling of thirst;
- Breathing with a gurgling sound;
- Heavy breathing;
- Very strong appetite;
- Sudden changes in vision;
- Sudden weight loss;
- frequent urination (infants and children use more diapers than usual);
- Difficulty breathing.
When should I seek medical attention?
Type 1 diabetes can cause sudden, significant fluctuations in blood sugar, which can be more dangerous. If you notice any symptoms of diabetes in your child, it is important to get tested as soon as possible so your doctor can start treatment right away.
The doctor will do a simple urine test to check for glucose (sugar) in the child’s urine. A more complicated test, called an oral glucose tolerance test, can determine if the child has type 1 diabetes. Before that test, the child needs to follow a special diet.
See your child if he or she has been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and finds any of the following signs of a hypoglycemic emergency:
- Blurred or double vision;
- Cold and clammy skin;
- Delirium of consciousness;
- Dizziness;
- Drowsiness or fatigue;
- extreme or sudden hunger;
- Headache;
- Pale, clammy, cold skin;
- Increased pulse;
- Shallow breathing;
- Extreme sweating;
- Weakness.
In children with type 1 diabetes, hypoglycemia can be life-threatening. If your child faints or has a seizure, it is important to call 120 emergency for urgent medical help.