Diabetes in children
Posted on June 29th, 2009 in Diabities, Health News
Type 1 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes in children: 90-95 per cent of children under 16 with diabetes have this type.
It is caused by the inability of the pancreas to produce insulin.
Type 1 diabetes is classified as an autoimmune disease, a disease in which the body’s immune system “attacks” one of its own tissues or organs.
In type 1 diabetes are insulin-producing cells in the pancreas are destroyed.
How common is it?
Diabetes of the child is not common, but there are large variations around the world:
in England and Wales by 17 children develop diabetes every year 100,000
in Scotland the figure is 25 per 100,000
in Finland is 43 per 100,000
3 in Japan is 100,000.
The last 30 years has seen a threefold increase in the incidence of childhood diabetes.
In Europe and America, type 2 diabetes was seen in young people. This is probably caused in part by the growing trend of obesity in our society.
But obesity does not explain the increase of type 1 diabetes in children – who constitute the majority of new cases.
What causes childhood diabetes?
As adults, the cause of childhood diabetes is not included. Probably a combination of genes and environmental factors.
Most children who develop type 1 have no family history of diabetes.
What are the symptoms?
The main symptoms are the same as in adults. They tend to come in more than a few weeks:
- sed
- weight loss
- fatigue
- frequent urination.
- Symptoms that are more typical for children include:
- stomach pain
- headache
- behavioral problems.
Sometimes it is pre-diabetic acidosis is diagnosed with diabetes, although this occurs less frequently in the United Kingdom through a better understanding of the symptoms to watch for.
Physicians should consider the possibility of diabetes in any child who has a history of illness or other unexplained abdominal pain for a few weeks.
If diabetes is diagnosed, your child must be submitted to regional specialist in childhood diabetes.
How to treat diabetes in children?
The specialized nature of the management of childhood diabetes, most children are served by the hospital, rather than their GP.
Most children with diabetes need insulin treatment. If so, your child will be a routine of insulin, which will be planned with the diabetes team.
Now, more frequent use of daily doses of rapid-acting insulin during the day and the slow acting insulin at night.
Very young children usually do not need an injection into the night, but you will need during their age of one year.
A growing number of children continue to use insulin pumps.
Often in the first year after diagnosis, your child needs in May only a small dose of insulin. This is known as the “honeymoon”.
And insulin treatment, good blood sugar and avoid “hypos (low blood glucose attacks) is important. The reason is that many of the complications of diabetes increases with duration of diabetes was present.
What can parents do?
Your child and diabetes
The children bring their own problems in relation to:
- Dietary Restrictions
- activity levels
- accordance with the instructions.
Your family and your child, the medical team can help you in difficult times.
Living with diabetes can put families under considerable stress, in order to support access to the backup is essential. May this be your doctor, hospital or other services.
Understand all aspects of diabetes and its treatment requires patience, but will benefit your child and family life.
The diabetes team at the hospital can help you with the following list.
Learn to administer insulin injections. Insulin is usually injected into the skin of the abdomen or thighs.
Know the symptoms of hypoglycemia and diabetic acidosis, and what to do about them.
Make sure that glucose is readily available.
Measure blood glucose and teach your children how to do it as soon as they are quite old.
Teach your child to self-administration of insulin injections when they are old enough – around the age of nine years is a typical example.
Consult a doctor regularly, especially if your child is ill for whatever reason – it is likely that treatment should be adapted.
Inform the school and friends on the symptoms of hypoglycemia and what to do about them.
Contact your support association for diabetes.
Diet
Dietary guidelines
Current recommendations for children with diabetes:
three main meals
two to three snacks
whole family eats the same food.
A dietitian is normally a member of the diabetes team at the hospital.
It is important to give your child a healthy, balanced diet that is rich in fiber and carbohydrates.
A healthy diet is the same for everyone, with or without diabetes.
How your child should consume depends on the age and weight. Dietitians and parents should decide together.
Sweets are no longer off limits, because the diabetic regime “is now a relic of the past.
Once it is how your body reacts to insulin and eating sweets in moderation possible – with the correct dose of insulin.
Physical activity
Physical activity is important for children with diabetes, trying to exercise every day.
Physical activity reduces blood sugar, so if your child takes insulin, you May need to reduce the dose.
This is due to a combination of excess insulin and exercise may reduce blood sugar and lead to hypos. To counter this, your child should always carry the sugar.
Physical activity also affects how your child can eat. Before your child exercise or play sports, make more bread, juice and other carbohydrates.
In the long term
A child who develops diabetes live with the condition of more than one person develops diabetes in adulthood.
Diabetes is more prevalent, the risk of long-term complications, such as those affecting the eyes and kidneys.
They can start after puberty, but usually only a concern in the future.
Regular reviews of the last stage of complications begin around the age of nine. Since then, this review is performed annually.
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