Prediabetes is a condition wherein the blood sugar levels of a person are higher than normal, but not as much as in the case of diabetes. This article on prediabetes symptoms in children will help you identify if your child is under the risk of developing diabetes in the future.
According to the 2011 National diabetes fact sheet, more than 79 million people in the United States of America are suffering from prediabetes. Not only this, almost 215,000 children under 20 years of age are suffering from diabetes as per the recent reports. Prediabetes symptoms in children are usually found in those who either have a family history of the same, or are dealing with health issues like obesity and live a sedentary lifestyle.
In fact, studies reveal that a child who is overweight has higher chances of suffering from diabetes in the future as compared to a child who is within a normal weight range. Prediabetes is also known as borderline diabetes because it is more or less an indication that the person is likely to suffer from diabetes in the future if necessary amendments in the lifestyle are not made.
Warning Signs of Prediabetes in Children
As mentioned earlier, prediabetes is a condition wherein the blood sugar levels of a person are higher than normal, but not as high as in case of diabetes. Prediabetes is also known as impaired glucose tolerance. This is because people suffering from this condition usually have higher than normal glucose levels in the body, (usually between 100-125 milligram per deciliter). Though people who are more than 45 years old are more likely to suffer from prediabetes, even children can get this ailment due to reasons already explained.
You would be surprised to know that in the United States of America, almost 1 out of 400 kids under the age of 20 is suffering from type 1 diabetes. Speaking of type 2 diabetes, mentioned below are some of the main symptoms of prediabetes in children.
Is Your Child Gaining Weight?
One of the most eminent symptom of prediabetes in children is weight gain. In fact, if your child is already obese or overweight, and you have a family history of the disease, then there are high chances that your child would be suffering from prediabetes already. If you have noticed that the appetite of your child has increased, he or she feels more hungry and craves for foods rich in carbohydrates and sugar, and he or she is gaining weight, then there are chances that your child has prediabetes.
Is Your Child Always Thirsty?
Not only is there an increase in the appetite, prediabetes, can also lead to excessive thirst. This is because of the body’s effort to balance the excessive sugar levels in the body. The body craves for more fluid, eventually making the person feel more thirsty.
Does Your Child Urinate a Lot?
More water in the body means more urination. Excessive thirst and urination are the signs of prediabetes that are linked to each other. Therefore, if you notice that your child is drinking a lot of water, you will also notice that he is also visiting the bathroom more than usual.
Wounds and Infections Don’t Heal Quickly?
The high level of glucose in the blood makes the healing process slower than usual. Therefore, if you notice that your child had a cut almost 2 days ago, or an infection that should have been healed by now but is still fresh, then you must get your child checked for prediabetes.
Does Your Child get Tired Easily?
Children are supposed to be really active and energetic all the time. But if you think that your child is suffering from weakness, fatigue and that your child seems to be lethargic all the time, then this may be due to prediabetes.
Ask if Your Child Experiences Blurred Vision?
Another prominent sign of prediabetes in children, or even in adults for that matter is experiencing blurred vision. This is because of the excessive blood glucose levels in the body that can actually impact your nerves and blood vessels, including your eye vision! This is the reason why uncontrolled diabetes can also lead to permanent blindness!
Is There Darkening of the Skin?
Another sign of prediabetes is the sudden darkening in specific areas of your body. Have you noticed if your child has dark armpits, neck, knees or knuckles? If your child does, then this condition is known as acanthosis nigricans, and is considered to be one of the signs indicating the person to be a pre-diabetic.
If you think that all the aforementioned prediabetes symptoms can be associated with your child’s condition at present, then you must get in touch with your healthcare specialist as soon as possible. Your doctor will closely monitor the symptoms and signs of your child, look at the family history and conduct various tests to determine the increased blood sugar levels.
The good news is that unlike diabetes, which is a life long chronic ailment, prediabetes can actually be controlled and stopped from turning into diabetes. Your doctor will advise drastic changes in the lifestyle and habits. For example, the doctor might suggest a prediabetes medication which includes following a prediabetes diet, maintaining a healthy weight and living an active lifestyle.
