What You Need To Know About Childhood Diabetes
Diabetes is a change in levels of the hormone called insulin, which is produced by the pancreas and helps the body to turn the sugar present in food into energy for the body’s functions.
When the pancreas undergoes a decrease in insulin production, sugar does not turn into energy and the blood glucose rates skyrocket. This change is what we know as diabetes.
The disease has two forms of manifestation: type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Type 2 is hereditary and depends on genetic factors to appear. In addition, in this type of insulin production is not the factor altered.
The body produces insulin normally, but the cells resist its action, deregulating glucose rates. This form of the disease is more common in adults, but with the increase in cases of childhood obesity, many children come to present the problem.
Type 1 diabetes can occur from birth until the individual is about 30 years old, although children ages five to seven and adolescents going through puberty are more likely to develop the disease.
Symptoms
The child with diabetes tends to have an increased appetite and also thirst, and a more frequent need to urinate, due to the high amount of water ingested.
Sudden weight loss is another symptom that should serve as an alert for parents. Many diabetic children have dizziness, tingling, malaise, drowsiness, and weakness. The child gets tired with ease and speed much larger than normal.
It is important to take care that there are no very sudden variations in glucose rates. Hyperglycemia (excess glucose in the blood) and hypoglycemia (lack of glucose in the blood) are, in their own way, quite dangerous to the health of the patient.
Treatment
The medical recommendation for the treatment of childhood diabetes is the application of insulin through daily injections (between two and four per day, depending on the rates verified). Verification of glucose levels should be done at home every day using specific devices that measure rates with a single drop of blood.
In addition, maintaining a balanced diet is essential, avoiding the excessive consumption of sweets. One should balance the consumption of protein, carbohydrates and fats by eating around six times a day. Diet-based candy can be a good choice so the child does not miss out on the goodies.
Allying such care with physical activity also helps fight the effects of diabetes and makes the child lead a nearly normal life.
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