
April 25, 2001
Diagnosis and Symptoms
Question from San Clemente, California, USA:
My 10 year old has excessive thirst and frequent urination, 24 hours per day. He is hungry all the time, but has not lost weight. in fact recently he has gained weight. He craves sugar and has frequent headaches. His urine has been tested for sugar but was fine; should we have him tested further?
Answer:
If his urine test has not detected any sugar, then diabetes should not be the cause of his symptoms. However, it is worthwhile having him checked out by a paediatrician to exclude other reasons for his symptoms.
JS
[Editor’s comment: With symptoms suggestive of diabetes, it would logically be expected that the urine sugar would be positive, and the blood sugar high. Many physicians would also advise getting a blood sugar level as well as checking the urine test.
WWQ]