2 Year Old Always Thirsty

I'm wondering if maybw there are two seperate issues. One being that his body has gotten used to drinking at that time of day and maybe you should try to switch his drinking up so he is drinking more in the morning. Also I don't think he should be having juice more than once a day. My pediatrician says there is no reason to give juice at all. Juice is actually very high in sugar even though most people think it is a "healthy" drink. I hope this helps.

My son is a drinker too and does not eat much. As soon as he wakes up he wants milk. I have been giving my son V8 Fusion since it has a lot of vitamins and his eating is really not too good. I usually mix it with some water too. My son drinks a lot of milk too. He is happy and healthy and is gaining weight. It is frustrating but you can't force them to eat and as long as he eats 1 good meal a day his Dr said that is ok. My son doesn't always do that but is getting a bit better. Good luck....:)

Hi N.,
I have had friends with similar problems. first of the doc needs to get involved..he may have diabetes or other medical issues. that said it may be just a habit with the water at night and if he drinks too much milk he may not eat...18 oz a day is all he needs. His appetite may significantly improve if you cut down milk in his diet..The rest of it don't worry about he just loves to hug you and may need more touch than other kids, my son does..he is very sensory oriented.

For thirst, I'd give just water - not fructose without the fiber, which is what the juice is. That's processed by the liver, and can lead to the development of diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

And... if the problem is diabetes, giving so much sugar is not what you want to be giving him.

I would definitely let your doctor know so all proper tests can be run. If you are concerned about him not eating enough, you may want to start diluting the juice little by little to get him use to the taste of water. Then he won't be filling up on empty juice calories and will be getting more water in his diet. My girls love ice water but that is probably because I never introduced juice. I do hope your little one is okay, please update us all. :)

I would have the doctor check for dibetes just to rule it out. But it could just be your son. I have 3 children and they are all different. My youngest always wants a glass of water first thing in the morning and right before he goes to bed.

N., you have so many wonderful recommendations I just want to add, my children did not eat very well until I stopped giving milk all day. Esp my girls, they would drink milk then not be hungry.

As a nurse, I am concerned that you should speak to the pediatrician and TELL them you want him tested. It will be difficult for you because he will need to stop eating and drinking at night and have nothing until they are able to get blood work. Yes, again, going to be very hard for mom. Continuous thirst is usually the first sign of diabetes complications. Also, if he doesn't eat every 2-3 hours, irritability and discomfort can set in because of the low blood sugars. If he is wanting to be held, it could be a sign of this and you are his comfort. I suggest that you tell the ped because too often we are compliant...after all they are the ones that have the training, but they are people and may not want to concern you by running tests. Demand it for your own peace of mind. My peds really do not like it when i come in because I tell them what i want without them even looking at the kids! Some have learned that mom knows what's going on, but others like to hold that title in front of your face. Listen to that little voice in your head on this one...I really think it would be smart. May just be that he is filling up on fluids because it takes too much time away from playing to eat....that's my son's issue. I wish you the best and will be praying it's something simple!

Excessive thirst could be a sign of diabetes...I don't want to scare you about that...I don't know if you have a family history of this or not...but it is something that needs to be looked into for sure..does he "pee" alot also? If so, this is also a sign of possible diabetes..I would call your pediatrician and give them the signs/symptoms over the phone and maybe they could work you in sooner to be seen...this is coming from an RN who works with children/babies all the time....It could also be something else going on...just have him checked out! Have a great day!

I am always concerned when I hear a child is "always" thirsty. I am a diabetic and both of my daughters are as well. Extreme thirst is a symptom of diabetes. Please ask your doctor to check your child for that to be on the safe side.

The excessive drinking could be a sign of diabetes. It could also be he is trying to get all the calories he needs by drinking them. You might want to ask the doc to confirm there is nothing medically wrong. If not you can limit him to water only unless he is eating a meal. Then let him have milk and juice. My son would rather drink his calories than eat them and he is 4. We have to get after him all the time. We have taken away all sippy or straw cups so it is harder for him to carry it around. Now he has to sit to eat because his tummy is grumbling and it needs food. He still tries it every once in a while.

