When Complication Screening Starts
Reviewed by CDE Mehandi Sharma · Updated
In the first years, nobody will screen your baby for eye or kidney damage, and that is correct rather than an oversight.
The long-term complications of diabetes develop over years of raised blood sugar. In an infant there has not been time, and the tests themselves are not practical or meaningful at that age. What protects your child in the early years is good control and good growth, not testing.
Screening becomes relevant in later childhood. Your paediatric team will set the schedule, and it usually depends on your child's age and how long they have had diabetes rather than on a fixed birthday.
What eventually comes into the routine:
| Check | Purpose |
|---|---|
| HbA1c | Average blood sugar over three months |
| Growth and blood pressure | At every visit throughout childhood |
| Eyes | Retinal examination as your child gets older |
| Kidneys | Urine albumin and blood creatinine |
| Feet and sensation | Nerve checks in later childhood |
| Thyroid and coeliac | Associated conditions, checked periodically |
| Blood fats | From later childhood onwards |
That these are worth doing is clear from Indian data. Among children with diabetes followed for three years or more, retinopathy was found in 13.4%, kidney changes in 7.1% and nerve changes in 3.0% — and all of these are far more treatable when caught early than when they announce themselves.
Ask at each annual review which checks are now due. Screening schedules drift easily when a child is otherwise well.