Recognising the Symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes in Your Child

A significant number of people assume that diabetes is an old people disease. In truth, diabetes can affect you no matter what age you are. Thus, it is essential to know how to spot the signs, particularly if you are a parent. The most common type of diabetes that will affect children is Type 1. Take note that there is nothing that you could do to prevent your child from developing this. So how do you recognise the symptoms of Type 1 diabetes in your child?

Your child is excessively thirsty

If your child has Type 1 diabetes that is yet undiagnosed, one of the first symptoms that they would exhibit would be unquenchable thirst. This constant thirst stems from an increase in their blood sugar, which in turn causes an excessive amount of fluid being sucked away from the tissues in their body. In addition to this, you may find that your child is craving sugary drinks too.

Your child is urinating excessively

Another symptom to be wary of from your child that would be indicative of the onset of Type 1 diabetes would be frequent urination. The fundamental principle of this is as they drink more fluids to try to counter the excessive thirst, they would also need to use the bathroom more often than they usually do. If your child is younger and has recently been successfully potty trained, the onset of spontaneous bed-wetting should alert you to the potential of Type 1 diabetes. It would be a good idea to have your GP give them a medical checkup just to rule out that this could be what is causing the frequent urination.

Your child is losing weight

Any sudden weight loss in your child should make you wary as this could also indicate the onset of Type 1 diabetes. When your child's body has lost its ability to synthesise sugar to create energy, chances are they will start to break down muscle mass. These metabolic reactions can then cause a sudden loss in weight, despite the fact that their diet has not changed.

Discerning the symptoms early and seeking primary care from a GP can go a long way in preventing Type 1 diabetes to developing into diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), which would be a serious health condition for your child. When your child suffers from DKA, it means their body has begun to break down the kid's at reserves since there is no more insulin available and this can severely compromise their health.

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