A child can have diabetes without knowing it for a few years or even longer.
Some kids have had diabetes for up to 10 years before they knew it and had complications.
Type 2 diabetes can go undetected for up to ten years and around half of people already show signs of complications by the time they are diagnosed.
In children under 2 years, the clinical presentation can be non-specific.
Some warning signs of childhood diabetes include.
Increased thirst.
Frequent urination, possibly bed-wetting in a toilet-trained child.
Extreme hunger.
Unintentional weight loss.
Fatigue.
Irritability or behavior changes.
Fruity-smelling breath.
It can take months or years before symptoms of type 1 diabetes are noticed.
Type 1 diabetes symptoms can develop in just a few weeks or months. Once symptoms appear, they can be severe.
Although type 1 diabetes can appear at any age, it appears at two noticeable peaks.
The first peak occurs in children between 4 and 7 years old, and the second is in children between 10 and 14 years old.
The three most common symptoms of undiagnosed diabetes include increased thirst, increased urination, and increased hunger.
Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that happens when blood sugar (glucose) is too high (hyperglycemia).
Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) health condition that affects how your body turns food into energy.
Most of the food you eat is broken down into sugar (also called glucose) and released into your bloodstream.
When your blood sugar goes up, it signals your pancreas to release insulin.