Signs Of Childhood Diabetes – I’m A Mom
Childhood diabetes is a disease that, over the years, has spread considerably, increasing from 5% to 10% of the world population, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). It arises because the body stops producing an extremely important hormone called insulin, which must even be replaced with special treatment.
At first, diabetes can be uncomfortable for a child because, depending on their age, they must learn to apply insulin, know their blood sugar levels, and count carbohydrates with a special device.
Childhood diabetes requires constant attention. Therefore, the control of insulin administration and blood sugar levels has now greatly improved with technological advances, providing those who suffer from this disease with better treatment.
Signs of childhood diabetes
Symptoms
Diabetes symptoms in children usually appear quickly in just a few days or even a few weeks. Some of the symptoms can be:
- Increased urge to urinate. Large amounts of sugar build up in the child’s bloodstream, making the child much more thirsty. This will cause increased fluid intake and an increased urge to go to the bathroom. Therefore, it is very likely that if you are a young child, you will be able to wet the bed.
- Increased appetite. With too little insulin circulating to help transport the sugar, organs and muscles are very likely to run out of energy, causing an increase in appetite in the body.
- Weight loss. Weight loss is one of the first symptoms of childhood diabetes. Although this disease causes an increase in appetite and the child eats more than usual, without the sugar needed to produce energy, muscle tissues will consume the body’s reserve of fat.
- Fatigue or lack of energy. Simply because there is not enough sugar in the body, you will notice that your child will feel constantly tired.
- Changes in behavior. Mood swings will be a constant problem; it is very common for the mood to change from very happy to depressed or mainly irritated.
- Breath with a fruity odor. By burning fat instead of sugar, the body results in the creation of certain substances called ketone bodies, causing a fruity odor on the breath.
- Blindness or blurred vision. This disease is likely to cause blindness, because with high blood sugar levels, the crystalline fluid in the eyes can be affected.
- Candidiasis. Specifically girls suffering from diabetes are very prone to suffering from genital thrush.
Causes
There is no precise cause of childhood diabetes, but in most cases of diabetes the body’s immune system fights viruses and bacteria, destroying the cells in the pancreas, which produce insulin.
Insulin is intended to transport sugar (glucose) through the bloodstream throughout the body. Generally, sugar enters the bloodstream when food is eaten.
By having the islets of the pancreas destroyed, the child produces little insulin; resulting in the accumulation of glucose throughout the bloodstream. This can cause life-threatening problems for the child.
Prevention
Currently, there is no solution or cure to prevent childhood type 1 diabetes. Although there are many tests to determine if children have any type of antibodies related to this disease, the presence of these antibodies does not make diabetes inevitable .
Scientists are constantly researching how to prevent childhood diabetes in people who have a high chance of suffering from it. On the other hand, other scientists are focused on preventing the destruction of islet cells in people already diagnosed.
For now, there is nothing that can be done when diagnosing a child with diabetes, but you can help in the following ways:
- Help keep your blood sugar in good control.
- Teach the importance of having a healthy and balanced diet, along with physical activity.
- Schedule medical appointments to treat the child’s illness. In this sense, the best thing is to have an annual consultation.
“As the child grows, it is essential that he learn the habits necessary to properly manage his illness.”
It is important to keep these symptoms in mind so that you can guard against any childhood diabetes situation or problem.
