What are the symptoms of diabetes in children?

A recent episode of "Pinoy MD," brought to light the uncommon plight of pediatric diabetes.

According to Dr. Hana Barbara Lo said, "Hindi ito masyadong common. Madalas una itong nada-diagnose during school entry, around 4-6 years old, and during puberty."

But it can strike kids as young as two, as was the case of Neo Eliseo Olinga. According to his mother Jennifer, Neo was was constantly urinating and he was always thirsty.

At one point, they thought Neo was just having an asthma attack. "Biglang bumagsak yung katawan niya, sobrang payat tapos namamanas yung paa niya," Jennifer continued.

When they had Neo checked, his blood sugar was skyrocketing at 500. The normal blood sugar level is at less than 140mg/DL.  

Neo soon fell into a diabetic coma. It was only then that the family confirmed Neo had Type 1 Diabetes. After two days of medication, e then two-year-old started getting better. He is now on constant insulin injection.

Type 1 Diabetes is when the body is unable to produce insulin, resulting in a shoot up of blood-sugar levels, which can lead to diabetic coma and in extreme cases even death.

Apart from constant urinating and always feeling thirsty, signs of Type 1 Diabetes also include weight loss, constant fatigue, and "hiningang amoy prates." 

When met with these symptoms, Dr. Lo said it's best to consult with a doctor. "It's better to be diagnosed early," she added.

According to the International Diabetes Federation, more than 1M children and adolescents have type 1 diabetes. The Philippine Pediatric Society meanwhile reports 3,000 cases of type 1 diabetes out of 4M admissions between 2006 and May 31, 2021. — LA, GMA News