Worried DD 11yo may be T1 diabetic - help!

[NellyDElephant]

Hoping some more experienced mumsnetters may be able to help me out here.
No experience or history of diabetes in the family, I am totally clueless and may be way off the mark here but I’m worried about DD2 :
I’ve started to notice quite how much water she is drinking, particularly as it’s school holidays and I’m constantly refilling her water bottle / cup.
She’s constantly hungry / asking for food, is given food, eats reasonably well and yet is really skinny, pale, tired all the time, dark circles under eyes etc.
Often complains of abdominal pain.
Is always rubbing her eyes, sits very close to TV or holds iPad very close to her face - no eyesight issues in family but will book her an eye test asap.
I think I need to take her to Drs and ask for blood test, do you think I’m being reasonable to suspect diabetes? I really don’t want this to be the case, but equally I’m quite worried about her.

Take her in asap. They can do a quick finger prick test which will tell them immediately if type 1 and they can do a blood test to check for insulin resistance/blood sugars over time and also obviously rule out loads of other things.
Don't put it off. Most children are diagnosed with type 1 when in serious ketogenic acidosis which can lead to really severe illness. Much better to be diagnosed when first symptoms arise

If youre worried about diabetes absolutely get her checked urgently. A urine dip will give an indication, or a finger prick blood glucose reading.
The 4 main things to look out for are the 4 't's. Tiredness, thirsty, thin (loosing weight) and toilet (going to the toilet more). Eye site isn't affected so definitely worth getting her checked but I wouldn't worry about it acutely.
Hopefully it's not, but trust your instinct and get her checked tomorrow if you're concerned. If she seems unwell to you in the mean time, for example more lethargic, breathing quickly, just seemed not right, then get her checked tonight either at out of hours or a and e.

OP did you get the doctors?

Yes, we got in at the Drs yesterday morning. Finger prick test showed her blood sugars were normal and urine dip test mostly ok, although is being sent to lab due to presence of protein and white blood cells. Full blood count including thyroid has been requested so hopefully that will also be ok and rule out anything too serious. I’m very relieved - thank you for your help and reassurance, and for encouraging me to get her checked and not feel like I would have been wasting Drs time!

Excellent. And remember to trust instinct. You know when your child isn't right. Always good to test to eliminate a suspicion.

I appreciate this thread has moved on now and I hope OPs daughter is doing ok.

But in the likely event that a future mumsnetter is on this thread, your eyesight is 100% affected in DKA. Your vision will get blurry to the point that you can barely see, especially in the morning when your BG would be highest.
Before I was diagnosed I couldn't see anything in the mornings and misinformed people like this poster contributed to me not seeking help until very late.

When the amount of glucose in your blood gets too high your body tries to remove it in any way it can, in your urine (which is why you drink and pee more) is most common but the rest of your bodily fluids will also fill with glucose.