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Physical Examination for Type 2 Diabetes in a Child

If your doctor suspects that your child has diabetes, he or she will do a complete physical examination. The doctor will:

  • Measure your child's height and weight and compare them with what is considered normal for the child's age. The doctor also may calculate your child's body mass index (BMI).
  • Check your child's blood pressure.
  • Check your child's eyes.
  • Feel the neck when your child swallows, to check the thyroid gland. Thyroid problems sometimes develop in people with diabetes.
  • Listen to your child's heart and lung sounds.
  • Check your child's skin for signs of dehydration, such as loose skin, a dry mouth, or sunken eyeballs. The doctor also will check for a skin condition called acanthosis nigricans.
  • Examine your child's feet for sores or injuries.
  • Examine your child's nervous system by checking his or her reflexes and by checking how he or she feels touch.
  • Examine the abdomen for signs of an enlarged liver.
By Healthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer John Pope, MD - Pediatrics
Specialist Medical Reviewer Stephen LaFranchi, MD - Pediatrics, Pediatric Endocrinology
Last Revised July 16, 2010

Last Revised: July 16, 2010

Author: Healthwise Staff

Medical Review: John Pope, MD - Pediatrics & Stephen LaFranchi, MD - Pediatrics, Pediatric Endocrinology

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