Why does my 7 yr old son's breath smell of acetone when he is ill?

Question:

My son is 7 years old and over the past few years we have noticed that whenever he is ill his breath smells of acetone. It has even become a pretty good indicator of an approaching illness, as happened this week. - He had acetone breath in the morning then went to school, and was ill that evening, vommitting for the next 24 hours or so.
He is back to normal now.

Answers:
Although acetone breath can be a sign of diabetes, the immediate cause is the build up of ketones. Because you described this condition as occurring during your son's illness, he may be just eating poorly and so metabolizing fat. I wonder if he is a very active boy and whether he doesn't slow down even when he hasn't been eating well or when he is getting sick? If so, a little chicken soup will solve the problem. Nevertheless, you should get him tested, since diabetes can be life threatening, and because the accompanying vomiting can also indicate diabetes.

Acetone breath is a sign of a metabolic disorder, most commonly diabetes. You MUST get him checked out by a doctor as soon as you can.

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Why does my 7 yr old son's breath smell of acetone when he is ill?

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