3 year old excessive thirst

[ShallWeGoToTheFirepit]

Hi everyone.

My 3 year old DD has always been a big drinker. She guzzled her bottles and milk as a baby and always drank lots of water and milk.

I never thought anything of it until preschool mentioned it to me recently.

Since then (on Friday) I have kept a tally of how many drinks she has. She mostly drinks water or milk, with the occasional squash or diluted fresh juice.

She has had 14 drinks today in total, she has a large munchkin cup if you know the one I mean, so it's quite a big cup rather than a small beaker.

When she does drink each drink, she will more often or not guzzle them down. She does pee very often and her pee is clear. I honestly thought it was just good hydration!

Is this normal? Or anything to worry about? No other symptoms of anything, otherwise a very strapping healthy preschooler. She is slightly on the smaller side, but I am petite and she's plotting on her charts correctly. I'm now worried about over hydration.

Thank you!

Thank you @TheShellBeach I appreciate that.
I'm a newly single mum, I'm struggling with cancer diagnosis and complications (me, thankfully, not DD)
I'm a professional educated woman, and a good mum at that. But comments like those of PP really cut deep at the moment. I'm doing my absolute best for DD and I'd never ever put her in danger. I did the first aid course. It didn't cover water diabetes. It covered choking, CPR and a few others. It obviously sunk in as she choked (properly chocked) at 8 months old and I managed to get her airway clear again whilst waiting for the ambulance.

Just because I'm not a medical professional, it doesn't make me naive (as I've been called on this thread.)

I appreciate the support hugely.

Thank you so much. ❤️

I appreciate the support immensely. I'm in quite a lonely world right now so I really appreciate it. I would never ever compromise DDs safety. She's the reason I keep going.

We’ve got you, Keep going and doing good parenting things, you’re doing great.

Thank you 😭

Her appt is at 9am so I'll report back tomorrow lunch time with an update. Hopefully a good one!

Are there any specific tests I need to ask for, for the water diabetes?

There's a range of laboratory tests that can be done, along with neurological scans. It is likely that the Dr will start with the history and will consider other conditions too, so be aware that there could be a few tests that they want to do. Some diagnoses are arrived at by eliminating other things, to build a picture.

Good paediatricians are normally brilliant at explaining to worried parents what they are looking at and why. Don't worry about asking questions they will be used to it.

They'll know exactly, don't worry.
Has DD had blood taken before?

Thank you, @Citrusandginger. I will be asking lots of questions. I've written some in my notes and I've taken pictures of the daily tallies and time frames.

And @TheShellBeach she had a cannula and bloods done when she was very tiny (first weaning at 6 months) due to an at the time egg white allergy, but apart from that nothing! She is very aware though of what they are, due to my seizures / heart condition, which have settled finally (got my license back now recently) she saw paramedics put needles in me many times. She saw me in hospital with various wires and tubes in so she knows what they are and what they do to an extent.

I'm guessing they'll use the numbing cream. It might be worth me popping to the chemist tomorrow and pick up some EMLA cream just in case perhaps?

We'll support you - post any time.

I would write down on a paper the three conditions you are concerned about and hand it to the doctor so that there isn't any confusion.

1. Arginine Vasopressin Deficiency (used to be called Diabetes Insipidus)
2. Type 1 diabetes
3. Brain tumour

The doctors should know what tests to do. However some doctors are not very good at listening and can ignore important aspects of a history or get terms confused. If they have your concerns on paper it's easier for them. Don't let them fob you off - you may have to fight hard.

"Water diabetes" is an old fashioned term and the doctors might get confused and think you are talking about the other types of diabetes. This confusion led to the death of a patient who was forced to call 999 from his hospital bed he was so desperate for water (Kane Gorny RIP). Now medics use the name "Arginine Vasopressin Deficiency".

This is absolutely invaluable, thank you so so much.

I'll write all of this down (especially with the official names).

Good god that poor man! That's harrowing.
Thank you for sharing though, very important

The incorrect ‘advice’ from @Ivycott90 is clinically dangerous for anyone with AVP deficiency (pituitary insipidus/‘water diabetes) - fluids shouldn’t be restricted unless under strict medical supervision, as to do so can create life-threatening electrolyte imbalance.
If your DD is matching her fluid input and output, this is less of a worry for now until she can be diagnosed and as PP have said, if it’s AVP deficiency the treatment is straightforward in the long term - you just need to keep an eye on input vs output, medication dosing and fluid/toilet access.
It can only be diagnosed with a simultaneous blood and urine test in hospital by the endocrine team - do make sure you’re referred to them.
Best of luck, you’re doing a great job picking this up, letting her drink to thirst and getting your DD seen so quickly. Hope you get the answers you need soon.

Thank you so much. This is also so good to know. I'll definitely asked for an endocrinology referral for sure. We're onto wee number 3 of the night here (hence why I'm awake). She goes herself but I'm a light sleeper so always wake.

