Diabetes Symptoms and Information For Kids
Diabetes is a condition where there is too much sugar or glucose in your blood.
Glucose is obtained through eating. Most foods that are considered to be starchy or
sugary provide glucose to the blood. This is used to provide energy to the rest of the body. When you are diagnosed with Diabetes, it means that
the beta cells of your pancreas have stopped functioning normally and cannot produce a hormone called insulin (or the insulin is
ineffective).
Insulin is used by your body to help glucose get from the food you eat, into your bodies cells where it is converted into energy. If your
pancreas has stopped making insulin, glucose levels build up in the blood. If these levels get too high, energy cannot get to the cells and this
can lead to serious problems like unconsciousness and comas.
Type 1 diabetes is the most common form in children. It is also known as juvenile Diabetes because of this reason. It is believed that Type
1 diabetes is an autoimmunity problem whereby the immune system thinks the beta cells in the pancreas are harmful to the body and destroys
them. While it is thought that childhood obesity might be a cause for the increase in type II diabetes, the causes of Type 1 Diabetes are
not as clearly understood.
Research suggests that there are both a genetic predisposition, and environmental factors involved in triggering the onset of the disease.
Type 1 diabetic symptoms can vary in speed and severity however there are some common signs that your child may have the disease, these are :
Frequent urination or polyuria and polydipsia or excessive thirst. This occurs because excessive glucose is produced in the urine when it is high
in the blood. This draws water from the body to the bladder.
As the body is unable to use the glucose from food for energy, it starts to use body fat as a source of energy resulting in tiredness and sudden
weight loss.
Other symptoms to look for are mood changes, for example restlessness and irritability, blurred vision or other changes in eyesight, excess
hunger, oral or vaginal thrush and abdominal pain.
Once diagnosed, type 1 diabetes is managed by monitoring glucose levels in the blood and injecting synthetic insulin into the body to keep the
level at a normal level. This is known as insulin replacement therapy. This may only be in low doses to start with, but in all cases they will be
provided with an individual insulin routine which has been planned specifically to suit them.
At this point in time, type 1 Diabetic children will need insulin treatment for the rest of their life. There is no cure for diabetes.
Diet and exercise are also a very important part of controlling the long term effects of Diabetes. Your health provider will be able to give
advice on these aspects of the treatment.
Initially this will be quite disruptive to you and your child's lifestyle. However as you get more used to the routine it will become like second
nature. Having the disease will not be seen as limiting but rather just something that has to be done.
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