Type 1 diabetes is a condition in which the body stops generating a necessary hormone (insulin). Since your child requires insulin to survive, injections or an insulin pump should be used to replace the missing insulin. Type 1 diabetes in children was previously referred to as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes. As per Dr Lini Balakrishnan, Consultant Paediatrician, Motherhood Hospitals, Sarjapur, Bangalore, Type 1 diabetes in children cannot be cured, although it can be managed. For children with type 1 diabetes, blood sugar control and quality of life have improved as a result of developments in blood sugar monitoring and insulin delivery. This World Diabetes Day, let us tell you more about juvenile diabetes through this article.
Type 2 diabetes is now being diagnosed in younger persons. Obesity is becoming more common in children and teenagers as obesity rates grow. In persons with Type 2 diabetes, the body does not manufacture or utilize insulin adequately. Researchers now know more about what happens within the body of a person with Type 1 diabetes. Insulin is necessary for the human body, and Type 1 diabetes patients do not create it, whereas Type 2 diabetes patients do. If insulin is not present, blood sugar cannot enter cells to be used for energy. Rather, it builds up in the bloodstream. However, no conclusive research on what causes T-1 D has been done.
Causes of Type 1 Diabetes in Kids
Type 1 diabetes has no known cause. However, in most patients with type 1 diabetes, their immune system mistakenly destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, whereas they are supposed to fight the harmful germs and viruses. This process appears to be influenced by both genetics and environmental factors.
Your kid will generate little or no insulin if the pancreatic islet cells are damaged. Insulin is responsible for transporting glucose (sugar) from the bloodstream to the body's cells. When food is digested, sugar is released into the bloodstream. Sugar builds up in your child's system when there isn't enough insulin, and if left untreated, it can lead to life-threatening consequences.
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What are the risk factors?
Some of the risk factors for type 1 diabetes in children are:
- Family History- Anyone who has a parent or sibling having type 1 diabetes is at a slightly higher chance of having it.
- Genetics. Certain genes are linked to a higher risk of type 1 diabetes.
- Viruses. Exposure to certain viruses may induce the autoimmune destruction of islet cells.
Signs and Symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes
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Type 1 diabetes can strike gradually or unexpectedly. Occasionally, children do not show symptoms of diabetes until blood or urine tests are performed for another reason.
Symptoms of type-1 diabetes in children include:
- Urinate more frequently
- Start wetting the bed after being dry all night
- Thirstier than usual, and drink more
- Feel exhausted all the time
- Weight loss
Also Read: 6 Things You Need To Know If You Take Insulin Injections
Prevention of Juvenile Diabetes
There is no known technique to prevent type 1 diabetes at the moment, but this is an active field of research. Researchers are currently working on preventing type 1 diabetes in persons who are at high risk of developing the disease, and recently discovered at least one medicine that may slow the development of the condition.
- Preventing additional destruction of islet cells in newly diagnosed patients.
- Following are tips parents can adopt to avoid complications:
- Assist your child in maintaining a healthy blood sugar level.
- Teach your child the value of a nutritious diet and regular physical activity.
- Regular visits to your child's diabetic doctor and a yearly eye exam should begin no later than five years following the original diabetes diagnosis, or by the age of ten.
Conclusion
Juvenile diabetes or type-1 diabetes in kids is common but not many parents know why it is caused, how to identify the child has diabetes or how to prevent diabetes in kids. We hope this article helped in understanding about juvenile diabetes to create more awareness regarding the same.
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