My son has Type I and is complaining of a chemical smell when he breathes through his nose?

Question

He's noticed this a few times since the onset of his diabetes. Can anyone tell me anything about this? What causes it? Is it serious?

It's not the fruity breath; it's a sensation of a chemical smell when he inhales through his nose.

I had him test his sugar and it was at 212, so no ketones yet. He took a bit of Humalog to bring the number down and he's resting now.

Thanks for your answers, everyone.

He has had diabetes for a little over a year. He manages it pretty well for a soon-to-be 15 year old. :-) His numbers have all been under 150 for a 2 week period so I'm wondering if this is a sinus thing. We usually don't test the urine unless his sugar is over 300. I'm going to call the endocrinologist, just in case. He goes to Children's Hospital for his diabetes care so I think they know what to do. :-)

Answer 1

All of the answers mentioning DKA are correct. This can be a very serious issue, and should NOT being happening on a regular basis. This indicates your son is not receiving enough insulin, and that his blood sugars are dangerously high on a consistent basis. This is very dangerous and not healthy long nor short term.

Please check his blood sugars when he complains of this. If they are out of normal range, have him check for urine ketones using "Ketostix". You can get these at the pharmacy. If they are moderate to large, this can become a diabetic emergency. He needs extra insulin and fluids right away. You will need to call his doctor, and he may need to go into the hospital for IV insulin and fluids.

Your doctor should have told you how to prevent DKA, the symptoms of it, and how to treat it. If he hasn't, please find a new doctor for your son. Does your son regularly test his blood sugar and adjust his insulin to what he eats and his blood sugar levels? he must if he wants to stay healthy. Type 1 diabetes is a serious disease and can be fatal if improperly managed. Please ask your doctor to see a Diabetes Nurse, who can educate you on how to care for your son.

There are other rare metabolic problems that can cause this, but you need to make sure it is not from uncontrolled diabetes first.

Also, this is NOT from a "mineral deficiency". This is why I have a problem with "Alternative Healthcare Providers". This can be a life-threatening situation, and it is NOT normal. These people often have little true medical knowledge, and put people's lives at risk with no shame.

P.S. Thank you for more information. I am glad to hear your son is testing and not in any danger. How long has your son had diabetes? Has he been screened for kidney damage? Sometimes this can produce a "metallic" taste in the mouth, perhaps this can cause a smell like "chemicals". Also, is possible he has gotten some sort of chemical into his nose? Either a powder or something on his hands?

P.P.S. I am 100% for complimentary nutritional therapy (antioxidants, Omega 3 EFA supplements, organic, gluten free diets, etc.), but I have to point out that I feel the way I do about much alternative medicine for a very valid reason. There is often no proof of what they claim, and any child with a serious deficiency will have that show up in a standard blood test at the doctor's office-without you having to pay out of pocket for it. Feel free to believe what you wish, but please see below:

"Although hair analysis has limited value as a screening device for heavy metal exposure, it is not reliable for evaluating the nutritional status of individuals. In 1974, the AMA Committee on Cutaneous Health and Cosmetics noted: "The state of health of the body may be entirely unrelated to the physical and chemical condition of the hair . . . Although severe deficiency states of an essential element are often associated with low concentrations of the element in hair, there are no data that indicate that low concentrations of an element signify low tissue levels nor that high concentrations reflect high tissue stores. Therefore . . . hair metal levels would rarely help a physician select effective treatment." [1]
Most commercial hair analysis laboratories have not validated their analytical techniques by checking them against standard reference materials. The techniques typically used to prepare samples for analysis can introduce errors for many of the elements being determined.
Hair mineral content can be affected by exposure to various substances such as shampoos, bleaches and hair dyes. No analytic technique enables reliable determination of the source of specific levels of elements in hair as bodily or environmental.
The level of certain minerals can be affected by the color, diameter and rate of growth of an individual's hair, the season of the year, the geographic location, and the age and gender of the individual.
Normal ranges of hair minerals have not been defined.
For most elements, no correlation has been established between hair level and other known indicators of nutrition status. It is possible for hair concentration of an element (zinc, for example) to be high even though deficiency exists in the body.
Hair grows slowly (1 cm/month), so even hair closest to the scalp is several weeks old and thus may not reflect current body conditions for purposes of health diagnosis.
The use of a single multielemental hair analysis test as the sole means of diagnosis violates basic tenets of medical practice that laboratory findings should be considered together with the patient's history and physical examination, and that the practitioner should keep in mind that laboratory errors occur."

