Symptoms of Diabetes in Toddlers

Diabetes in toddlers is a serious condition that occurs when their pancreas is not producing enough insulin. Insulin is a very important hormone in the transportation and absorption of glucose in an infant’s body.

This in turn leads to excess glucose and sugar levels in the toddler’s body. Signs of diabetes in babies are hard to pinpoint because it’s hard for toddlers to let their parents know that something is wrong. Therefore, as a parent, you should be on the lookout for various signs that may indicate that your baby has diabetes.

Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes in Toddlerssymptoms of childhood diabetes

  • Fatigue When a child is suffering from diabetes, sugar in their bloodstream is not being converted to energy. Therefore, the baby remains constantly tired or fatigued.
  • Increased urination. This occurs because the child’s body needs to get rid of excess glucose and sugar through urine. You will notice that your baby may be urinating more than usual or even started wetting the bed again for older babies.
  • Excessive thirst. The body tissues of a child suffering from undiagnosed diabetes lose a lot of fluid. This leads to the baby having excessive thirst. Some may crave sweet, cold drinks.
  • Weight loss. A child with undiagnosed diabetes may experience sudden and rapid weight loss. This is because the body can’t use energy from sugar thus experiencing muscle and fat loss.
  • Increased appetite. A diabetic child’s body is deprived of energy because of the low insulin. This registers in the brain as starvation so the undiagnosed child experiences the feeling of extreme hunger so he/she tends to eat excessively.
  • Eyesight problems. An undiagnosed child may experience blurred vision. High blood sugar level causes fluids to be pulled from body tissues such as eye lenses. This will cause eyesight problems though a toddler may not know this because they still don’t know what normal is.
  • Yeast infections. This may show up as a very bad diaper rash, especially in girls.
  • Diabetic ketoacidosis. This is the buildup of ketones which are acidic by-products. It happens when the body starts to burn fat for energy because the child’s body can’t break down glucose due to low insulin.

Diabetes care for babies and toddlersOther advanced signs and symptoms of undiagnosed diabetes to look out for may include vomiting, stomach pains, fast breathing, rapid heart rate, low body temperature flushed face, and loss of consciousness.

Symptoms of diabetes in children

It’s also essential for parents to check for fruity breath odor. Undiagnosed diabetes in a child can also make them irritable or even exhibit quick mood changes.

If you notice some of these symptoms in your child you should consult a doctor immediately. This is because the sooner it is diagnosed the earlier the treatment will start thus increasing the chances of your baby living a normal, healthy life.

Read more about Juvenile diabetes HERE!

What is a Normal Blood Sugar Level for a Toddler?

Diabetes in Toddlers Warning SignsRandom blood sugar test. This is the main screening test to check whether your toddler has diabetes Type 1. A sample of blood is taken at a random time in the day, not taking into account the last time they ate. A random blood sugar level of 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), or 11.1 millimoles per liter (mmol/L), or higher suggests diabetes.

diabetes in toddlers warning signsGlycated hemoglobin (A1C) test. The A1C test gives an indication of your toddler’s average blood sugar level over the past few months. This test specifically measures the blood sugar percentage attached to the oxygen-carrying protein in the red blood cells. An A1C level of 6.5 percent or higher on two separate tests indicates diabetes.

symptoms of diabetes in babies infantsFasting blood sugar test. Your child will fast overnight prior to this blood sample being taken. A fasting blood sugar level of 126 mg/dL (7.0 mmol/L) or higher indicates type 1 diabetes.

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Diabetes in Toddlers

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Symptoms of Diabetes in Women

Symptoms of Diabetes in Women
Symptoms of Diabetes in Women

Symptoms of diabetes in women can be many, can varied, but it is important for every woman to be familiar with the symptoms of diabetes in women, especially if she has a family history of diabetes. In the present day, diagnoses for heart disease, high blood pressure and many forms of cancer are on the decline due to advances in medical knowledge as to what preventative measures can be taken.

Diabetes rates, on the other hand, continue to rise at an alarming rate, and though there is no cure for diabetes early diagnosis and treatment can help mitigate some of the worst of the disease’s health effects. This makes familiarity with the symptoms of diabetes in women very important knowledge.

Before any discussion of how to recognize diabetes in women can begin it is a good idea to note that some women are subject to gestational diabetes, or diabetes during pregnancy, which usually resolves itself after the child is born and the mother’s body returns to a more normal state. Type one and type two diabetes are chronic incurable, but treatable, conditions that occur with or without pregnancy.

The three classic early symptoms of diabetes in women that a woman should be on watch for are increased thirst, increased hunger, and increased urination. These symptoms manifest because the body is not correctly processing the glucose that comes from food and is needed to power the cells of the body. Along with these symptoms it is common for women who may be developing diabetes to get frequent yeast infections, extreme fatigue, weight fluctuations, and even numbness or poor circulation in the extremities.

If you or someone you know begins to develop these symptoms it is definitely time for a trip to the doctor for a fasting glucose test to ascertain whether you may be developing diabetes. The key to proper management and treatment of diabetes is early diagnosis, and this can be achieved if you are familiar with the symptoms of diabetes in women.

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