Children And Diabetes - It Can Happen To Thin Children Too And Here's A Tip You Need To Know

After posting my blog last night on the best defense against diabetes I decided to discuss with my wife about our relative's child who was diagnosed and saved while he was just in pre-diabetes. The 5 year old toddler was always thin, so how did the doctor suspect to test for diabetes ? 


As my wife and I discussed I started doing more research. Turns out this is a very common symptom. This applies to non-obese children and adults as well.


The sign is a dark ring around the neck. Some parents might just think it is normal or maybe even a little dirt, but it is a sign that there is too much insulin in the system.

Medically it is called  “acanthosis nigricans” and the elevated insulin levels in the body activates insulin receptors in the skin, forcing it to grow abnormally and cause extra pigment in the skin. It can also be noticed in the underarms or the groins.


Another tell tale sign is if your child has this and is always thirsty, but personally I wouldn't wait to get tested.


Thanks to good luck my nephew got saved. Today he has not diabetes at all. The parents had to do a strong dietary intervention and all chocolate, candies and shakes were stopped. But today the child has no sign of diabetes. The dark ring around the neck is gone too.


This child was thin, not even 1 kg overweight, but yet had the dark circles. I think any parent with a 4 - 10 year old should know about this marker for diabetes. In India the healthcare system is not so robust and your doctor may not be aware to test for this in a normal weight child.

How to spot childhood pre-diabetes in your child