March 8, 2003
Diagnosis and Symptoms
Question from Peachtree City, Georgia, USA:
My seven year old son has started to show signs of excessive thirst. He now has to take a bottle of water to school with him every day, which he says he fills once or twice while at school. He does not show signs of excessive urination, while at home or at school (at least have never been told that he does at school). He says he only goes to the bathroom once or twice during the day at school. He has never wet his bed, he is not losing weight, but he does have a pretty good appetite (although he always has, but it may be a little increased lately). He says that he is always thirsty, and, if he does not get water to drink right when he is thirsty, he gets a headache. He says the headache goes away as soon as he gets water to drink.
This seems to be his only sign, but I am concerned about diabetes. Do you think he should have a urine test done to be sure? Am I just an over worried, overprotective mom? I have been a medical transcriptionist for 10 years, and my knowledge makes me paranoid (or so I am told).
To test or not to test? This has been going on for a good month now with the whole thirst thing. On the other hand, he is a very active, energetic, little boy, who is always in perpetual motion. Could the thirst be a normal part of this?
Answer:
Please contact your son’s physician and arrange for evaluation of the thirst. There are several possibilities in addition to diabetes.
MSB
[Editor’s comment: Testing for diabetes should include blood sugar levels performed by a medical laboratory. Urine tests, if done, might be positive, which would make the situation more urgent to get blood testing done to confirm the abnormal results. However, urine glucose testing, if negative, would not exclude diabetes.
WWQ]
