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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

If the results of a blood glucose test indicate 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 determine whether your child has developed diabetes.2 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

  1. American Diabetes Association (2011). Standards of medical care in diabetes – 2011. Diabetes Care, 34(Suppl 1): S11–S61.
  2. Orr DP (2008). Diabetes mellitus. In LS Neinstein, ed., Adolescent Health Care: A Practical Guide, 5th ed., pp. 170–178. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.

Credits

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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