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What is Childhood Diabetes?

Type 1

Type 1, Juvenile, or childhood diabetes is a condition from birth in which the body does not produce insulin. Someone born with the condition needs to learn how to take over their own care-this includes children, although many with childhood diabetes are not diagnosed until their pre-or-early teens.

Warning Signs of Childhood Diabetes

For children who have not been diagnosed with diabetes, an attack could come on suddenly and, if not treated properly, could result in life-threatening consequences. Signs include extreme thirst, frequent urination, sudden changes in vision, increased appetite or weight loss, sleepiness, labored breathing, or a fruity smell to the breath.

Call a Doctor

If you feel your child has one or more of these symptoms, it is important that they get immediate care, since childhood diabetes can be mistaken for other illnesses. About 30,000 Americans are diagnosed with childhood diabetes each year, of which 13,000 are children. Broken down, that's 36 children every day, about one an hour.

Misdiagnosis of Childhood Diabetes

Failure to diagnose childhood diabetes can have awful consequences. Knowing the warning signs can save a life. However, if it doesn't run in your family, you may not automatically identify the need to know all the symptoms. There are three signs to keep in mind at all times: thirst, frequent urination, and blood glucose levels. If your child seems unusually thirsty and/or is going often to the bathroom, his blood sugar may be high. If he seems sleepy or lethargic, clammy or just not right, it wouldn't be a bad idea to have the doctor do a blood or urine test.

Of course, the doctor will be evaluating him for other things, as well, but if this occurs suddenly, you might not have a lot of time to sort things out.

Health Risks of Childhood Diabetes

In addition to the diagnosis of diabetes itself, childhood diabetes presents the threat of low blood sugar (which can be just as dangers), vision problems, kidney and liver problems, as well as increased risk for heart attack and stroke. In addition, persistent high blood sugars can cause an increase possibility of infection (from yeast infections to abscessed teeth), wounds that don't heal, gangrene from infected wounds, and a host of other ailments. There is also nerve damage to the extremities, especially the feet, which can cause intense pain-and the discomfort and damage that is irreversible.

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