November 29, 2009
Diagnosis and Symptoms
Question from Braham, Minnesota, USA:
I am wondering if I should ask my doctor to check my 14-month-old son for diabetes. He had a yeast diaper rash that took over a month to clear up with one course of Nystatin cream and two courses of oral Fluconazale. When this happened, I became concerned and started researching diaper rash on the Internet. I discovered the possible connection to diabetes. The other things I’ve noticed is that since the rash began, his diapers have been leaking out at night which is not something that has ever happened before. My son does seem crankier than usual, but he doesn’t really have increased thirst, hunger, and weight loss. He is still nursing and wants to nurse about six times a day, not more than before but maybe more than usual for his age? We have no type 1 diabetes in our family so that is why I really didn’t think of it as a possibility. Is it premature to ask the doctor to check?
Answer:
The typical symptoms for diabetes are increased thirst, urination and hunger as well as weight loss. Rashes are not a typical symptom of diabetes. I would encourage you to continue to follow-up with your pediatrician until the rash has resolved. There are occasional other causes of prolonged rashes and your pediatrician should be able to help you.
MSB
