Today marks World Diabetes Day!
According to statistics, there is a prevalence of 3,364 people between the ages of 0-19 living with Type 1 diabetes in Ireland.
Some don’t receive a diagnosis until their symptoms are already severe and it’s important to note that a very late diagnosis could be fatal.
Knowing the symptoms to look out for in children is key to early detection and diagnosis.
Type 1
According to the HSE, Type 1 diabetes symptoms can come on quickly, particularly in children.
Some of the main symptoms of type 1, are:
- feeling very thirsty
- peeing more than usual, particularly at night
- feeling very tired
- losing weight without trying
- thrush that keeps coming back
- blurred vision
- cuts and grazes that are not healing
Type 2
Type 2 diabetes occurs more commonly in adults. In fact, it used to be called adult-onset diabetes.
But the increasing number of children with obesity has led to more cases of type 2 diabetes in younger people, according to the Mayo Clinic.
The HSE states that many people have type 2 without realising it.
This is because:
symptoms do not necessarily make you feel unwell
some people do not have symptoms
symptoms may not appear for some time
The most common signs and symptoms of undiagnosed or poorly managed type 2 include:
- feeling thirsty all the time – drinking excessive amounts of liquids or unable to quench your thirst
- peeing more than usual, particularly at night
- feeling tired, lack of energy, sleeping more than usual
- losing weight without trying to
- frequent infections, cuts or wounds taking longer to heal
- numbness, pain or tingling in your hands or feet
- blurred vision
For more information on Diabetes Type 1 and Type 2, visit the HSE website.
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- How to identify and address an iron deficiency in children
- Spike in the number of children on hospital waiting lists as flu season approaches