She gets so upset if I restrict her in anyway she I'd hate to have her thirsty and uncomfortable and the GP said not to restrict her so what you've said makes sense. Thank you so much.

Good luck for today. My dgs was diagnosed with type 1 when he was 5. It’s a big adjustment for all the family but it’s doable. He is now 14 doing well all round. Oh and ignore @Ivycott90 they are only here for an argument.

Thank you @Mymanyellow!

Glad your dgs is doing well now, so good to hear.

Hi everyone,

I saw an absolutely fantastic paediatrician. She was very thorough and we've o my just got in from the hospital. She is in agreement that this could possibly be water diabetes. The absent seizures could be due to electrolytes or they could be unrelated. She said DDs pupils aren't reacting to light as they should, but this can be common in young children.

We also went over some things that I have noticed recently. For example, she has started babbling again and almost regressing with her speech. She still uses her full words and sentences, but that mixed with the drinking, absent episodes and extremely dilated pupils, she's in agreement that she needs assessing urgently.

She had a blood test this morning and she will be calling me with the results later today. She also had a urine dip test.

DD is to have an MRI done under general in the next 4 weeks, but if the bloods show anything else then that will be expedited. She is also having an EEG done in the next 4 weeks also, at the hospital.

DD is a happy and bright little girl, and the main thing is through out all of this, she is still her happy bright self.

The paediatrician said to absolutely not restrict her water intake, as if she does have water diabetes, this could be extremely dangerous. The risk outweighs the benefits when it comes to restricting. I have to keep tallying and if her drinking increases drastically, call back and she will assess what needs to be done under a medical setting. So contrary to what @Ivycott90 said, I am not putting my daughter in danger. It would be much more dangerous to restrict.

A really thorough appointment. I am panicking deep down, as they have to check for epilepsy, tumours and other serious things. But I know these checks need to be done, and whatever we are dealing with, we are in the best hands and DD will be well looked after. The most important thing is that she's happy, and that she is.

Thank you all so much for your support, it's been invaluable. I will keep everyone updated through out the next coming weeks and let you all know what we're dealing with.

Thank you all again, I really appreciate it!

Here's a picture of my happy girl in here element, being outside.

So proud of her.

Oh she's beautiful!
I'm so glad you had a good paediatrician.

Hopefully you'll get some answers soon. Everything has been very thorough.

I'll definitely keep you in my prayers.

What a gorgeous girl. So glad you have had such a thorough assessment. It sounds like the paediatrician listened to all your concerns.

Fingers crossed the tests will provide some answers.

I am really glad you got her checked. Diabetes Inspipidus is serious but as said in a previous post easily treatable with tablets, three times a day. The only thing you do need to be wary about is if she ever loses conciousness so a medialert bracelet is reccomended. My husband has had it for 20 years and whilst you can tell when he's forgotten a dose as he's in the loo every five minutes he leads a happy and normal life.

Fingers crossed for you that is all it is and nothing more sinister. As doctor said restricting her water intake is the worst thing you can do for this disorder as body will just pee out every ounce of fluid and she'll become dehydrated.

Please keep us updated on how she is doing

Sounds like a fab and on the ball paediatrician ☺️ was it a general paed doctor or specialist neuro paed doctor just out of interest? And great they were so prompt at ordering the blood test as nearly 5L is very concerning and I would have said you should try see your GP today or call 111 to get a same day paediatric review and bloods rather than wait over the weekend.

Thank you for the update, hope all the investigations go smoothly and she was okay with the blood test 🙏🏻

It was neuro paediatrician I saw today. She was so lovely and so thorough. She knew exactly what she was talking about and immediately suggested water diabetes. She called it AVP I think, before i myself suggested it. She doesn't think it's T1 or T2 diabetes but the bloods will help back that up.

As she ordered the bloods, she said she should get them back today and if she does, she'll give me a call today. If need be they can bring forward the MRI, she even said if the bloods show something very urgent she can have an emergency CT but I'm hoping the bloods will be okay.

MRI booking team are also calling me today / Monday as well as the EKG team. So things are moving quickly, thankfully.

So glad the appointment went well OP, the doc sounds great.

You come across as very measured and calm, you're doing a great job and don't deserve any of the criticism handed out on this thread.

I hope you get answers, and easily sorted ones, soon.

@ShallWeGoToTheFirepit so glad they are taking it seriously!!!

Fingers crossed you get some answers

You are doing GREAT. Do not worry about the ‘despair’ comment, some people ‘despair’ at wearing the wrong coloured trainers.

You are doing great and your daughter will be well looked after now. I hope today goes well for you both x

I'm so glad you've been seen by such a competent professional. I know there may well be challenges ahead, but it must be reassuring to know that you and your gorgeous little girl are being treated seriously.

You sound like a lovely mum and I hope you are able to enjoy some special time together this weekend xxx

Fantastic to hear that your daughter was seen by a great paed. Hopefully you will get answers soon. xx