How to Recognize T1 Diabetes Symptoms in Children

When you spend all day, every day with your child, it can be hard to notice changes. They can be slow and subtle. Just like diabetes symptoms.

** This post contains affiliate links **

My daughter had been acting off all evening. She was getting cranky, constantly asking for water and inconsolably sobbing on and off for no apparent reason. At least, I didn’t think there was a reason.

Sleepless Night

Something woke me up. It was dark and the first thing I saw was the clock. 11:37.

Then I heard a little voice. My daughter stood next to the bed, pillow and water bottle in hand, asking to come into bed with me. In response, I pulled back the covers and patted the bed invitingly.

She climbed in and snuggled right next to me. I put my arms around her, I felt the familiar dampness of wet pajamas.

At almost 4 years old, she still wears pull-ups at night. While it’s rare for her to wake up in the morning with dry pull-ups, I can’t think of the last time she’s soaked through them.

I told her to start taking off her wet clothes and I went down to her room to get fresh ones. I wrestled her into her new pull-up and pajamas and I told her to try to go to sleep.

The First of the Symptoms

She started crying, that uncontrollable, heaving cry that tells you something is really wrong. In between sobs, she asked for more water. I don’t give her much water at bed time, but I was surprised that her cup was empty. Nevertheless, I got her a bit more water. She gulped it down and asked for more.

I thought, “that’s odd, she never asks for water like that in the night.” That was the first I noticed of her symptoms. Frequent urination and excessive thirst are two of the most common symptoms of diabetes.

I was starting to get worried. Luckily, since we already have a child with diabetes, we have the equipment to test her blood sugar.

Unfortunately, she does not react well to the idea of getting her finger pricked. In fact, she starts screaming at the mere suggestion of it. But I wouldn’t get a good night’s sleep without knowing. Better safe than sorry right? I check Jordan’s blood sugar every night, he usually sleeps right through it. I decided to wait until she was asleep.

Waiting and Worrying

So I waited. I waited for her to fall asleep. I watched the red glowing numbers on the clock. How long would it take? 10 minutes? 15? My mind started to wander. I started thinking about what would happen when I checked her finger.

What if I check and she’s at 23? I would have to call my husband and get him to come home from his night shift. We would have to wake 3 children, pack them up and head to the ER.

I thought of the fluorescent lights in the emergency room and the hard, uncomfortable chairs. Are we going to be spending the night in a dimly lit hospital room while doctors and nurses poke and prod my child?

My daughter’s whimper brought me back to reality. She sat up and asked for even more water. I got her a bit more, now fully convinced that we would be making a trip to the hospital that night. As she laid back down, and I waited for her to fall asleep, I was praying to God (a God I don’t normally believe in) that she didn’t have diabetes.

I was praying and I was letting my imagination run wild. How could we go through this AGAIN? With a child who screams at the thought of getting her finger poked. To have to start doing it 8 or 10 times a day? To have to give 5 or more insulin injections a day?

By 12:11, she was laying on her back, with her mouth open, snoring. I lifted her arm and let it drop, it flopped down by her side. She was out. I went down to Jordan’s room and grabbed his blood glucose monitor. Jordan’s fingers are much bigger and tougher than Cam’s are, I dialed back the lancet so it wouldn’t poke as deep.

The Result

She’s not used to it like her brother is. Or she wasn’t as asleep as I had thought. The poke woke her up. She looked confused and then her brow furrowed in anger. I told her I had to check and got some blood on the strip.

3… 2… 1…

5.4, her blood sugar was 5.4. That’s perfect. That’s a normal blood sugar level! We don’t have to go to the hospital tonight! That was a stressful 34 minutes.

Diabetes Symptoms

Diabetes is something that cannot be prevented. The best thing we can do as parents is know the symptoms and hopefully catch it early if your child does have diabetes.

As previously mentioned, the two most common and noticeable symptoms are frequent urination and excessive thirst. This includes a child who is normally dry wetting the bed at night or suddenly having accidents during the day.

Having trouble with potty training? Check out my friend Becky’s potty training book: “Potty Train in a Weekend”

Other common signs and symptoms include:

1. Fatigue or lack of energy
2. Unusual hunger
3. Weight loss
4. Moodiness or mood swings
5. Sweet or fruity smelling breath

If left too long, these symptoms worsen to blurry vision, vomiting and potentially seizures.

If you or your child has any of these symptoms, see your doctor for a blood glucose test. It’s a simple urine test that can be done right in the doctor’s office.

The Truth

If you’re a parent, or if you are close with any young children, you may already know the truth. You may have noticed it in my story, or about the list of symptoms.

The truth is… most of these symptoms happen to perfectly healthy young children. They go through phases of wanting a snack every 5 minutes or regressing during potty training. They are the embodiment of mood swings. There are times when they need to sleep more than usual, a growth spurt for instance.

But, if it is diabetes, the symptoms will get worse over time. There will be no doubt in your mind that something is wrong. So, know the symptoms. If you’re concerned about anything on that list, see your doctor.  It may be nothing, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.