Type 1 diabetes, also known as juvenile diabetes, has many symptoms that, unfortunately, mimic many common childhood milestones. Learn to tell the difference between diabetes symptoms and common healthy childhood behaviors.

1. Increased thirst. As active as children are, it is not unreasonable for your child to demand more drinks from one day to the next. But if your child is thirsty at all hours of the day and night and seems to crave ice water with the frequency of an addict, his kidneys may be trying to remove glucose from the body. Without insulin to move glucose through the bloodstream for processing, sugar builds up triggering a natural craving for more fluids. This is one of the most well-known and recognizable symptoms of type 1 diabetes.

2. Increased urination. The body tries to eliminate the accumulation of glucose through the urine. This need to flush the system can even cause the sudden onset of nocturnal enuresis. Unfortunately, because your child urinates so frequently, he becomes dehydrated because everything he drinks is lost almost immediately. It would be easy to assume they simply have a urinary tract infection or have bladders the size of chickpeas and try to limit their fluid intake.

3. Sweet and fruity smelling breath. This symptom is also misleading, as it could be explained by the fruit flavored toothpastes children use these days or the healthy fruit snacks they are given. The sweet smell of your breath is the result of diabetic ketoacidosis, which is the body’s attempt to eliminate acetone through the respiratory system. Sweet-smelling breath is a sign that poisonous ketones (acidic by-products of fats that are broken down for energy) are building up in the body. This symptom is a sign that they urgently need diabetes medicine.

4. Constant hunger. Children are always growing and always hungry. However, a child with undiagnosed type 1 diabetes will be hungry. The food you eat is not turned into energy, because your body needs insulin to do so. The sugars that the body breaks down food into begin to accumulate in the system causing the cycle of extreme thirst, urination and hunger.

5. Significant sudden weight loss. Children seem to grow up overnight and a child who was on the chubby side last month may appear taller and thinner this month. The difference is that a natural growth spurt will look like weight loss, but it is actually growth and generally does not imply true weight loss. However, the weight loss of a child with undiagnosed diabetes will be extreme and sudden. It will occur when it seems like they are eating all the time and it will seem very different from their usual behavior.

Individually, each of the symptoms listed above could be seen as natural phases in your child’s development; however, when they occur at the same time, you should see a huge red flag and book a doctor’s appointment as soon as possible. Type 1 diabetes is a fully manageable disease, but early detection and treatment are essential to your child’s health and ability to avoid long-term diabetes complications.