Diabetes is a chronic illness. It develops when the body no longer makes insulin, or the insulin it makes doesn’t work very well. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas which controls blood glucose. Diabetes is diagnosed by blood and urine tests and a medical exam.
To determine if your child has diabetes, the medical team will run tests on your child's blood and urine and talk with you about past medical history and recent symptoms.
Signs and symptoms that may cause these concerns are:
- Increased thirst
- Frequent urination
- Weight loss
- Increased glucose (sugar) level
- Ketones in the urine or blood
- Dehydration