July 27, 2002
Diagnosis and Symptoms
Question from Shady Point, Oklahoma, USA:
My overweight nine year old daughter seems to have a problem with sugar type foods. She became obsessed with food; if she was not eating she was asking when the next time she could eat would be and what would it be. Her favorite subject was food. When she ate her hands would tremble. Shortly after she ate any type of high sugar foods she was ‘hyper’ — constantly talking, moving she could not sit still. She had gotten to a point she would sneak food even knowing if she got caught she would be in trouble. She was constantly thirsty and then used the restroom quite often. She would get up two to three times during the night for a drink and restroom. She would be the sweetest child one minute and very irritable the next. She has had numerous yeast infections.
Once we took the sugar away from her she took naps for the first couple days. Her cravings for food have dramatically decreased, she eats more normally, is not obsessed with food, her hands no longer shake when she eats, bur she still drinks a lot and uses the restroom often. She is much more pleasant to be around for the most part. Her eyes even seem a bit more in focus. She has been off the sugar for about three weeks. Does this sound as if it could be diabetes or more a reaction to the sugar or some of its additives?
Answer:
You ask good questions, but I cannot answer your questions best without more information. You should be certain to bring this up to your daughter’s pediatrician.
So, with that in mind: Could this be diabetes? Well yes — given her change in thirst and urination patterns and the lethargy. However, if it were diabetes, then it would then likely be type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes would not be expected to improve significantly just with a change in dietary patterns.
The way that they may be able to better diagnose this for you would be to place her back on her previous diet and then check a fasting venipuncture (from a vein; not just a fingerstick) blood glucose level. Another check two hours after a hearty, carbohydrate-filled breakfast may be helpful, too. Depending on those results, her doctor may request a formal, properly performed oral glucose tolerance test (see another question in regard to the proper way to perform a formal oral glucose tolerance test).
If your daughter is short or has a degree of mental retardation in light of her appetite, then other conditions come to mind. Again, please discuss your questions and concerns with her pediatrician.
DS