My Life is Vital™ - Parenting a Child with Diabetes

Diabetes Center

Parenting a Child with Diabetes

Vital Healthcare Group

Wonder if your child has diabetes? More children and teens are being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes today than ever before.

Diabetes Symptoms in Children

Many children and teens with type 2 diabetes have no symptoms. Yet being overweight or obese is the greatest risk factor for type 2 diabetes. And today about 1 out of every 5 children in the US is overweight.

Type 2 diabetes in children is linked with excess belly fat, which results in a large waist size. This obesity pattern with greater belly fat increases the chances of insulin resistance and the risk of type 2 diabetes.

You may not know if your child has type 2 diabetes until your doctor does a blood test or urine test for another health problem. This test may be positive for type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 Diabetes in Children: Risk Factors

Risk factors for type 2 diabetes in children include:

Overweight
Family history of diabetes
Female gender
Specific ethnic groups (American Indian, African American, Asian, or Hispanic/Latino)
Other problems with insulin resistance (most people with type 2 diabetes in childhood present at the on start of puberty, a developmental stage where there's increased resistance)

Problems with Type 2 Diabetes in Children

Type 2 diabetes in children can trigger other health problems that begin around puberty. Kids with type 2 diabetes may also have the following health signs:

High blood pressure (elevated blood pressure)
Velvety dark skin changes of the neck, armpit and groin, called acanthosis nigricans
Abnormal blood fats (elevated LDL cholesterol and triglycerides)
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a hormone problem in females that disrupts or interferes with ovulation

Testing for Type 2 Diabetes in Children

Both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommend screening overweight children every two years at age 10 or at the start of puberty. The same screening applies to children who have two or more risk factors for type 2 diabetes, such as obesity and high LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.

Using a simple blood test or a urine test, your child's doctor can check for type 2 diabetes. If these tests are positive, more testing may be done to complete the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.

Talk to Your Doctor About Diabetes

Many health complications are linked to type 2 diabetes. If your child has type 2 diabetes, make sure he sees the doctor frequently to prevent serious problems. Diabetes is associated with complications of the eyes, heart, kidney, nerves, skin, feet, and blood.

If you think your child may be at risk type 2 diabetes, talk with your doctor soon. Ask that your child be tested. Early intervention today may prevent serious diabetes problems later on in adulthood.