Diabetes is a serious metabolic ailment that prevents the normal breakdown and usage of food particularly sugar or glucose by the body. This can lead to the impairment of the blood vessels, heart, kidneys and neurological system as well as cause progressive vision loss over several years.
What are the forms of diabetes?
There are different forms of diabetes but the 2 most common are type 1 and type 2. Remember that both can develop at any age but a child is likely to be diagnosed with type 1.
Close look on type 1 diabetes
With type 1 diabetes, it is due to the poor production of insulin by the pancreas. Once this occurs, the body could not properly metabolize sugars which accumulate in the bloodstream. The sugar or glucose could not be utilized by the body and eliminated via the urine. This leads to the development of the major symptoms such as:
- Increased appetite
- Thirst
- Increased urination
- Weight loss
Even though type 1 can start at any age, there are peak stages at around the ages of 5-6 and at 11-13. The initial sign is an increase in the frequency and amount of urination which is evident at night, including recurrence of bed wetting among those who are already potty-trained.
The other key symptoms must be present to come up with an analysis of diabetes includes being tired, increased thirst, losing weight and increased appetite.
Management
Even though there is no known cure for diabetes even today, children diagnosed with the disease can lead a normal childhood if kept under control. It is vital to control the condition properly to avoid any complications.
The management is aimed on routine blood sugar monitoring, healthy diet and insulin therapy via injections or an insulin pump.
Controlling the blood sugar level within a normal range reduces the likelihood of the symptoms and reduce the risk for lasting health issues linked to poor control. Aside from a healthy diet, exercise at least 30 minutes daily can help with the management of the disease.
Developing proper management habits of diabetes at a young age can have a significant impact on the habits of the child as he/she gets older.