Is Your Child Showing Juvenile Diabetes Symptoms?
Even though your child might say he or she is fine, you still need to observe them carefully. Going to the doctor is not high on the list of a kid's favorite things to do, so they may do anything they can to avoid it. Although you should talk to a pediatrician when you have any unresolved concerns about your child's health, you don't want to keep ringing up at every cough or sneeze. Here's how to recognize Type 1 or juvenile diabetes symptoms, so you know when to make the call.
Bedwetting Or More Frequent Urination
With the lack of insulin to transport much needed glucose to your child's body cells, the body tries to make up for the lack of insulin by pulling water everywhere it can. This makes the child very thirsty and usually very hungry as well. When there is more fluid intake, it has to go somewhere, and so the child needs to keep emptying his or her bladder. They can even start bedwetting after a dry time just because the bladder is so full all of the time.
Inexplicable Weight Loss
Don't ignore this major juvenile diabetes symptom - or anytime your child is loosing weight for seemingly no reason at all. Alarm bells should especially be ringing when the child is eating and drinking more, yet still loosing weight. The body just can't eat and drink enough when it has insulin problems. It's like trying to drive a car with a leaking fuel hose. No matter how much gas you put in the tank, you're still not going to go anywhere.
More Confused Than Usual
This is one of the harder juvenile diabetes symptoms to pick out, since kids seem to operate on their own mental level, anyway. However, if your child is confused, disoriented or uncoordinated due to fatigue and this is coupled with increased hunger and thirst, pay attention. The body is going through a lot of work trying to keep the chassis going even though the gas hose is broken. This makes the child very tired and has difficulty doing even the most simple of tasks.
Other Warning Signs
Since not every child is alike, the juvenile diabetes symptoms will differ with each child. Other diabetes symptoms include constant fatigue for no reason, fruity-smelling breath when they haven't been eating or drinking anything fruity and looking like they may have the flu. Some may even complain that their hands or feet tingle for a long time.
