Explaining Childhood Diabetes

Your child’s body uses glucose as its main source of fuel to stay healthy and keep running. Here’s how the process works for a child with normal blood sugar:

1. Your child eats a meal
2. Glucose from food enters the bloodstream
3. The pancreas makes a hormone called insulin
4. Insulin helps the glucose get into your child’s cells
5. Your child’s body gets the energy it needs

Insulin is like a bridge that helps glucose cross from the bloodstream into cells. But when your child has diabetes, the body either can't make insulin or the insulin doesn't work as it should.

When there’s no “bridge,” glucose can't enter cells normally, which causes blood sugar levels to become too high. Too much sugar in the blood can make your child sick if they don’t get treatment.

The Forms of Diabetes in Children

The two most common forms of diabetes in children are Type 1 and Type 2. Both types can develop at any age.

Childhood Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes happens when your child’s body can’t make enough insulin. With Type 1 diabetes, the immune system becomes confused and treats the cells that produce insulin — called beta cells — as if they were harmful. The immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys the beta cells. These attacks may happen quickly or last for years.

Childhood Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes used to be called “adult-onset" diabetes, because children rarely got it. Unfortunately, more children are being diagnosed with this disease because of the rising rate of childhood obesity. Along with weight concerns, children also risk getting Type 2 diabetes if a family member has the disease or if they’re born to a mother with diabetes while pregnant (gestational diabetes).

With Type 2 diabetes in children, there may also be other health issues that affect the body’s ability to handle insulin.

How to Spot Signs of Diabetes in Children

Recognizing the early symptoms of diabetes in children can help parents identify warning signs and seek medical assistance before serious complications develop. Because your child may not always be able to explain how they feel, and early symptoms can look like normal childhood changes, it’s vital to be aware of symptoms, which may include the following:

• Blurred vision: High blood sugar can cause brief changes in vision.
• Extreme thirst: When your child’s blood sugar is high, it causes their body to lose fluids. The result is dehydration. So, one of the earliest signs of diabetes may be your child constantly asking for something to drink or still seeming to be thirsty after getting what would normally be enough fluid.
• Fatigue and low energy: Children with diabetes may appear more tired, weak or less interested in play and school activities than they normally would. They may also struggle to stay focused.
• Frequent urination: Because the body tries to remove extra sugar through urine, children with diabetes often need to urinate more frequently. They may wake up at night to use the bathroom or wet the bed, even if they’re already toilet-trained.
• Increased hunger: If glucose isn’t reaching the cells that need energy, your child may feel hungry all the time, even if they’ve just eaten.
• Unexplained weight loss: If your child’s body starts breaking down fat and muscle for energy, they can lose weight even if they’re eating more.

Some symptoms may not be as common but can signal more serious problems and shouldn’t be ignored. They may be signs of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a health emergency that means your child needs care right away. These include:

• Cuts or bruises that heal slowly
• Frequent infections, such as skin or yeast infections
• Fruity-smelling breath
• Mood changes, including irritability or sudden behavior changes
• Nausea, vomiting or stomach pain

Differences Between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes Symptoms

Although there’s some overlap in symptoms, there are differences between the two types of diabetes.

Childhood Diabetes Type 1 Symptoms

Type 1 diabetes often advances quickly. Symptoms may appear over several days or weeks, and children can become very sick within a short period. Type 1 diabetes is commonly diagnosed in younger children but can occur at any age.

Childhood Diabetes Type 2 Symptoms

Type 2 diabetes is more common in older children and teens and usually progresses more slowly. This makes it harder to notice at first. One common sign, though, is the development of dark patches of skin around your child’s neck or armpits, since this is directly linked to insulin resistance.

Take Comfort in Our Care for Your Child With Diabetes

If you suspect your child is experiencing symptoms of diabetes, we’re ready with whole-person care, which means we’ll take extra time to explain every test and treatment option. We’ll also guide you and your family as you navigate the lifestyle, nutritional and wellness changes that come with a new diagnosis. Our team of endocrinologists, metabolism experts, nutritionists and more provides ongoing diabetes support throughout childhood and into adulthood.

Learn more about diabetes diagnosis and treatment options for children.