My daughter for the last two weeks has been super thirsty and urinating a lot as well as having very itchy skin. I was concerned about diabetes so since I have a glucometer due to my borderline diabetes I decided to give her a test. While sleeping she was only 105. I don't know a lot about type 1 but I would think 105 isn't an indicator, or should I try and test her at a time during the day? What other causes would be for her excessive thirst and urinating with no pain or irritation?
Unless you are a physician, quit testing her and get her to an expert - her pediatrician - so you can find out what's really going on instead of diagnosing at home.
Hi T..
You need to take her to the doctor. Both of my kids have type 1 diabetes and they had much higher blood sugars at diagnoses but ONLY a doctor can diagnose this.
Also, Type 1 diabetes is not curable. In the case of Type 1, the pancreas does not produce any kind of insulin and is essentially dead. The body needs insulin to survive. People who don't have diabetes are "insulin dependent" because they depend on their bodies to produce the proper amount of insulin to survive. A Type 1 diabetic just needs their insulin from an outside source.
No matter what the cause for your daughter's symptoms, you need to have a professional test her.
Good luck!
*Edit. Your daughter would only need a blood test and a urine test. My daughter was diagnosed at age 19 months and did not need to do tests that take hours long and did not need to have a fasting blood sugar.
Also, Type 1 diabetes is not diagnosed on blood sugar alone. They also test for ketones in the urine, which WILL be present if your child has Type 1. Type 1 diabetes testing, diagnoses and treatment has come a long way in the past few years. All the same, I hope your daughter doesn't have it.
You said while sleeping, she ran 105. That's not a fasting test. As a lab tech, at the hospital I worked at, two tests over 100 (fasting 12 hours- for her, instead of 12 hour fasting, I would test as soon as she woke up before eating) is considered diagnostic of diabetes. She is so young that they would probably do a 3 or 5 hour glucose tolerence test for confirmation/diagnosis. Take her to the Dr.
She COULD just be thirsty (I'm a thirsty kinda person, esp when I was in school because over 6 hour we only got two sips from the fountain and what we brought with us for lunch... I used to dream of being a teacher JUST so I could have a drink in class, but I'm also borderline D)... and kids these days often don't even get the water fountain and are in school for 8 hours.
HOWEVER... the Langerhans cells don't usually die off all at once (the insulin producing cells in the pancreas) so you could very well be noticing the early signs of Type1 diabetes just because you're vigilant and aware... so I'm a strong second for taking her into the doctor and getting her blood sugar taken under a controlled environment (aka when they have either restricted or given her a ton of glucose to see how her pancreas reacts to it).
I've been borderline diabetic my whole life as well (my pancreas only sends out insulin when there is a LOT of sugar in my blood -my blood sugar is too high to be considered non-diabetic, and too stable to be considered diabetic... so it's functional... just quirky)... so it's one of those things that I, too, am hypervigilent with my own son.
I agree with Angela. I don't believe pediatricians have all the answers but you really need an accurate diagnosis. Believe it or not, Diabetes, type 1 and type 2, can be cured. (105 can be good or bad depending on when you take it.) Our diet in the US has thrown many of us with preexisting tendencies right into it. My husband was diagnosed with type 2 a couple of years ago after an injury to his pancreas from a fall. We have used the book How to cure diabetes in 30 days and have his numbers completely under control. Halle Berry, the actress, a type 1 diabetic has gone through the book as well and is no longer insulin dependent. Simply avoiding sweets will not help but eating foods that break down into sugar slower and also foods that heal the pancreas are a must.
Simple sugars are not only candy and cake but white bread and french fries,
even a baked russet potato can be dangerous. Get a proper diagnosis and then start researching. God did not mean for the body to be sick. He has given us all we need to keep it well. Your daughter may not have diabetes but you need to know what is going on so you can attack it head on!
God bless.
Go to the doctor if you have concerns. My niece was diagnosed with Type 1 a year ago with very little symptomology leading-up to the diagnosis.
It is also ENTIRELY possible that she's feeling parched and dehydrated b/c it's winter- itchy skin and dry due to the "dry heat" indoors.
Please see your doctor if you suspect something as serious as diabetes! If your daughter is not developing the condition, you're "out" the co-pays.
Though I'm not a huge fan of peds these days, diabetes is a condition where you truly do need a doctor's help. You may also want to consider a pediatric endocrinologist (if you can get in and that's not always easy).
My dad has been Type 1 since he was a teen, and I have a nephew with Type 1 also (since age 6). Unbeknownst to most people, not all diabetics are fat or sedentary (my dad and nephew are very thin & active). There is generally an autoimmune component with Type 1.
Even if there is nothing that can be done at the moment (except wait and see) it will be good to have that endocrinologist relationship in place.
Good luck - my heart goes out to you and your daughter.
She sounds dehydrated....thristy, drinking a lot, dry skin. turn on a humidifier, drink lots more water, use lotion, maybe even Avenno in the bath water. I do this every Fall and Winter. It seems like I cannot drink enough water and that of course makes me pee all the time but it eventually gets better with more moisture in the house.
Had she not eaten anything for 12 hours? 105 after fasting can be indicative of being borderline diabetic but only if she's not eaten for 12 hours. Her symptoms of thirst, etc can be diabetic symptoms but the blood glucose level tells you nothing unless she'd not eaten for 12 hours. I urge you to make an appointment with her pediatrician based on her physical symptoms.
Scary! I know, but it's better to know and get her the treatment she needs then to wait and have her health decline. All of her physical symptoms could be caused by something else, tho I don't know what that would be. You need to find out. Don't try to diagnose this with a home blood test.
take her to the dr.
Call your pediatrician's office and talk to the nurse advisor if there is one.
And/or make an appointment to see the pediatrician;
don't wait for the next scheduled time.
Tell them you need an appointment THIS WEEK.
Make sure DD is drinking water rather than juice or soft drinks.
Get something topical to relieve the itch.
I urge you take her and discuss this with your ped. I'm sure a lot of things need to be taken into account like when she last ate before you tested her.
Also I don't know if you've been using your heat but it dries our house right out even with humidifiers on I find us drinking more and of course what goes in must come out. So while it is stressful and worrisome to have her tested try to keep in the back of your mind that there are also other reasons that she could be thirsty.
SHe really needs to be tested at the pedi's office, fasting. In the beginning stages of diabetes development they can have high and low readings. Based on her symptoms I would definitely take her in for a full work up.
Hi T.,
I think you should have a doctor check your daughter.
Good luck
