September 19, 2006
Diagnosis and Symptoms
Question from Chicago, Illinois, USA:
Over the past six months, my 15 month old daughter has gained only two pounds and grown one inch. She is 17 pounds, 28 inches. I’ve been trying to get her to gain weight since her 12 month check-up. She eats a lot, but doesn’t gain weight. She also likes to drink a lot of water. The doctor ordered some laboratory work so we are waiting for details. If she were to have diabetes, would this have stunted her growth as well? In the future, would it effect her growth?
Answer:
Type 1 diabetes might cause a growth retardation only if it actually clinically manifests and the child has bad metabolic control. Type 1 diabetic children at diagnosis have been described as taller than the controls. Weight loss is one of the symptoms of diabetes. Ask a pediatric endocrinologist for a proper endocrine growth evaluation.
MS
