Signs of Juvenile Diabetes You Need to Be Aware Of

What are the signs of juvenile diabetes, and would you recognize it if you or your loved ones started exhibiting those signs?Not long ago, a 10-year-old little girl from my hometown died in her sleep. I remember seeing her parents on the news. I could only imagine the pain they must have felt.Her death was caused by undiagnosed juvenile diabetes. Sometime during the night, the acids in her body reached dangerous levels because of insufficient insulin. The result was a condition known as ketoacidosis, which caused her to go into a coma, and die.For a while, all the local news channels focused on diabetes education, especially as it related to children. I personally could not imagine something worse than discovering my child had died from a treatable illness that I was unaware of.So, what are the signs of juvenile diabetes to look out for?The first, and most obvious sign is an unquenchable thirst. Since the body is not processing sugars correctly, these sugars build up in the bloodstream. They absorb water from the cells in the body, which makes you very thirsty.And, since you're drinking so much more water, you're also going to the bathroom much more often. If you notice these tendencies, either in yourself or your loved ones, you might need to think about seeing a professional.


You also might notice an increase in your appetite. Sugar building up in the bloodstream means it's not making it into the cells of the body to be used as fuel. The results are that you eat and eat, but never feel full or satisfied.What's more is that since the body can't use the sugars as fuel, like it's meant to do, it starts burning needed stores of fat and muscle tissue, making you feel sluggish and tired, because your metabolism is decreasing.Eyesight is another concern when checking for signs of juvenile diabetes. When the sugar content of the blood becomes either too high or too low, water is absorbed into the lens of the eye which causes you to have blurred vision. Your vision returns to normal, however, as your blood sugar stabilizes.At first, this can be a minor annoyance. However, if left unchecked, the blood vessels in the eye weaken, which can lead to a detached retina, or retinopathy, and to permanent blindness.If you or your loved ones notice a temporary blurring of vision, it might be time to see your doctor, especially if it's accompanied by intense thirst, hunger, or fatigue. Juvenile diabetes is not a condition to be taken lightly. If ignored, its consequences can be disastrous.