Diabetes in children: Know all about the care and how to reverse diabetes symptoms
Diabetes is becoming a major health problem as the cases are
identified even more in the children. It is a metabolic disorder that results
into the increase in the blood sugar levels due to the very little production
or total absence of insulin production.
Children having diabetes have to face many challenges right
from a very young age. It affects their physical, social and mental growth and
development. Many children who have
diabetes have inherited from their parents. The exact cause of diabetes as to
why insulin absence or deficient production happens is still revolving around
some theories unproved. However, most cases are seen to be having a family
history or a genetic predisposition
Diabetes in children puts a lot of stress on the parents.
Alongwith the children, the parents need to be extra careful to maintain the
blood sugar levels to the normal by incorporating healthy lifestyle and diet
pattern of their kids. It becomes an inevitable responsibility to make your child
understand that he has diabetes and he needs a little more attention to his
health than other children.
What are the types of diabetes seen in children?
Initially it was seen that the most common type of diabetes
in children is type 1, also known as juvenile or childhood-onset
diabetes/insulin dependent diabetes. It results due to not enough or no
production of insulin, a hormone that regulates the blood sugar in the body.
Nowadays, the type 2 or noninsulin dependent diabetes is
also increasingly seen among children. In type 2 diabetes, the insulin is produced
but cannot be used for some reasons and this increases the blood sugar levels. Obesity and unhealthy diet, unhealthy lifestyle are attributed as the causes of type 2 diabetes.
What are the symptoms of diabetes in children?
Children suffer from Type 1 diabetes or Insulin dependent
diabetes mellitus; in this disorder, the pancreas produces either no insulin or
very less insulin. Insulin is a pancreatic hormone secreted from the beta cells
of islets of Langerhans. It is essential for the metabolism of sugar in the
food. When Insulin is present in good
amount, the blood has normal level of the sugar. In case of insulin deficiency
or absence the sugar gets absorbed into the blood vessels and there is a rise
in the blood sugar levels. The excess sugar is also excreted or passed in the
urine.
The symptoms of child diabetes are more or less similar to adult diabetes.
Following are the symptoms of diabetes in children:
·
Frequent urination and bed-wetting
·
Unusually increased thirst
·
The child feels extremely hungry
·
The child may look tired or fatigued
·
Unexplained weight loss
·
Skin conditions such as skin rashes, scaly itchy
skin or eczema
·
Blurred vision or changes in visual acuity
·
Delayed wound healing
·
Darkening of few areas of body
·
Fruity smell in breath: This is due to the
presence of ketone bodies in the blood. Ketone bodies are formed and build-up
due to the breakdown of glucose present in the blood.
What are the causes of diabetes in children?
Exact cause diabetes is not known. There are several causes
that can increase the risk of having diabetes in the children. The little or no insulin results into the build-up
of glucose into the blood. It can be caused due to the damage to the islets of
Langerhans that fail to produce enough insulin to metabolize sugar.
Some risk factors contribute to the causation of diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes Risk factors are:
Type 1 diabetes is mainly seen in children who have parents
that are diabetic or have a family member with diabetes type 1.
·
Genetic predisposition
·
Family history of diabetes
Type 2 diabetes can be caused by the following risk factors:
·
Unhealthy diet habits
·
Inactive or sedentary lifestyle
·
Obesity or overweight
·
Environmental factors
·
Viral infections
What are the complications of diabetes in children?
Diabetes increases the risk to vital organs of the body.
·
Damage to the blood vessels of brain and heart
·
Damage to the blood vessels in the eye
·
Damage to the kidneys
·
Damage to the nerves in the body, especially the
feet.
·
Decreased bone density leading to potential osteoporosis,
bones become porous and fragile which can lead to fractures.
How is type 1 diabetes diagnosed in children?
Type 1 diabetes can be diagnosed in children by:
·
Carrying out the blood sugar investigations such
as fasting blood glucose, random blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin (hbA1c)
test.
·
Urinalysis to detect presence of sugar in the
urine.
·
Advanced investigations may be recommended to differentiate
the type 1 and type 2 diabetes and treatment is planned as per the type
diagnosed.
·
Antibody test for the detection of diabetic
specific antibodies may be indicated in type 1 diabetes.
