Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Posting here for traffic - toddler with acetone breath?

54 replies

AcetoneBreath · 01/11/2019 19:24

Hello!

I have name changed, (obviously).

My 21 mo DS has breath which smells of acetone. He's had it for the past couple of days. I think he may have a bit of a bug of some kind as well, as he hasn't been himself and has had a bit of tummy trouble.

I'm planning on phoning the GP on Monday regardless, but I (foolishly) googled and there is the odd post on some forums saying, "see a doctor immediately as it could be diabetes and he could slip into a coma" Shock. We are on holiday at the moment, (back home tomorrow, first thing), but we are in the UK. We obviously wouldn't be able to go to a GP till monday anyway, unless it was out of hours, but, is this a 111 type job...?

My sister, who is a doctor, saw him yesterday. She was the one who originally told me about the link to diabetes. I'd never heard of it before. Anyway, she said if it was diabetes he would be weeing all the time and losing weight, which he doesn't appear to be. She wasn't worried about him especially.

Should I wait till Monday or would you try 111?

TIA

OP posts:
Confrontayshunme · 01/11/2019 19:25

Phone 111 and get advice asap. Only they can tell you what is a safe waiting time.

OddBoots · 01/11/2019 19:25

I would try 111, Monday is a long wait for a tiny child when it could be serious.

alexdgr8 · 01/11/2019 19:29

why wait and risk a child's health.
any out of hours centre nearby?
or ring 111.
good luck

CAG12 · 01/11/2019 19:30

Dont wait. Phone 111 but otherwise take him to A+E.

Acetone/pear drop smelling breath is a sign of ketone acidosis

Fuckenstein · 01/11/2019 19:31

My son has type 1 diabetes, the four signs to look out for are the 4 Ts

Tired
Toilet
Thirsty
Thinner

Do any of those apply to your son? I would take him to the pharmacy where you are and see if they will do a finger prick test.

HappyHammy · 01/11/2019 19:31

Do ring 111. Hope lo is ok.

Fuckenstein · 01/11/2019 19:33

Ketone acideosis is serious OP my DS spent the night on the HDU, we very nearly lost him, please get him looked at, pharmacy or walk in centre, you can even buy a blood test kit fairly cheaply in the chemist.

alexdgr8 · 01/11/2019 19:33

by the way, if you can find a GP that is open on Saturday, you could try there, early, as they always used to see people who were taken ill while on holiday in the area.
but look it up, there's v few now.
I would go walk-in centre and/or 111.
acetone breath is not normal, and it's already been few days.
better safe than sorry. err on the side of caution, esp with young childer.

AwdBovril · 01/11/2019 19:35

It could be because he's not been eating, if he's been unwell. It could also be a sign of T1 diabetes. I have 2 cousins, both diagnosed with T1 diabetes in childhood. The first signs were acetone breath & generally seeming unwell - however they were both closer to puberty. Apparently in much younger children it's especially important to get them seen ASAP.

Bluerussian · 01/11/2019 19:38

I found this which might be of help. I'm sure your baby doesn't have anything wrong but best to be on the safe side.

childrenwithdiabetes.com/question/when-my-son-is-ill-i-smell-acetone-in-his-breath-is-this-something-about-which-i-should-be-worried/

Good luck to you both. Brew

DodgeRainClouds · 01/11/2019 19:38

I would take him hospital. My husband nearly died when he was 7 as he wasn’t diagnosed with diabetes quickly enough and was hours away from a coma

BlueCornsihPixie · 01/11/2019 19:41

I think I would ring 111

Its one of the signs of diabetes, you are not a doctor and don't have the ability to test for diabetes, and realistically if it turns out not to be you've still done the right thing getting him seen.

He's only little and if it is diabetes then he could get very ill very quickly, much better to get him seen to asap just in case

123bananas · 01/11/2019 19:47

Yes 111 as they can direct you to OOH local walk in service and even book appointments with OOH GP. Better checked.

TheDragonFromDreams · 01/11/2019 19:49

I have to say I would call my sister if she were a doctor, and she’d seen him and I was worried... quicker than 111 or A&E!

SimonJT · 01/11/2019 19:49

111 It’s a very common sign of type one diabetes. I would be very very worried that a doctor advised against this. I wasn’t weeing lots or losing weight when I was diagnosed as a child.

I did have acetone breath and went into a diabetic coma in the night and nearly died.

Ugzbugz · 01/11/2019 19:49

There was a thread on here the other day where the teenager had same breath and he was diagnosed with diabetes, best get checked asap

Eyre89 · 01/11/2019 19:51

My nephew was almost in a diabetic coma as the doctors dismissed it due to his age and not all the signs he was 2. He was very lucky

Pollaidh · 01/11/2019 19:57

If he hasn't been drinking or eating properly then that could explain the breath smell, seek medical help as it could be that he's quite poorly from an underlying infection, or diabetes. Both could obviously be serious.

DD had this once during a bad eye infection and was admitted; the GP noted that the acetone breath was a sign that concerned her. She was fine ultimately.

I've had it with hyperemesis and have been admitted for fluids.

JenniferM1989 · 01/11/2019 19:58

Call 111 right away. It is one of the distinct signs of diabetes. It's one of those cases where it can't really be put down to much else (other than him drinking nail polish remover). I hope it will all be ok. As soon as he is seen, he will be safe. Getting him seen asap is key

jayho · 01/11/2019 20:01

my, very thin, youngest has frequently had this. It goes when he has eaten, I've taken him to the gp who has advised it's overnight starvation (not with-holding food he's just used up his stores) and shes advised a hi complex carb breakfast

Original poster
AcetoneBreath · 01/11/2019 20:03

Thanks all. I've spoken to 111 and a clinician is going to call me back.

He is a bit warm and not himself, so it could just be a bug, but you're right that it's much better to get him checked.

Thanks again Flowers.

PS: it isn't fruity or like pear drops, it's like nail polish remover! Really strange. I think I have smelt it before on both of my babies' breath when they were first born and were tongue tied, so not getting enough milk. Also on my dad when he's on the Atkins diet.

OP posts:
Jellykat · 01/11/2019 20:11

Have to add my DS2 always had acetone smelling breath when young, if he was ill or just not 100%..
He's 21 now and not diabetic so far, so do get it checked, but dont panic!

rvby · 01/11/2019 20:12

I am very sensitive to smell and I commonly smell this on small children who are about to become ill with the kind of illness that includes fever.

E.g. My DS had horrendous ear infections and they were always preceded by this smell on his breath and occasionally his body - to me it was almost a rubbing alcohol sort of smell. I can also tell when DP is about to become sick because the same smell, but much fainter, is on his breath.

I would get baby checked for sure. It is one of those things that can be a sign of several types of illnesses, some of them severe.

Original poster
AcetoneBreath · 01/11/2019 20:17

@rvby

Yes, I am also quite sensitive to smell. My DH says he can't smell it and my sister couldn't get near enough to smell it yesterday and I really wasn't worried then, until I googled. So I didn't make him come and breathe on her iyswim.

The more I look at him now, the more I think he's poorly rather than diabetic. That would make more sense.

OP posts:
Chickydoo · 01/11/2019 20:19

All my children had acetone breath when they were unwell...very odd