Very ill daughter- need advice

[Anonymous Question]

Anonymous question submitted:

My daughter is 2 and since birth has drank loads! I would say she currently drinks 3 litres of juice in a 24 hour period. When unwell this amount can double. Recently she was admitted to hospital and treated for dehydration (vomitting virus). It was here that a doctor noticed the amount of fluid she was drinking. Diabetes Insep. was mentioned and we where referred to GOSH. My daughter was admitted overnight and blood was taken and tested every 2 hours. They also monitored her fluid intake/output levels. The dr has told me that all the tests where normal but he wants to re-admit her for a water depri. test over 7 hours. Does anyone have any useful advice? If all her blood tests are normal why do the water depri test? Is this normal practise? The dr and ward staff have been quite rude and off so i'm not keen to go back there. Can I do this test anywhere else? I am so worried and don't really know where to go from here. Do I put her through more tests or not?? Are there any other signs to diagnose DI? My daughter is quite tiny and very thin. She is as whute as a sheet most days and always has black eyes! If anyone out there has been through this experience with thier own child and can offer some guidance I would be so grateful.

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[phoenix]

I'm sorry that your daughter is so unwell.
It seems that your daughter is being tested for diabetes insipidus. This is not the same as diabetes mellitus which is what affects people on this forum.
Both conditions share the name 'diabetes for historical reasons ie diabetes was originally named back in Ancient Greece and refers to drinking and urinating which is a symptom of both but there the similarity stops . The diagnosis, causes and treatment of the two conditions are very different.

If she had been urinating because of high glucose which is the problem in Diabetes mellitus then this would show up in her blood tests.

Diabetes UK describes briefly the tests used for diagnosis of diabetes insipidus. They also point people to the site of the Pituitary Foundation. This organisation should be able to provide support and help. There is also a forum on the website. There may be people there that are able to answer some of your questions.

http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-dia ... insipidus/