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 one of the following risk factors needs to be tested for type 2 diabetes every 3 years:^{footnote 1}

• A parent, brother, or sister with type 2 diabetes
• The child's mother developed gestational diabetes while pregnant with the child
• Hispanic, African-American, Native American, Asian-American, or Pacific Island ancestry
• Signs of not being able to use insulin properly (insulin resistance) or conditions associated with it:
  • A skin problem, acanthosis nigricans
  • High blood pressure
  • High cholesterol
  • Polycystic ovary syndrome (a hormone problem that interferes with ovulation)
  • Born small in weight and/or length

If the results of a blood glucose test mean that your child's blood sugar is higher than normal but not yet at the level of diabetes, he or she has prediabetes. 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.