Are the symptoms of diabetes insipidus in babies obvious?

Diabetes insipidus is a disease that is more common in children. If a baby has diabetes insipidus, it can actually be detected as long as parents pay more attention to the child's body. The baby will have polyuria and enuresis, and will also be irritable and have restless sleep at night.

Clinical manifestations

Diabetes insipidus affects more men than women. The disease can occur at any age from a few months after birth to adolescence, and is more common in childhood. Older children often develop the disease suddenly, but it can also be gradual.

1. Polyuria or enuresis

It is often the first symptom noticed by parents. The frequency of urination and urine volume increase, with the daily urine volume mostly exceeding 4L, and as much as over 10L (300-400ml/kg per day or 400ml/m2 per hour, or more than 3000ml/m2 per day). Morning urine may also be as light as water.

2. Drink more

Infants prefer drinking water to drinking milk. Children generally like to drink cold water, even in winter. The amount of water they drink is roughly equal to the amount of urine. If they do not drink water, they will feel unbearable thirst, but the amount of urine will not decrease.

3. Others

Children generally have no other symptoms because they can drink enough water. However, if infants cannot drink enough water, they often have symptoms of hypertonic dehydration such as irritability, restless sleep, fever, constipation, weight loss and dry skin. In severe cases, convulsions and coma may occur. Long-term polydipsia and polyuria can lead to growth disorders, hydronephrosis, ureteral dilatation, and even renal insufficiency. Intracranial tumors cause secondary diabetes insipidus, which in addition to diabetes insipidus may also have symptoms of increased intracranial pressure, such as headache, vomiting, visual impairment, etc. Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus mostly occurs in men, has a family history, and develops at an early age.

For children with polydipsia and polyuria, whether they drink water when they wake up to urinate at night is important in the medical history. Intake and output should be recorded. Polydipsia and polyuria >2L/m2 per day are pathological phenomena. Understand other medical history, family history, growth history, central nervous system symptoms and signs, etc. to suggest possible causes of the disease.