Could your child have type 1 diabetes?

In England alone diabetes occurs in one in every 450 children (97% have type 1).

Alarmingly nearly 30% of newly diagnosed children have had at least one related medical visit before diagnosis. It has become apparent that some doctors are missing the early signs. Do you know the symptoms? Doctors are failing to ask fundamental questions. Is your child urinating a lot, is your child drinking more than usual? These are common symptoms of diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed when the child is vomiting, has abdominal pain or has rapid breathing. Some children go into a coma and are close to death.

Every year a staggering 2,000 children are diagnosed with type 1, a quarter of them will be seriously ill with Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA), 10 children a year die from DKA. This does not need to happen if everyone was aware of the symptoms.

DKA occurs when ketones (chemicals) occur in the liver. These are a result of a breakdown of fat. Insulin normally keeps these chemicals away, so no insulin would encourage them to multiply. If there are too many ketones then the blood becomes acidic. This is life threatening and must not be ignored.

My son was diagnosed at 2, if you like I diagnosed him. He was urinating a lot, he was lethargic and he was drinking too much. I had some glucose strips, 5 mins later I was shocked to see he had extensive glucose in his urine. I phoned the doctor, within half an hour we were at the hospital, It was all of a bit of a nightmare but I am glad I spotted the symptoms thus preventing the fatal DKA.

KNOW THE SYMPTONS OF TYPE 1 DIABETES TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS GET MEDICAL HELP IMMEDIATELY So what are the symptoms?

Excessive thirst; bed wetting; frequent urination; weight loss; blurred vision; vomiting; abdominal pain; lethargy; thrush.

Bed wetting in a previously ‘dry’ child can be the first symptom in 89% of children over 4 years old. Oral and genital thrush can also be present.

If DKA has already happened in a child symptoms are usually vomiting, abdominal pain or rapid breathing. All these symptoms could easily be mistaken for other illness but if excessive urination and frequent drinking occurs this can establish an immediate diagnosis.

If your child shows any of the symptoms mentioned, take them to the hospital or Doctors. A simple finger prick or blood glucose testing strip will show if there is a high blood glucose level. If it is high your child will be referred to the Diabetes clinic or be admitted to hospital.

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