December 27, 1999
Other Illnesses
Question from Indiana, USA:
My 12 year old daughter was diagnosed 2 1/2 years ago with type 1 diabetes. She has for several months been having severe itching in her genital area. I have taken her to see her doctor twice about this. The first time the doctor sent a culture to the lab, but it came back negative. The second time she gave my daughter an antibiotic, but it didn’t help either. I have my daughter make sure she is washing herself well and using a vaginal cream every day but nothing seems to help. I know that as a diabetic she will be prone to yeast infections, but could her doctor be missing something?
Answer:
Yes, children with diabetes are prone to yeast infections. I assume you are using an anti-fungal vaginal cream and not just a steroid cream. If that doesn’t work and your doctor suspects yeast, you could try oral medication in addition.
There are other causes of vaginal itching unrelated to diabetes. One is pinworm infection, and the other is sensitivity to bubble bath. There can also be bacterial infections, but it sounds like you have ruled this out.
TGL
