ZocdocAnswersCould sweet smelling sweat be a sign of diabetes?


Could sweet smelling sweat be a sign of diabetes?

My daughter is 10 monthes old and when she is sleeping her sweat smells sweet, like fruit of some sort. could this be diabetes or something? My family does have a history or diabetes on my mothers side. I am a first time mother and need some help. Please!


Some individuals with untreated diabetes can develop a fruity odor, most prominent on the breath, that is caused by the production of certain chemicals called ketones, in response to the prolonged elevation of blood sugar. Most of the time, there are other symptoms present at the same time, such as frequent urination, dehydration, and lethargy. Therefore, it is unlikely that your daughter has diabetes; that being said, it is definitely something you should mention to your pediatrician. If your daughter has any other more concerning symptoms, such as those I mentioned, then you should seek immediate medical evaluation. Additionally, there are a number of rare metabolic conditions which are caused by defects in the way the body breaks down various chemicals. Several of these metabolic conditions - which include phenylketonuria and maple syrup urine disease - can cause strong or unusual body odors. Fortunately, most of these conditions are screened for at birth by a newborn screen, which was probably performed on your daughter when she was born before she was discharged home from the hospital. Assuming this testing was normal, then the possibility that your daughter has one of these conditions is extremely low. You can verify that this testing was done by checking in with your daughter's pediatrician. Again, please discuss with her doctors soon.

