Is this a sign of diabetes in toddler?

[username68482]

Not sure if I'm being an over worried mother or if I should take DD to the doctors. For a couple of months I have noticed she has very sweet smelling breath. Not thought much of it until I heard by chance it's a symptom of type 1 diabetes. Being googling she doesn't appear or that she can tell me have any other symptoms. However her grandmother is diabetic.Anyone any experience of this ? Think I will take her doctors as I know I won't stop worrying about it otherwise. Just wondered if I sound mental?

Do you brush her teeth with strawberry flavour toothpaste or anything else that could make her breath smell sweet?

No just mint toothpaste.

Is it a pear drop or acetone smell?

My dd had this. Doctor looked very concerned when I told him. They did tests and no diabetes. She still occasionally has that smell on her breath when she's unwell. No idea why.

Definitely see the doctor.

Mine had sweet breath as toddlers because they hadn’t eaten any crap/processed foods! It’s only when they get older and eat a bigger variety of things that their breath changed, I found.

Increased thirst, frequent urinating, weight loss, mood swings and blurry eyes are also signs.

Have you noticed any unexplained weight loss? Behaviour changes? As well as previous person symptoms.

What type of diabetes does the grandmother have?

As above, increased thirst and weeing, increased hunger, tiredness, thinner, are all signs.

If you've noticed symptoms for a couple of months, I doubt it's type I diabetes as she'd be seriously ill (or worse) by now if undiagnosed for that long. Still, make an appointment with the GP for reassurance.

I think your child would have more evident symptoms if you were smelling ketones on their breath.

It's a pear drop/acetone smell which indicates potential diabetes

She doesn't seem to have the other symptoms which is why I'm questioning myself. Her Grandmother has type 1 diabetes which I believe is hereditary.

The only way I can describe it is very sweet. Not sure about acetone will check again tomorrow morning.

Does she eat little and often, as in more than a typical child of her age?

Type 1 is not particular hereditary. Adding to the other symptoms mentioned is fatigue, extreme hunger and irritability. But if you have worries take her in. A simple blood test will indicate whether it needs further investigation.

the acetone smell is ketones.
so when the body hasn't enough energy going in it uswd up fat as energy.
best checked out

Tbh even with those symptoms if you’re worried then ask the gp for an emergency appt and to do a finger prick test it can be done at any time of day

Sometimes type 1 symptoms can be there for weeks beforehand but the quicker the diagnosis the better

Don’t delay though if you’re worried get seen ASAP and if any worse before you can get an emergency go appt go to a and e

Thanks everyone going to ring the doctors this morning hopefully get an appointment ASAP. Just sooner be safe than sorry.

Is she still breastfeeding? That can cause sweet smelling breath. Good to get it checked out regardless.

Thanks everyone rang the doctors at 8.30 this morning. They gave me an emergency telephone for today. Doctor rang me 10 minutes later! So can't complain with the speed of service.
He was very reassuring and explained type 1 diabetes to me. How in most cases it would come on very sudden and make the person very ill within 2/3 days. On its own the sweet smelling breath is unlikely to be a symptom. On the safe side though he said to bring in a sample of urine they will test it for sugars. So feel a lot more relaxed now.

Glad you've got an appt.

Type 1 is not hereditary. With DD it was general lethargy, just 'not quite right', desperation to drink, more frequently urination (because of the drinking). She was 3 when diagnosed. Please let us know how you get on.

Please dont let them fob you off

We took our dd to the drs every few days for 2 weeks and she kept getting sicker. Then the third week we went to a and e they said it was an infection we asked was it diabetes and told no
The FOURTH week we went to gp she was so unwell he said ‘dont be silly if she had type 1 and had been ill all this time she wouldnt be standing there crying she would be unconscious’
I cried a lot. He told me she just had a uti that was showing glucose too that we needed to change antibiotics.....
I begged them to test her finger
An hour later he called me said was I still distressed if so come back they had discussed us and to put my mind at rest they would check her

She did indeed have type 1 diabetes we then had 7 days in hospital
She hadn’t been excessively thirsty just slightly more so. More wet nappies but again not excessive
The main symptom was extreme mood change
If you are worried you can buy blood glucose meters in chemists

@progestermoan I absolutely agree. The GP told me I was imagining things in a head tilty 'you're and overprotective mother' kind of way and refused to do urine glucose test, even though I had taken one to the surgery, as it was a waste of time.

I actually cried in reception and practically begged the receptionist to let us see the other GP who did the test and called for an ambulance. DD didn't present as particularly unwell at the time, but her blood glucose was 29 mmol when she was admitted.

Yes I felt similar that they thought I was mad

We had had +++ glucose urine results for a fortnight and kept being told it was a uti
Bg was 32 on admission to a and e it was terrifying

My child wasn’t particularly ill with it either and had symptoms for about 2 weeks before going to the gp. She was thirsty but mainly at night. She hadn’t lost weight and wasn’t moody. Wasn’t eating extra. I hope you get the all clear.