My "gut reaction" is that he needs more water and a lot less milk and juice. That will help with his appetite not being "the greatest" -- of course not, if he's guzzling milk and juice constantly! I've read about some kids having an almost addiction to dairy products or other food groups -- that a few kids have a "something" wrong in their gut that causes a kind of high that makes them crave that food again and again. The moodiness could also be due to some food problem -- friends of mine are on the Blood Type Diet, and the mom recently told me that when her kids have a change in attitude, she starts thinking, "What did they eat that wasn't right?" Because usually or always she can link it to some food intolerance or sensitivity that they have. Some kids just like to be held, and others may just be moody, and yours may be one of them, but it might help to keep a food diary for your child to see if you can spot a pattern of "an hour after he eats X then he gets moody" or "within half a day of eating X he gets crabby" -- that sort of thing. My friend finally figured out that her daughter gets headaches after eating bananas; her husband gets moody and mean after eating corn and wheat; she breaks out in acne after eating tomatoes or potatoes. My husband gets sore shoulders and needs a neck massage within half a day of eating wheat; and just this past Sunday he realized that he got a wicked headache after eating corn chips! Some people are just sensitive to the effects of food. Your son may be one of them. Even if he's not, I'd still cut back on the caloric drinks and give him water -- we need more water than most people think.

Hi N.,

I agree with the other ladies. Excessive thirst is a sign of diabetes. Get your child tested immediately! Unregulated changes in blood sugar could explain a lot of his behavior. Don't wait. Good luck! L.

Excessive thirst can be a sign of diabetes. Juvenile diabetes is no laughing matter. I would have this checked out by a ped asap. it probably isn't, but would be nice to rule that out. I would push more water, instead of sweet stuff (milk and juice both contain sugars)
Soup or broth is another healthy alternative to offer.

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He needs to be checked for diabetes.... I wouldn't wait long to have blood sugar levels looked at.

I agree. One of the main signs of diabetes is excessive thirst/urination. Does he have a lot of wet diapers? I would ask his doctor to do a test just to be on the safe side. My nephew drinks like that and we were worried but he is ok. We had the test done and feel better now that we know.

Consistent thirst can be a sign of diabetes... HOWEVER, I wonder if your little boy just really needs more water. You said he's not a water fan and that he drinks a lot of juice and milk but he doesn't eat well. He may not eat well because his tummy if full or milk and juice. And he may be thirsty because juicy has a lot of sugar and actually can make you thirsty. I'd back off on the juice, offer more healthy snacks, suggest water throughout the day, and see if things balance themselves out.

Good Luck!

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He could just be dehydrated or increased thirst can be a sign of diabetes. See if your doctor will do a blood test for diabetes. It is better to check and know for sure.

As a mother of a healthy 29yr old son who was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes at age 5, I would certainly suggest you have him checked for diabetes. It may be nothing but I strongly suggest testing. Mood swings and thirst are one of the first symptoms.

i think being thirsty can be a sign of diabetes. but there would be other signs... mention it to the doc on your next appt.

My son was the same way. He is 7 now, but his tonsils and adenoids were so large that he was having to breathe through his mouth which made him thirsty. I also started watching him sleep and noticed he had sleep apenea(stop breathing during sleep) b/c of the enlarged tonsils and adenoids. He got them removed and was a whole new child.

Ask the doctor to check for diabetes. It may not be diabetes, it could be just that your son drinks alot. You might try limiting his milk to no more than three 8 oz. cups a day and when you give him juice you might mix it with water so that he has 2 oz juice and 6 oz of water. You might track just how many ounces of fluid your son is actually drinking. Most people are dehydrated. I think that it is recommended to drink 2 ounces of fluid for every pound that you weigh every day. So your son should be drinking 52 ounces a day. Most of that should be water - to stay properly hydrated. You might see if he will eat cut up watermelon or grapes. Good luck.

My son always drinks more in the hot, humid summer weather. It isn't probably anything for concern, but just mention it to your pediatrician if you are concerned.