Worried about my thirsty son

[Notjustuser1458393875]

Maybe I should put this on the diabetes board but there doesn't seem to be much traffic.

My son is 4 and for the past week or so has been complaining of very frequent thirst. It's not like him really. He doesn't drink enormous quantities but he asks for water often, and today he woke us up to ask for a drink and went to bed after drinking two cups down in succession.

I am aware that unusual thirst can be a symptom of diabetes but also that it is usually excessive, and I don't think he's drinking enormous quantities. He's been keen for early bed recently too but has been getting up early, and I don't think he has any other symptoms.

I am taking him to the GP but I wondered whether any other posters have had 'thirsty' children and whether there are any other possible causes?

gruffalo i wouldnt trust the sensor. They are not always accurate.

I'm pretty shocked by your GPs comments! I wouldn't expect them to diagnose, but certainly to refer to a paediatrician if there were red flags,

As RebootYourEngine says watch out for the 4Ts.

Thanks reboot. I didn't realise that. I'm too much of a cheapskate anyway but I'll stop recommending them so freely!

gruffalo I use them and have found them to be within 0.5mmol of my blood tester - and two different blood testers can be that far out or more.
I love them. I double check with my blood tester a couple of times a day - if driving - and thus far have found them to be very good.
I find the arrow the most helpful part. Like my blood sugar is 5.0. Great. Well is that going low, going back up or just stable? It gives a bigger picture that just one blood test doesn't.

children die of T1d because of GPs like that.

My FIL was diagnosed with T1 in his 60s!

When ds was diagnosed (6 months before FIL, so no family members with it then) the gp tested his urine with a dipstick and diagnosed him there and then. If the glucose is over a certain level it's diabetes.

We use a Libre. It's not always accurate, just like the blood glucose meters (and we use those too). It's another tool.

OP if you get fobbed off again today, go to a chemist. You can get your meter sorted or you can buy urine test strips.

My DH was diagnosed at 17, his sister at 8, no history of it in the family before them.

Hope your DS is ok xx

I was diagnosed with type 1 in my twenties. Had thirst, tiredness, weight loss. Also blurred vision and just felt unwell.

Gp did test and bm was over 40. Straight to hospital where I was admitted until established on insulin.

What you've had said to you seems so far out of line I wonder if you actually saw a GP. Is there a chance that your appointment was with a nurse practitioner or somesuch? Fasting blood tests is not (almost never) what you need for a 4 year old. Please check back with your practice as I don't think whoever saw you should be seeing ill or potentially ill children.

Increased thirst can be "just" a sore throat starting - fingers crossed it doesn't turn out to be anything more than that.

Whilst type 1 can start at any age, 4 is relatively young for it - primary school age range is the most common age of onset, off the top of my head. And adult onset not unknown. I once worked with a diabetes nurse specialist who'd then developed it (interesting her comments about what she understood better even having worked in the field for several years).

It definitely was a GP unfortunately. I was completely I assure you.

Also my husband took him for the blood test today and the walk in clinic didn't have any magic cream so they sent them up to the ward. But they don’t do 'walk ins' so they've booked him in for 15 March. Unbelievable. They said to take him straight in if we have any greater concerns.

I used up all my remaining test strips but I'll see what the pharmacist recommends. We're not in the UK right now so I'm not sure what services they might offer.

What utter bollocks! I was diagnosed T1 at 44, neither of my parents has it.

A few years ago they were doing prick tests at boot pharmacies- don't know if they still do but it would be worth finding out- or booking him in with another GP asap.

I was concerned about my DD at 2 and the nurse practitioner did a finger prick test.

So worrying to hear the rubbish your GP came out with. Really hope your little one is ok.

He does seem pretty much OK which is why I haven't caused more fuss.

Please be careful. I thought I was ok, my blood sugar was 48mmol/l (normal is 4-7ish). I was in high dependency for several days after diagnosis. Buy urine strips or a new blood testing kit at pharmacy if you have to.

Do NOT wait till 15th of March. If nothing else has anyone dipped his wee ? A nurse should do that while you wait if you take one in. If that has glucose in it he needs to be referred to paeds to be seen that day. Please get it checked ASAP. No way should a 4 year old be waiting for a fasting blood test.

So sorry not to come back on here till now. I had limited internet access. The thirst seems to have abated and he is less tired so I think he may have been fighting a bug. I am watching him like a hawk and will whisk him off to hospital if I have any concerns. I am pretty annoyed at the difficulty in getting a simple blood test though.

Thank you so much to all of you who contributed on here. It was really helpful and I'm very grateful.

Please complain to your practice manager. A child presenting with thirst like this should have an immediate finger prick test. The craving for sugar you describe is also symptomatic of type one diabetes.

If I were you, I would be using my BG monitor to do a test, ideally about an hour after a big carbohydrate heavy meal including lots of fruit juice. If it's out of range, go straight to A&E.

GrassWillBeGreener. Unfortunately GPs are not very good at understanding type one diabetes which is why a third of people at diagnosis are in life threatening DKA often despite multiple previous visits to their GP. So I don't doubt the OP's experience. Also, type one diabetes can be diagnosed at ANY age. Thousands of preschool children in the UK have the condition.