Diabetes in Children : Signs, Symptoms and Treatment In India
Medically Reviewed By
Dr. Ragiinii Sharma
Written By Prekshi Garg
on May 14, 2022
Last Edit Made By Prekshi Garg
on Jan 23, 2025
The pancreas is one of the most essential organs of the body that makes insulin hormones. This hormone plays a vital role in converting blood glucose levels into energy. Sometimes, the pancreas does not produce sufficient insulin, or the liver cells fail to absorb insulin leading to the accumulation of glucose in the blood.
Diabetes Mellitus (DM) or Diabetes (as referred to) is a condition caused when the body’s cells cannot absorb insulin or not enough insulin is produced by the pancreas, this leads toa spike in blood glucose in the body causing Hyperglycemia.
In this article you will gain insight on everything you need to know to be vigilant about Diabetes in Children and how it can be treated or reversed.
Diabetes in Children: At what age can a child develop diabetes?
Statistics from recent studies and research may surprise you, but children can develop diabetes as a toddler, at a young age after 5 years or even during their teens. There is no defined age for children to develop diabetes. Diabetes in children can be of two types depending on the onset and the way the insulin is secreted in the pancreas.
Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
Mostly seen in children when the pancreas no longer can produce insulin. According to statistical studies, almost 97,000 children in India have type 1 diabetes, a prevalence rate of 30 in one lakh population. Onset of type 1 diabetes can be seen as an infant. However, most often it appears after the age of 5.
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Regarded as an adult-onset disorder, type 2 diabetes is also seen in children where the pancreas produces less insulin, or the cells do not take up the produced insulin causing insulin resistance. According to the National Diabetes Statistical Report-2020, almost 24% of the new diagnosis showed type 2 diabetes in children. Type 2 diabetes is more common in children of 10 to 19 years.
This article is an overview of the symptoms observed in both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes in children with their possible treatment or management options.
Type 1 Diabetes in Children: Signs to look out for
When insulin production in children with Type 1 diabetes comes to a halt, the blood glucose levels rise, and children generally feel easily fatigued with every activity they perform. It is also noticed that these kids often feel hungry. Some of the signs and symptoms observed in children with type 1 diabetes include:
- Increased thirst
- Frequent urination
- Extreme hunger
- Loss of weight
- Tiredness or fatigue
- Behaviour changes- getting irritable
- Fruity smelling breath
These symptoms develop quickly, and if you notice one or more symptoms in your child, you will need to check with your physician immediately.
Type 2 Diabetes in Children: Signs and symptoms
Type 2 diabetes symptoms in children, though similar to type 1 diabetes often go unnoticed or undetectable. This type of diabetes in children develops gradually, and the signs are not easily detected. Many children do not feel the symptoms or do not show any. However, if you find even one of the following symptoms, your child may be on the verge of developing type 2 diabetes.
- Fatigue: Excessive tiredness and sleepiness may be due to the changes in blood sugar levels that can affect the energy levels in the body.
- Urinating frequently: Excess sugar levels in the blood cause excess sugar rushing in the urine and excess water outflow. Thus leading to frequent trips to the bathroom or taking more urine breaks than usual.
- Excessive thirst: Drinking more water than usual and when water cannot quench the thirst indicates high sugar in the blood.
- Increased hunger: Lack of insulin in the body cannot help the cells generate energy in the body. For the body's energy requirement to carry out metabolic processes, food becomes the next prominent source of energy. Thus causing an increased hunger or craving for food. This condition is also referred to as polyphagia or hyperphagia.
- Slow-healing infections with increased frequency of infections: The excess sugar in the blood does not allow the infection or injury to heal or repair quickly.
- Darkening of skin: Darkened skin, especially the armpits, and neck, where the skin folds, maybe due to insulin resistance. This condition is also referred to as acanthosis nigricans.
- Unintentional weight loss: When glucose does not reach the cells on time, the cell utilises the energy by rapidly burning fat in the body, causing unintentional weight loss.
Causes, Risk Factors, and Complications of Diabetes in Children
Here is a table defining the causes, risk factors, and associated complications of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes in children.
| Type 1 Diabetes | Type 2 Diabetes | |
| CAUSES | Though the exact cause of type 1 diabetes is not known, Type 1 diabetes is known to be an autoimmune condition, where the body's immune system, which normally fights harmful pathogens, mistakenly destroys the insulin-producing (islet) cells in the pancreas. The destruction of islet cells leads to low or nil production of insulin. Genes and environmental factors may also be involved in this process. | The precise cause of Type 2 diabetes is not known but believed that family history and genetics play may be one of the reasons for developing this condition.
