Diabetes

• There are two types of diabetes that have symptoms of frequent thirst and urination: diabetes mellitus (DM) and diabetes insipidus (DI). Diabetes mellitus encompasses type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is traditionally insulin dependent, which means patients must include insulin as part of their treatment. This disease occurs when the body cannot produce adequate quantities of insulin to process glucose. It was once known as juvenile-onset diabetes. Diabetes mellitus symptoms include frequent thirst and urination, frequent eating and unexplained weight loss, according to KeepKidsHealthy.com.
  
  Diabetes insipidus is very rare, but it can cause increased urination and increased thirst, as well as poor growth, bed-wetting and irritability. It is not associated with high blood sugar.
  
  

Tests for DM

• If your child experiences polyuria and polydipsia it's important to take him or her to a pediatrician for further tests. The doctor will perform blood tests, which check blood glucose levels, and urine tests, which test for ketones in the urine. If ketones are present, it is a strong indicator of diabetes.
  
  The most common blood test for diabetes is the fasting plasma glucose (FPG) test, which measures levels of blood glucose in a person who has fasted for at least eight hours. Normal results are 99 or below. Prediabetes levels are 100-125 and a diabetes diagnosis is made when levels are 126 or greater.
  
  

Urinary Tract Infection

• Frequent urination is also an indication of a urinary tract infection. In addition to frequency, symptoms include the urge to urinate and painful urination. A simple urine test can diagnose a urinary tract infection, which is treated with antibiotics.
  
  

Pollakiuria

• This condition sends children (ages 3 to 8) to the bathroom anywhere from 10 to 30 times a day, according to KeepKidsHealthy.com. Generally, very little urine is produced, and there aren't other symptoms. Also called Extraordinary Daytime Urinary Frequency Syndrome, pollakiuria has no cure, but goes away within three months, according to KeepKidsHealthy.com.
  
  

Voiding Dysfunction

• Children with voiding dysfunction will visit the bathroom frequently because they do not completely empty their bladders. According to KeepKidsHealthy.com, these children are afraid they're going to miss something while they are in the bathroom and urinate just enough to relieve pressure. Over time, this can cause the sphincter muscles to weaken, which makes it difficult to empty the bladder completely.
  
  

Dehydration

• If children are experiencing frequent and extreme thirst, they may already be dehydrated. The best way to prevent dehydration is to drink enough fluids when you are not thirsty. Thirst is a symptom of dehydration. According to KidsHealth.org, other symptoms in children include dry or sticky mouth, few or no tears when crying, sunken eyes, lack of urine or small amounts of dark yellow urine, irritability, fatigue or dizziness.