Does any one have a child with Diabetes. I am looking for what signs and symptoms to look for. My son is 3 and has always been very thirsty. As a baby he woke every 2 hrs for feedings. He still hasn't sleep through the night with out waking up for a drink of water.
I assume he was tested at birth since he was 7lbs 50z at 6 weeks early. He is recently being hungry all the time. He even talks about food in his sleep and the first thing he wants when he wakes up. He is between 40-45 lbs now and I have ask his Dr. to check him for diabetes but, was told she would be more concern if he wasn't growing at a normal rate. This doesn't seem normal to me.
Actually i never thought of diabetes, but raises a good question for my sons dr., he is 3 1/2 and i thought you were talking about him lol, he does the same the only diff. was weight at birth, he was 5 14 and was 32 weeks. I hope there is some good info in here. I do know that diabetes is usually genetic (which it really is in both mine and hubbys families). Good Luck!!
My son was diagnosed with diabetes type I (juvenile) when he was 8 years old. I overlooked his symptoms because I thought he was going through a growing spurt as he was losing weight. He was urinating excessively, increase thirst, weight loss, confusion and fatigue. There is a test that can be given to screen for insulin antibodies which will indicate whether or not he has the gene for diabetes. Be persistant with the doctor. You may want to talk to a pediatric endocrinologist in your area to see if they can provide the screening. It is a free test in Texas. Hope this helps.
M.,
I just took my son to the Dr. a few weeks ago for a cold and for the the Singulair he was on. I told the Dr. about how my son was always thirsty and about how he still can't go thru the night without wetting the bed. He did a blood test and a urine test for diabetes.(without me asking for them) Both were negative. His blood sugar was right where it needed to be. My son just loves his juice and water! I'm not saying its nothing to worry about, but I would really ask your dr. and push him some more to have the test done. It takes less than a minute to do it!
My daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when she was 2yrs. old. She was 5 lbs. 2oz. at birth. She wanted drinks ALL THE TIME (got up in the night to beg for drinks and drank her bath water), wet through her diapers several times a night, lost a lot of weight, was dehydrated....just to name some of her symptoms. She was a VERY sick baby. She was diagnosed at the ped's office with a urine test.
If you really think your child doesn't seem "normal" push the doctor to check. I took my daughter to the doctor several times in the month before her diagnosis. I knew something was wrong with my baby, but the dr. dismissed it as other things until she was close to a coma. Best wishes with your situation.
D.
PS Type 1 Diabetes is not always genetic. We have no history of diabetes in either family.
The only advice I can offer you is to push your doctor to run a blood sugar test in the office. You can also test at home if you have access to a glucose meter.
You didn't mention your child's diet and that may also be an issue. Try more fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains and limit processed foods. I hope this helps.
M.
My mother was a Type I childhood diabetic...and so when my son was doing the same thing (drinking non-stop all day and night I was very concerned). I asked my pediatrician and she was willing to test his blood sugar in the office for me. It wasn't a fasting study or an actual glucose test. But it came in normal and he hasn't had any other symptoms. I would question why your doctor will not at least do an in office blood sugar test, to see if it is high.
if it concerns you, check for it at all costs, better safe than sorry, but it sounds like he is just growing rapidly, and some children need more calories to help them through their growth spurts.My daughter goes through phases, during the times where her diet in insatiable she grows an inch within a matter of a month!, other times she snacks and barely touches her food, when she is not growing as much. I think children are really in touch with their dietary needs, after all, remember being pregnant and craving certain things?, they decide what they need before they are even born., to be safe, you can offer a diet based on fresh fruit and veggies and whole grains, it is up to you to shape his pallette.
Hi M.,
I am sorry for the delayed response....I have a new baby at home and haven't been as good as checkin email. I have five year-old daughter who was diagnosed with diabetes when she was three. We caught it very early, so she never got really sick. I noticed that she was hungry all the time and then she was thirsty all the time and was going potty a lot more often. Over the course of a weekend I wrote down everything she consumed and recorded all of her output and faxed it to our pediatrician. We were scheduled to see her immediately and a simple finger prick and urine dip confirmed our suspicions. We were lucky to catch it though. Some kiddos get very sick, so you're wise to look into it. Do you know anyone with a blood glucose monitor? You could alway check your son's blood sugar yourself. I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have. Best wishes.
T.
Hi M.,
My nephew was diagnosed with Type 1 Juvenile Diabetes at the age of 2 (he is now 3 1/2). Before he was diagnosed, my sister knew something was not right because he seemed to have an insatiable thirst and was urinating more than usual. As his momma, my sister just "knew" there was something wrong. I clearly remember her telling me that she had a feeling that he might be diabetic. He has always been a healthy boy, off the charts in weight. If you are concerned, you should definitely trust your instincts, despite what any doctor says. You know what they say about mother's instincts. The day my sister took him in for tests, his blood sugar was in the 900 range- extremely high and very dangerous. It was a very scary time for all of us but it could have been a lot scarier if she had ignored her feeling (he could have gone into a diabetic coma). I am not trying to scare you, and I am sure your son will be just fine. Today, Saylor (my nephew) is a happy, healthy energetic little boy who has been very strong and courageous through it all. Hopefully they will find a cure in the very near future. Good luck to you and please let me know if you need any more info. or support.
J.
