March 24, 2003
Diagnosis and Symptoms
Question from Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, USA:
One of my almost six year old twins is putting on weight much faster than his brother, requests water/beverages very frequently, and there are periods when he urinates hourly. There is no family history of diabetes on either side. I have not approached the pediatrician yet, and anticipating that they might push back due to the cost of any test initiated by a parent. Should I push the pediatrician about conducting tests for diabetes?
Answer:
First, I consider it unlikely that your son has diabetes because weight loss is a cardinal feature. Second, the cost of checking your son is negligible. I think you should discuss the issues without prejudice.
KJR