November 27, 2006
Diagnosis and Symptoms
Question from Cleveland, Mississippi, USA:
My seven year old has been complaining of pain in her eyes. Recently, she has started to urinate very frequently and she usually has to go within 15 minutes of having just gone. She has always drunk a lot of fluid. This morning, she said that her feet were tingling and I asked if she was sitting on them and she said no. She just got over a stomach bug and is starving and has eaten a lot, but she only weighs 40 pounds. This is her normal body weight. She has always had dry skin, but recently, her hair has become dry and brittle. Her grandmother has type 1 diabetes from childhood. Should we have her checked or am I being worried for no reason?
Answer:
While diabetes might be a consideration, other things are more likely. You should make an appointment for her to have a general physical examination by her pediatric healthcare provider. They may want to draw blood for glucose but also for thyroid levels. They will probably also wish to analyze some urine. Maybe it is something else, too.
DS
