Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed before the age of 40, although occasionally people have been diagnosed later after an illness causes an immune response that triggers it. In the US, most type 1 diabetes diagnoses occur in children between the ages of 4 and 14 years old.
Breastfed babies have lower risk of developing type 1 diabetes and becoming overweight or obese later in life, which is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. They're also less likely to have asthma, eczema, respiratory disease, ear infections and other serious health problems.
In most cases, a child has to be exposed to something else — like a virus — to get type 1 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes isn't contagious, so kids and teens can't catch it from another person or pass it along to friends or family members. And eating too much sugar doesn't cause type 1 diabetes, either.
However, those afflicted with either type may experience these common occurrences:
- Frequent urination.
- Unquenchable thirst.
- Insatiable.
- Extreme fatigue.
- Blurred vision.
- Numbness in extremities.
- Darkening skin.
- Yeast infections.
In a child or adult with type 2 diabetes, the body either does not produce enough insulin or develops insulin resistance, in which the cells become less sensitive to the effects of this hormone. Type 2 diabetes can develop in anyone, including children.
The only way of knowing a baby has diabetes is by testing their blood or urine, so if a parent notices these signs in their child, they need to see their doctor.
There is no known cure for type 2 diabetes. But it can be controlled. And in some cases, it goes into remission. For some people, a diabetes-healthy lifestyle is enough to control their blood sugar levels.
Diabetes Symptoms
- Urinate (pee) a lot, often at night.
- Are very thirsty.
- Lose weight without trying.
- Are very hungry.
- Have blurry vision.
- Have numb or tingling hands or feet.
- Feel very tired.
- Have very dry skin.
Symptoms in both women and men
- increased thirst and hunger.
- frequent urination.
- weight loss or gain with no obvious cause.
- fatigue.
- blurred vision.
- wounds that heal slowly.
- nausea.
- skin infections.
If your breath smells like acetone -- the same fruity scent as nail polish remover -- it may be a sign of high levels of ketones (acids your liver makes) in your blood. It's a problem mainly of type 1 diabetes but also can happen with type 2 if you get a serious condition called diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).
To develop type 2 diabetes, you must be born with the genetic traits for diabetes. Because there is a wide range of genetic causes, there is also a wide range in how you will respond to treatment. You may be easily treated with just a change in diet or you may need multiple types of medication.
Having a large babyIf your glucose level is high, your body will produce more insulin. The same will happen to your baby, which can make them grow larger than usual. Large birthweight is called macrosomia. Babies weighing more than 4kg (8lb 8oz) at birth are considered macrosomic.
Share on Pinterest The average age of onset for type 2 diabetes is 45 years. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommend annual diabetes screening tests after people reach 45 years of age. However, the development of the condition depends on too many other factors to accurately predict on an individual basis.
