please help- 4yo having accidents- I have convinced myself he is diabetic....

[susannahmoodie]

I have convinced myself that my 4yo is diabetic and I am worried sick about it.

He is 5 in January and started reception in September. Pretty much since then he started having accidents at school....coming home wet most days and his teacher hadn't noticed. He isn't drenched, more like a dribble and he says he just doesn't make it in time....but he is sometimes having accidents at home too, (he has been better over Xmas hols but today he has had two accidents- dh puts this down to being at grandparents with lots of cousins and lots of excitement etc) and at around the time he started school we had to start lifting him at night as he was wetting the bed. He had previously been dry since he was about 2.5.

We have taken him to the Drs and have asked hv for advice when she came out to do 2 year check for ds2. Dr took urine samples to check for sugar and infection and both came back clear. He said it sounds like he has developed an aversion to toilet since starting school, and the bed wetting could be linked to this too. You can tell from his facial expression when he needs to go but it is as if he is trying to hold it.

The hv said it might be to do with his water intake- he takes a water bottle to school everyday- it always comes back full but the TA said that they get filled up- however, the other day we put juice in it as an experiment and it came back full of juice, which makes us think he is only having milk at snack time and a drink with lunch during day- but what worries me is that at bedtime he will sometimes say he is thirsty and ask for a drink- my husband says this is just a stalling tactic like tonight there was lots going on and he didn't want to go to bed, but combined with the toilet issues it makes me worry about diabetes....

The only thing is with most of the stuff I have read it says symptoms would develop quickly whereas this has been going on since sept....can any one enlighten me as to what to do?

My ds was always having damp patches in pants at that age. He hated using the school loo, said he felt lonely! We have found out since that he had mild kidney reflux which means he doesn't empty his bladder properly. Try getting him to sit on loo and then try again 5 minutes later before bedtime. My son will often do another big wee. I think if he was diabetic he would complain of thirst all the time. He probably is thirsty at bedtime if he hasn't drank much all day. Not drinking can make reflux worse so getting my son to drink lots helps. It makes the bladder stronger. Hope this helps .

Different circumstances as I was 27 at the time, but when my type 1 diabetes symptoms started (including excessive, unquenchable thirst) it was very quick and extreme. I went downhill fast, from onset of symptoms to hospitalisation within about two weeks.

Not to say he doesn't have diabetes, but what you describe doesn't match my experience.

It doesn't sound like diabetes.
Often children wet because they are too distracted to go to the toilet.
Remind him to go.
No drinks late at night.
Often children in reception wet. They are exhausted and can sort of regress.

Symptoms of diabetes include excessive thirst, extreme hunger, frequent urination, weight loss.

It doesn't sound to me like your DS has diabetes.

Thank you, when you put it like that it doesn't sounds likely does it.

He had had 3 accidents today though and it is driving me to distraction.....

Is he constipated? You say he doesn't drink much at school, which may be causing constipation.

My dd often becomes constipated and will always have accidents due to the bowel putting pressure on the bladder.

The doctor checked his tummy and said he didn't feel constipated but I do feel like he is pooing less often - he is now going every 2/3 days and we have to nag him to go and sit.

I'm worried that that going on about it constantly though is giving him issues......

Are you prone to anxiety?

This really is normal stuff for little boys... My DS is 9 and well, still has the odd accident. He was terrible at aged 4 and 5!

Have lots of spare pants, a waterproof bottom sheet in the bed if need be, treat it kindly and consistently and be assured that he won't be doing it aged 15... I can't stress how very normal it is.

And yes, stop going on about it! It really doesn't matter. Just say NOTHING. It's a bit of wee. Have a stock phrase ' oh dear never mind, let's get you into fresh pants' and then just ignore it

I got my DS1 tested for thyroid recently and I've asked the endocrinologist to check for diabetes too but she declined saying that he'd be really chubby in his age (3,5) if he was diabetic... Based on this if he is not chubby I wouldn't worry .. Is he?
I wonder though if he's having something that activates his kidneys more and flushes out his liver? Has he changed something recently?

Flushes out his liver?!?! Err what?

He's 4. He's wetting himself. That's it

Yes maybe a vitamin or a juice that makes the liver/kidneys work better , my ds drinks a tea that does this , what's wrong with that?

What's wrong with it is that this is a small child who's wetting himself and is nothing to do with liver flushing. This is more about the OPs anxiety

How do you know that?
Do you know the child personally? There are so many things that can make a child wee more!

Anothertime, weight loss is the common symptom of type 1 diabetes. I lost 4 stone in a month before I was diagnosed.

Excessive weight is associated with some cases of (adult-onset) type 2 diabetes. Type 2 is extremely rare in young children. There might have been a reason why your DS's endocrinologist discussed it in relation to him, but it isn't good advice to suggest a diabetic child is likely be overweight.

OP your son doesn't sound diabetic. My DD is 4.5 and also has frequent toilet accidents. She just isn't bothered enough about getting wet, and also gets engrossed in things so leaves it too late to go. Maybe it would help for your son to be encouraged to try going at frequent intervals throughout the day? That helps with DD, except when she digs her heels in and won't try!

I can be a bit of a hypochondriac when it comes to my own health but I haven't been like this about dcs before. I think what is worrying me is that he was dry, day and night, for 2 years. It is the fact that he seems to have regressed which worries me but as I said it has coincided exactly with him starting school.

Tattie you might be right about the weight loss probably I got confused. I do have a colleague though that is chubby and he has type 1
And yes she did say type 2 is very rare for this age, I asked for ds to be screened cause of family history but she said noway

Now your colleague is treated he can take insulin and get as fat as he likes!

Perfectly normal in my experience (I am diabetic, and no it's does not sound like diabetes symptoms to me)
Both my Ds's regressed at times wrt toilet ting. They basically are too interested in what they're doing and cba to go. From what you've posted, there's nothing wrong but you might want to have a think about why you've leapt from a bit of wee and a few accidents to diabetes. ( in the nicest possible way

Tattie he's on insulin already , ok that explains!!!

There's so much going on at school (it's a whole new world) that he's regressed very slightly. Happens all the time and is very much expected by teachers.

Have a chat with school, have a chat with your HV and try not too worry.

Anothertime, please don't give out medical advice to people who will listen, especially about giving kids drinks to flush out their livers.

OP, diabetes is one if the simplest things to rule in/out which your doctor checked. If still worried your go might check again to reassure you. If not he just needs reminding whilst he's at school, encouraged to drink more during the day and speak to HV again

Hair what are you on about ? Is that what I said?

Honestly. He's not diabetic. Truly. He doesn't need to flush out his liver. He just needs to be reminded to use the toilet and drink regularly.

As a mother of a diabetic type 1, the symptoms were far far more than a bit of a lateness in getting to the loo. Interesting,y DS2 never drank much and only eats to feed himself. He was always a bit prone to accidents because he was so busy playing, etc he was leave it too late to get to the loo. christmas 2007 he sneaked his chocolate and ate the lot. He and I had had a horrible horrible virus. Unbeknown to us, the virus probably triggered the diabetes. We had two very wet bed incidents. He lost weight and he was skinny to start with. He then spent one day begging for a drink then begging for the loo. He got very very very tired. High bloods are accompanied with a headache and feeling sick.

If your son was diabetic he would be far more ill and you would see other symptoms. I think he is just so in to what he's doing, he's forgetting to go.