Type 2 Diabetes: Screening for Children
Topic Overview
Starting at age 10 or at the beginning of puberty, a child who has a
body mass index (BMI) in the 85th percentile or higher
for his or her age—or whose weight is more than 120% of ideal—and who has two
of the following risk factors needs to be tested for
type 2 diabetes every 3 years:1
- A parent, brother, or sister with type 2
diabetes
- The child's mother developed gestational diabetes while pregnant with the child
- Hispanic, African-American, Native American,
Asian-American, or Pacific Island ancestry
- Signs of not being able
to use insulin properly (insulin resistance) or conditions associated with it:
If the results of a blood glucose test mean that your
child's blood sugar is higher than normal but not yet at the level of diabetes
(prediabetes), the test should be repeated 3 months
later to find out whether your child has developed diabetes. If your child eats a balanced diet and gets regular exercise,
he or she may not develop diabetes.
For more information, see the
Interactive Tool: What Is Your Child's BMI? and the topic Type 2 Diabetes in
Children.
References
Citations
- American Diabetes Association (2012). Standards of medical care in diabetes—2012. Diabetes Care, 35(Suppl 1): S11–S63.
Credits
| By | Healthwise Staff |
|---|
| Primary Medical Reviewer | John Pope, MD - Pediatrics |
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| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Stephen LaFranchi, MD - Pediatrics, Pediatric Endocrinology |
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| Last Revised | August 1, 2012 |
|---|
Last Revised:
August 1, 2012
American Diabetes Association (2012). Standards of medical care in diabetes—2012. Diabetes Care, 35(Suppl 1): S11–S63.
