Type 2 Diabetes: Screening for Children Topic Overview Back to
top 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 two of the following risk factors needs to be
tested for type 2 diabetes every 3 years: 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:
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 (prediabetes), the test should be repeated 3 months
later to find out whether your child has developed diabetes. If
your child eats a balanced diet and gets regular exercise, he or
she may not develop diabet