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This page looks at the signs and symptoms of diabetes in children, from toddlers to kids boys or girls.
- Nocturnal Enuresis (night time bed-wetting)
- Polydipsia (excessive thirst)
- Polyuria (frequent urination)
- Weight Loss
- Abdominal pain
- Vomiting
- Unusual hunger
- Lethargy (abnormal lack of energy)
- Kussmaul Breathing (rapid laboured breathing)
- Blurred vision
- Fruity breath
- Candidiasis (thrush infections)
- Dehydration (sunken in eyes, dry skin, dry mucous membranes)
- Confusion
- Flu-like symptoms
Summing up:
- Bedwetting at night in a previously 'dry' child, is one of the commonest symptoms
- Frequent urination and excessive drinking (polyuria, polydipsia)
- Weight loss
- A single immediate capillary blood glucose tests with a value above 11.1 mmol/L indicates diabetes.
- Refer children with raised blood glucose levels to secondary care the same day.
- Do not wait for other tests (blood /urine) as this may allow DKA (Diabetic ketoacidosis) to occur.
- You need to get a simple and quick blood test done straight away. If the GP cannot do this straight away and A&E is a long wait you can always go to a Chemist and if they won’t do a test then buy a test unit. It is a simple clean wipe of the finger, prick the finger and add the blood drop to the machine, anything higher than 11.1 mmol/L and you need to go to A&E straight away.
- If you want to do a random blood glucose test then get a meter. This is a good one that is commonly used.
- How to test your blood glucose with a blood glucose meter.
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