Medical History for Type 2 Diabetes in a Child

If your health professional suspects that your child has diabetes, he or she will ask about symptoms, family and medical history, and lifestyle.

Symptoms

• Has the child had symptoms of diabetes, such as increased thirst, increased urination, increased appetite, or weight loss?
• How long has the child had symptoms?

Family and medical history

• Is there a family history of diabetes? What was the age of the person when diagnosed with type 2 diabetes? Was the person overweight at the time of diagnosis? How is the person's diabetes being treated?
• Did the mother have gestational diabetes when she was pregnant with the child?
• Did the child weigh more than 9 lb (4.08 kg) or less than 5 lb (2.3 kg) at birth?
• What medicines is the child taking currently?
• Has the child been diagnosed as having high blood pressure or high cholesterol, or both?
• If the child is a girl, has she had irregular menstrual periods or been diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome?
• Has the child had persistent infections or slow-healing wounds? Has the child had any skin, foot, vaginal, or urinary tract infections lately?
• Does the child snore or stop breathing briefly during sleep, have morning headaches, or wet the bed? Is the child sleepy during the day?

The health professional also will gather information about the child's growth and development.

Lifestyle

• Does the family have any lifestyle, cultural, social, or financial factors that could affect the child's participation in treatment for diabetes?
• What is the child's typical diet? What are his or her eating habits and patterns?
• Is the child physically active every day? What kinds of physical activities does the child participate in?

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