Please note that my concern was that a healthcare practitioner was ignoring the fact that this could be a serious diabetes related condition, and that he said it was "normal". I have never seen any data or evidence to suggest this.

Answer 2

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is an emergency condition caused by untreated hyperglycemia. Ketoacidosis can be a life-threatening situation.

A person with type 1 diabetes has the greatest chance of developing ketoacidosis. If you have type 2 diabetes, your risk of developing ketoacidosis is less -- as long as you still make insulin. However, you are still at risk for developing HHNS, a condition that occurs when blood glucose goes very high and you become severely dehydrated.

What Are the Symptoms of Ketoacidosis?
The symptoms of hyperglycemia include:

Dehydration and excess thirst.
Excess urination, especially weeks or days before the diagnosis of new onset type 1 diabetes.
Vomiting.
Abdominal pain.
Drowsiness.
Difficulty breathing.
Fruity smell to the breath.
Ketones in your urine.
Call your health care provider immediately if you have any of the above listed symptoms.

How Is Ketoacidosis Treated?
Treatment of ketoacidosis requires insulin and fluids as ordered by your doctor. They may suggest that you increase the dose of your insulin or change your insulin type to a more rapid or short acting form. They will also suggest drinking more fluids - sugar free, of course. You will need to check your sugars frequently and repeat the measure of your urine ketones.

Ketoacidosis can result in coma and possibly death if left untreated.

How Can Ketoacidosis Be Prevented?
Take your medicines as directed. If you are on an insulin pump always check your tube connections for air bubbles and make sure that there are no leaks of insulin. Also, check your insulin to make sure it has not expired and make sure no clumps have formed. Insulin should always be either clear or uniformly cloudy with particles.
Follow your meal plan closely.
Follow your exercise program.
Test your blood glucose on a regular basis.
Know when to contact your health care provider if you have repeated abnormal blood glucose levels.

Answer 3

As a possibility, you may want to have his hair tested for mineral deficiencies. He may have too little zinc in his diet and that can lead to a copper smell and sometimes a taste as well. Other imbalances can lead to this so a hair test (not a blood test) will give you a better picture. Because of his dietary restrictions, it's possible that he needs a little more guidance to ensure a balanced intake of all essential micronutrients for proper health.

Also, if he is on any secondary medications, keep in mind that all drugs are by biological definition, poisonous. Poisons will end up in the mucous membranes as the body tries to "purge" itself of these toxins. For example, chemotherapy patients will frequently complain of a metalic taste in their mouth.

I have several clients with Type I Diabetic Children and this situation is not uncommon. All hair testing I work with is done through a licensed medical doctor (usually an endocrinologist). Remember, nutrition is not alternative medicine. It is a requirement of the body.

Only a licensed medical professional can diagnose if this is or if this is not a factor in your son's health. That diagnosis also requires examination.

Answer 4

my friend, i think this is a serious problem, if the smell is like acetone then this maybe diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), which usually happens when the body cant utilize glucose for energy, then the body uses fatty acids, which will be brokedown and produces end products which are acidic, usually the patient may have abdominal pain and vommiting which my lead to DEHYDRATION, and may also produce ionic disturbance and cause heart problems and maybe seizures or coma..
so take ur kid as soon as possible to his physician

Answer 5

It's acetone, or another methyl-x-ketone, from the sugars that hasn't been properly metabolized.

It's a 'normal' part of the disease, but it -- in of itself -- is not serious. The concentrations are too low to be toxic.

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