Pediatric Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Differential Diagnoses

  • Author: William H Lamb, MBBS, MD, FRCP(Edin), FRCP, FRCPCH; Chief Editor: Stephen Kemp, MD, PhD   more...
 
Updated: Oct 4, 2011
 
 

Diagnostic Considerations

Children with MODY may present as having type 1 diabetes. As they may respond better to oral hypoglycemic agents, recognizing MODY as a possibility is important. Always consider the diagnosis of MODY in the following circumstances:

  • A strong family history of diabetes across 2 or more generations - The age of diagnosis usually falls with each successive generation
  • Persistently low insulin requirements, particularly with good blood glucose control
  • Development of diabetes from birth or within the first 9 months of life

Conditions to consider in the differential diagnosis of type 1 diabetes include the following:

  • Type 2 diabetes mellitus
  • MODY
  • Psychogenic polydipsia
  • Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus
  • High-output renal failure
  • Transient hyperglycemia with illness and other stress
  • Steroid therapy
  • Factitious illness (Münchhausen syndrome by proxy)

Differential Diagnoses

Proceed to Workup
 
 
Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

William H Lamb, MBBS, MD, FRCP(Edin), FRCP, FRCPCH  Clinical Lecturer, Department of Child Health, The General Hospital, Bishop Auckland, UK

William H Lamb, MBBS, MD, FRCP(Edin), FRCP, FRCPCH is a member of the following medical societies: British Medical Association, British Society of Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, International Society of Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes, Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, and Royal College of Physicians

Disclosure: Roche Diabetes Care Honoraria Speaking and teaching

Specialty Editor Board

Arlan L Rosenbloom, MD  Adjunct Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics, University of Florida College of Medicine; Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics; Fellow of the American College of Epidemiology

Arlan L Rosenbloom, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Epidemiology, American Pediatric Society, Endocrine Society, Florida Pediatric Society, Pediatric Endocrine Society, and Society for Pediatric Research

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Mary L Windle, PharmD  Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

George P Chrousos, MD, FAAP, MACP, MACE, FRCP(London)  Professor and Chair, First Department of Pediatrics, Athens University Medical School, Aghia Sophia Children's Hospital, Greece; UNESCO Chair on Adolescent Health Care, University of Athens, Greece

George P Chrousos, MD, FAAP, MACP, MACE, FRCP(London) is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Endocrinology, American College of Physicians, American Pediatric Society, American Society for Clinical Investigation, Association of American Physicians, Endocrine Society, Pediatric Endocrine Society, and Society for Pediatric Research

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Stephen Kemp, MD, PhD  Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Endocrinology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine, Arkansas Children's Hospital

Stephen Kemp, MD, PhD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, American Pediatric Society, Endocrine Society, Phi Beta Kappa, Southern Medical Association, and Southern Society for Pediatric Research

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Additional Contributors

The author would like to thank Dr. Tim Cheetham and Dr. Debbie Matthews, Colleagues at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne, for reading through the manuscript and for years of support.

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Possible mechanism for development of type 1 diabetes.
The effects of insulin deficiency.
Representation of activity profile of some available insulins.
Some of the available insulin injection devices.
A selection of available insulin pumps.
Some of the available blood glucose monitors.
Diabetes Sick Day Rules.
Taking Diabetes Back to School.
Carbs for Kids-Count Them In: The Constant Carbohydrates Diet.
 
 
 
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