Unfortunately diabetes is affecting more and more children every day. Genetic predispositions might be responsible for this, but doctors also warn that a sedentary life and unhealthy and unbalanced diets also increase the risk of developing the disease. More and more children spend hours on end in front of the TV or the computer, eating junk food and this leads to a high chance of suffering of diabetes.
Symptoms of diabetes in children are similar with those in adults. The most common ones include -
1. Unusual thirst
2. Frequent trips to the bathroom
3. Stringent hunger
4. Weight loss
5. Irritability and fatigue
6. Slow healing wounds and cuts
7. Blurred vision
8. Tingling in the hands and feet
Besides these, children might also experience
1. Tummy pains
2. Headaches
3. Behavioral problems
Nowadays parents are extremely busy and have less time to spend with their kids. This might be a reason why symptoms of diabetes in children are sometimes not noticed and severe medical conditions occur. It is true that some symptoms of diabetes in children might be mistaken with problems that are age specific. On the other hand, any parent should notice if a child with a healthy or even exaggerated appetite starts losing weight without a reason.
Frequent urination also needs to be noticed right away, especially if the child starts wetting the bed after not doing this for a while. Behavioral problems and irritability are symptoms of diabetes in children that usually go unnoticed and the parents just think that their child is being moody or spoiled. Fatigue, on the other hand, shouldn't go unnoticed because it is not normal in children, especially in those that are normally active.
Tummy pains are a symptom of diabetes in children that usually attracts the doctor's attention. If a child experiences tummy pains for several weeks, the physician will most likely recommend a test for diabetes.
The parents' capability of recognizing the symptoms of diabetes in children and their rapidity in doing this are crucial for the quality of the child's life. Cases of diabetes are constantly increasing in children and this is why parents should observe their child more carefully than ever. An early diagnosis can make the difference between a normal life and a complex and disturbing treatment. The later diabetes in children is diagnosed, the more complex the child's treatment needs are. In time, untreated diabetes in children can cause kidney failure, blindness, nerve damage and cardiovascular problems.