How is diabetes treated in children?
Type 1 diabetes in children can be treated with the use of
insulin therapy. Controlling blood sugar by regular blood sugar monitoring is
recommended.
Insulin treatment: Your child doctor may schedule insulin
dosage as per your child’s body needs and teach you how to administer insulin
at home. Insulin used in the treatment may be rapid acting, ultra-acting or
short-acting insulin. Your doctor may recommended
what is best for your child.
Insulin delivery techniques can be with traditional syringe-needle
as in hospital, insulin pen syringe with premarked IU levels in the syringe,
insulin pumps, insulin pods, etc. You need to learn patiently the technique to
help your child get the insulin shots at regular time intervals.
Type 2 diabetes can be controlled by medications as ordered by the doctor.
Can diabetes be reversed in children? Is it possible to live diabetes free?
Diabetes type 2 can be reversed by implementing proper
lifestyle changes and healthy diet intake.
The symptoms of diabetes can be reversed and a person can remain
diabetes-free if he follows these changes or measures that help slow the rise
of blood sugar in the blood stream.
Can diabetes be cured in children?
It is believed that there is no cure for diabetes. However,
it is possible to reverse the symptoms of type 2 diabetes in children and adult
through healthy intake of diet, doing exercise and engaging in good amount of
physical activity.
Children are more active than adults and as they are in their
growth and developmental phase, it may be assumed that the chances of reversing
their diabetes symptoms is comparatively easier to adults.
Children learn fast and they can engage themselves in
playful activities also. This can make a
huge impact on their blood sugar control.
What lifestyle changes are recommended for taking good care of diabetes in children?
Good diabetes management aims at maintaining the normal
sugar level in the blood at all times. However, it is practically impossible to
keep a watch at all times.
The goals of diabetes management are:
---to reduce or control the symptoms of diabetes
---to reduce the rate of rise in the blood sugar levels.
Some lifestyle changes can make a great impact on achieving the
goals of diabetes management.
Life style modifications:
v
Diet control: diet management is the key element
in reversing the diabetes signs and symptoms.
·
You as a parent must understand that your child
needs to consume healthy foods. Avoid giving oily or fast foods to your child.
·
Give your children a well-balanced diet as per
the needs of the body.
·
You can give healthy snacks suitable for
diabetics for your children.
·
Give fresh fruits that are low in sugar content
such as pomegranate, orange, etc.
·
Ask your nutritionist or dietician or doctor to
choose between the fruits good for diabetes. Cut off fats and high carbs from the
diet. Sweet fresh juices, drinks or desserts must be avoided as much as
possible. Sweet candies and soda drinks must be avoided.
·
Develop a habit of consuming home made products
and food rather than the pre-cooked or restaurant foods.
·
Have your children involved in planning in his
diet menu according to his likes. This makes him participate actively in
managing his diabetes.
·
Don’t make the child feel he has to eat a
diabetic diet. This can increase the mental stress. Instead, try eating
together as a family and make a habit of adapting to the small changes in the
diet as per your child’s need. When you eat the food that is made for your
kids, they feel it easier to eat and enjoy too.
v
Weight control: Control the weight of your child.
Exercise and aerobics can help your child cut off the extra weight and lead an
active life.
·
Daily activity: If your child is active the body
naturally uses the blood sugar and he may need less insulin dosages. Being sedentary
can cause complications in your child.
·
Engage them in play and active work such as
self-care, riding bicycle, playing ball games, walking games,etc.
·
Hire a yoga teacher or teach him basic yoga and
pranayama techniques to manage and lose the weight.
·
Avoid prolonged sitting with mobile or in front
of the TV screen, play with them and form a habit of limiting the use of screen
time to only few minutes.
·
Avoid eating processed foods.
·
Avoid fatty or oily and fast foods such as
pizza, burger,etc.
Prevention of diabetes in children:
Type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented but it is possible to
prevent your children from getting diabetes type 2. Prevention of diabetes in children can be done by
checking over your diet intake, controlling the body weight, managing obesity by
physical activity and diet management and active lifestyle.
Disclaimer: This post is for informational and educational purpose only. It is not a substitute to any medical advice or treatment. Seek medical consultation and help in any case.
Comments