Can diabetes create major mood swings in children? I get that if children do not eat regularly or healthy foods their blood sugars can drop. Can this be a sign of diabetes, especially when a major mood swing follows?

Diabetes should be diagnosed by a medical provider, and if you are concerned that your child may have diabetes, you should take them to be evaluated. Some children also have hypoglycemia, which also could be what you are seeing with your child. For hypoglycemia unrelated to diabetes, eating regular, balanced meals is important, and meeting with a dietician to help with meal planning can be very helpful.

Diabetes can affect mood through many pathways, including when blood glucose levels are out of the normal range. Identifying the medical issues is an important first step, but getting psychosocial support can be important, too.