symptom of diabetes In Children

What are the symptoms?

Diabetes in children is characterized by certain specific symptoms. The need to drink water more often, insufficient immunity to common infections, blurred vision, any wounds which do not heal fast enough, numb sensations in the hands and feet, frequent urge to urinate, too much hunger for food, rapid weight losses, irritable behavior and many more.

The problem with the symptoms of juvenile diabetes patients face is that these symptoms are easily considered as part of growing up years. Hence parents tend to take these quite lightly. Moreover, each of these symptoms alternates. So today, the child maybe facing extreme hunger, tomorrow it could be irritability and the next time it could even be blurring of vision. Since there is no particular pattern or consistency, detecting if it is diabetes will be very difficult for a parent. However close watch and careful observation is a must.

• Diabetes Symptoms in Children
  
  Diabetes causes an increase in the level of blood sugar, due to inability of the body cells to absorb glucose from the bloodstream. This can manifest in several diabetes symptoms in infants and children. Generally, most of the symptoms of diabetes in children resemble those observed in their adult counterparts. However, a few additional symptoms like, behavioral changes and headaches have been found in children only. Some of the most common diabetes symptoms in babies and children are:
  Excessive thirst
  Frequent urination
  Excessive hunger
  Fatigue
  Unexplained weight loss
  Blurred vision
  Nausea and vomiting
  Tingling and numbness in hands and feet
  Irritability or behavioral problems
  Headache
  Abdominal pain
  Delayed healing of cuts and sores
  Chronic diaper rash
  Frequent Infections
   
• Diagnosis and Treatment for Diabetes in Children
  Diabetes is usually diagnosed with the help of urine analysis, oral glucose tolerance test, fasting blood glucose level test and non-fasting blood glucose level test. Treatment for diabetes combines both insulin treatment and lifestyle modifications. In the initial stage, only a small dose of insulin is administered. But, then the dose is increased gradually, as the child grows. Generally, fast-acting insulin is given in the day time, while low-acting dose is administered during the night.
  
  Treatment is always followed by regular monitoring of the blood glucose level. Apart from insulin, physicians may also prescribe certain other medications, after completely evaluating the condition. In addition to proper diabetes treatment, effective management of the condition requires certain dietary changes such as, including high amount of fiber, fruits and vegetables, and cutting down the amount of sugars and animal fats in the diet. Similarly, physical activities or exercises can also play an important role in the management of juvenile diabetes. A physician can help the parents to find out what kind of exercises and diet would be ideal for their diabetic children. Know more about diabetic diet.
  
  Undiagnosed diabetes can lead to diabetic acidosis, due to an accumulation of ketones in the body. This can occur, when the body cells are unable to absorb and utilize glucose for energy production, and therefore, use fats for that purpose. Breaking down fat generates ketones as a byproduct, which if accumulated in a large amount can increase the acidity of the blood and the other tissues of the body. If left untreated, diabetic acidosis can lead to serious consequences. For the parents, knowledge about diabetes symptoms in children is, therefore, of utmost importance to prevent such complications, and ensure early diagnosis of the condition.