Type 2 diabetes in children occurs due to one of the following conditions.
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| RISK FACTORS | Although type 1 diabetes occurs in children, it can affect anyone at any age. Risk factors for type 1 diabetes in children are:
| Factors that increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes are:
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| COMPLICATIONS | Type 1 diabetes can affect some of the major organs in the body that can lead to complications such as:
| Type 2 diabetes can cause long-term complications that develop gradually over years. These complications can be life-threatening and include
|
Treatment and Management of Diabetes in Children
The goal of type 1 and type 2 diabetes treatment in children is management through healthy eating, regular glucose monitoring, insulin therapy, and regular exercising.
Long-term effects of regular management is a proven effective treatment for diabetes in children. Continuous follow-up of a healthy routine, diet, and glucose intake can treat and reverse this very condition at some point of time.
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Taking Insulin/ Medications
Children with diabetes may be prescribed one or a combination of the following types of insulin.
- Rapid-acting insulin: This insulin type works instantly within 15 minutes and reaches a peak at nearly 60 minutes, and the effect can last up to 4 hours.
- Short-acting insulin: These are regular insulin that works around 30 minutes after injecting, reaches a peak at 90-120 minutes and the effect lasts up to 4 to 6 hours.
- Intermediate-acting insulin: This type of insulin starts to work in 1-3 hours, reaches a peak at 6-8 hours, and the effect can last for almost 12-24 hours.
- Long- and ultra-long-acting insulin: This type of insulin can last for 14 to 40 hours.
While there are different ways of administering the insulin- fine needle and syringe, insulin pen with a fine needle, or an insulin pump, insulin pens are most commonly used for insulin delivery techniques.
Sometimes, especially for type 2 diabetes in children, the physician may prescribe medications such as metformin or Liraglutide injections.
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Regular glucose monitoring
You will need to regularly check your child’s glucose levels- at least four times a day before every meal and occasionally during midnight. While there are a lot of devices that enable easy glucose monitoring, devices such as Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) measure glucose levels every 5 minutes with the help of sensors inserted under the skin. CGM can be connected with a smartphone or smartwatch as well. A closed-loop system is another continuous glucose sensor that checks blood sugar levels every five minutes using sophisticated algorithms. The closed-loop system is connected to the insulin pump for regular insulin intake.
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Healthy eating
Diest is an essential aspect of a diabetes treatment plan. Your child will need to include foods rich in nutrition and low in calories, carbohydrates, and fat. Some of the foods that require inclusion in the diet are:
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- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- Lean protein- legumes, lentils, fish, poultry, peas, soy products
- Whole grains- millets, barley, brown rice.
Consult a dietician to learn how to manage carbohydrate intake while figuring insulin dosages.
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Physical activity
Physical activity of at least 60 minutes must be a part of your child’s daily activity. But, it is essential to note that excess physical exertion can affect blood sugar levels. Adjusting the child’s meal accordingly will be crucial.
If your child learns a new activity, check the blood sugar level more frequently and know how the body reacts to the new activity.
Frequently Asked Questions
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How long can a child live with type 2 diabetes?
Living with diabetes is all about making minor lifestyle modifications, regular glucose monitoring, and insulin intake. With these changes, the child can live long and healthy without major health complications.
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Can kids reverse type 2 diabetes?
Eating healthily and exercising are two major essential aspects when it comes to type 2 diabetes reversal in children. Make sure your child takes plenty of green leafy vegetables and fresh fruits, and avoid processed foods, excess carbohydrates, and sugar-based foods. However, reversing diabetes is only possible with consistent long-term efforts.
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Why do kids get diabetes?
Being overweight, lack of physical activity, genetics, or a history of diabetes in the family are some of the reasons for diabetes in children.
Conclusion
Diabetes mellitus is a condition caused due to a spike in glucose levels in the body. The rise in glucose levels is either because of a lack of insulin production as seen in Type 1 diabetes or low insulin production/ cells resistant to insulin as seen in Type 2 diabetes.
Both, type 1 and type 2 diabetes are seen in children causing excessive fatigue, weakness, unintentional weight loss, excessive thirst, hunger, and frequent urination. Treatment of diabetes in children is necessary. Otherwise, it can lead to further complications or organ damage.
Treatment of type 1 and type 2 diabetes mainly focuses on regular glucose monitoring, insulin therapy, a healthy diet, and exercise. Connect with your physician if you find your child with one or more diabetes symptoms. Your physician will help you with the type of insulin medication or injection to be taken, its dodge, and other concerning aspects according to your condition.
