Childhood Diabetes

What is Childhood Diabetes?

Childhood diabetes accounts for 10-15% of all diabetes and is the second most important chronic disease in children.

Diabetes is characterized by a disturbance in the production of a certain hormone, insulin, by the pancreas. It may also be due to the fact that the body resists the action of insulin. Insulin helps the body to transform sugar or glucose into energy, allowing the body to function properly. It should be noted that the amount of insulin released depends on the amount of sugar ingested: if more carbohydrate-rich foods (potatoes, sugar, pasta, rice…) are consumed, the pancreas is required to work harder than normal.

What are the symptoms?

The main symptoms of diabetes in children include:

  • Immediate rise in blood sugar levels.
  • Extreme thirst
  • Having a strong urge to urinate
  • Sudden weight loss, without any cause
  • Abdominal pain
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Tiredness or weakness
  • Blurred vision
  • Irritability
  • Bedwetting (child wets the bed)
  • Increased appetite but weight loss
  • Infections of the skin or around the mouth

Causes of childhood diabetes or why it occurs

There are no specific causes to know when a child has diabetes, but it is a compendium of symptoms that may show, for example, a genetic part. Other factors could be: virus infections, feeding problems or a weak or undeveloped immune system. In general, therefore, the causes of diabetes in children are attributed to problems with eating habits, lifestyles and genetic factors.

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Can it be prevented?

Childhood diabetes can be prevented from birth. Thus, you can start with breastfeeding, avoiding artificial feeding, which contains more sugars.

Another recommendation to avoid and prevent childhood obesity and diabetes is to eat a healthy diet and exercise. Children need a balanced diet that is rich in fiber and low in sugars, especially those of rapid absorption: refined, brown, crystal and honey sugars, replacing them with sugars present in fruit.

What does the treatment consist of?

The treatment will depend on the type of diabetes the child suffers from. Thus, in type 1 diabetes the treatment is based on daily insulin injections with doses appropriate to the patient, having previously measured the level of glucose in the blood.

On the other hand, in type 2 diabetes, medication is not usually necessary, but the blood glucose level can be controlled, a balanced diet can be followed and physical exercise can be practiced.

It is very important that the child’s parents learn to administer injections or medications strictly and properly, until the child is able to do it by himself.