10 Easy-To-Miss Signs of Diabetes in Kids

According to the American Diabetes Association, approximately 352,000 people under age 20 have received a diabetes diagnosis—and the number keeps on growing. There are different types of diabetes, and not all affect children (such as gestational diabetes). Each type has different causes, risk factors, and complications, but all require active management.

Wondering if your child might have diabetes? Below, we break down some of the most common and easy-to-miss symptoms of diabetes in kids as well as the types of diabetes that can affect children.

Common Signs of Diabetes in Kids

Here are 10 common signs of diabetes in children—but note that this list isn't exhaustive. Always talk to your health care provider about any concerns about your child's health.

1. Changes in eating and sleeping habits

People with diabetes tend to drink more water than usual. The health condition can make you feel very thirsty or hungry—no matter how much you eat or drink.

2. Fluctuations in weight

Weight changes are common before a diabetes diagnosis—especially significant weight loss with type 1 diabetes or slow and excessive weight gain with type 2 diabetes.

3. Changes in urinary frequency

An increase in the amount of times your child is going to the bathroom has a direct correlation to a sudden increased water intake—and it could be cause for concern. Noticeable changes in urination and stool contents also warrants attention.

"We would hear him up all night long using the bathroom. During the day, he would sometimes go every 15 minutes," says Kim Streif, a teacher in Iowa and a parent of a child with type 1 diabetes. That warning signal was enough for them to go to the hospital. By the time they got there, their son's blood sugar level was 768, compared to a normal range of 80–150.

4. Altered energy levels and exhaustion

Extreme fatigue and shifts in energy levels are reasons to raise a red flag, especially if your child is feeling more slow-moving and sluggish than usual. "In terms of the symptoms, they can actually be kind of similar to adults, so you may notice that there's a little more lethargy and the child is tired," says Feller.

5. Stomach issues

People with diabetes may also have nausea, vomiting, or stomach pains, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These gastrointestinal symptoms tend to be more common with type 1 diabetes.

6. Blurry vision

High blood sugar can cause the eye lens to swell, leading to blurred vision. As a result, children may be unbalanced and unable to focus clearly.

7. Numbness or tingling

High blood sugar can cause diabetic neuropathy, which is a form of nerve damage. It can present in many different forms, including feeling "pins and needles" in your hands or feet.

8. Sores that heal slowly

If your child has a sore, wound, or infection that's sticking around longer than normal, it could be a sign of type 2 diabetes. You can blame factors like high blood sugar, diabetic neuropathy, and decreased circulation. Note that frequent infections are also more common with diabetes.

9. Areas of darkened skin

People with diabetes may notice darkening in their skin folds, such as the armpits and neck. This symptom, called acanthosis nigricans, doesn't necessarily look like bruises, and it can have a velvety texture. This is caused by resistance to naturally produced insulin and is associated with type 2 diabetes.

10. "Fruity" breath

Children may develop breath that smells fruity—often compared to a stick of Juicy Fruit gum. This potentially life-threatening symptom might indicate diabetic ketoacidosis, and it's usually only present for type 1 diabetes.

Types of Diabetes in Kids

The two most common types of diabetes that can affect children are type 1 and type 2. While both are considered chronic health conditions, their causes and onset are different.

Type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder that causes your immune system to attack cells in the pancreas, stopping the natural production of insulin. Insulin is important because it helps sugar (also known as glucose) in the bloodstream get into the body's cells, where it's used for energy. Without insulin, sugar can build up in the blood, which can lead to severe health concerns.

It's not known what causes type 1 diabetes, but genetics and environmental factors might play a role.

Type 2 diabetes

Although not as common in young people, type 2 diabetes diagnoses are increasing with the ongoing obesity epidemic among the youth population. It occurs when the body doesn't respond to the insulin that their body produces.

Besides having obesity, other risk factors for type 2 diabetes include inactivity, family history, diagnosed prediabetes, and more.

How Diabetes Presents in Kids

Many signs of type 1 and type 2 diabetes in kids overlap and can be easy to overlook. In fact, many common indicators of diabetes are also synonymous with childhood in general, according to Maya Feller, MS, RD, CDN, an adjunct professor of nutrition at New York University. One major difference between the signs of type 1 and type 2 diabetes in kids involves the presentation of symptoms.

According to the CDC, type 1 diabetes can develop quickly (in a few weeks or months), and it can be severe. Parents sometimes notice that their child isn't acting like themselves, but they can't exactly pinpoint the reason, says Larry Deeb, MD, former president of the American Diabetes Association and director of Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare's Diabetes Center in Florida. Symptoms might be easily dismissed as normal growing pains.

On the other hand, type 2 diabetes tends to develop slowly over time, and many kids don't experience any symptoms at all. Type 2 diabetes is often diagnosed during a check-up or appointment not related to a potential diagnosis.

What To Do If Your Child Shows Signs of Diabetes

If your child is showing signs of diabetes, Feller recommends scheduling an appointment with your health care provider. "If a parent sees any significant change in their child's behavior, in terms of their intake (meaning what they're eating or drinking) or the output (a change in urine or stool, like the amount that they're going to the bathroom), they should absolutely go to the doctor," says Feller.

Children with diabetes should begin insulin therapy as soon as possible to prevent permanent damage to vision, nerves, and blood vessels, which can lead to other complications. If your child is diagnosed with diabetes, they might not be able to grasp the concept of monitoring blood sugar levels, meaning it's important they have people behind them that do.

Feller encourages parents to assemble a multidisciplinary team, including pediatricians, endocrinologists, and dietitians to help them understand their children's diagnosis. "They really have to work with a health care team to find what works with the family. Because what works for one family might not work for another, especially with pediatric diabetes," Feller says.

"Learning to care for a diabetic child is exhausting and overwhelming," says Streif, whose child was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes after they noticed changes in urinary frequency. "The first six months were a roller coaster ride, but we were lucky to have great doctors and nurses, as well as the great support of other type 1 families in our area."