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Neonatal diabetes is a rare type of diabetes that can occur in the first six months of life of a baby. Imagine, high blood sugar levels in a baby’s blood! Diabetes is anyway prevalent in India in young adults due to a lot of factors like obesity and sedentary lifestyle but diabetes in a baby who’s just born?
According to a study published by Pediatrics and Child Health, Children under three to five years of age with type I diabetes comprise a small proportion of all those with this disorder: less than 1% of all children are diagnosed in the first year of life, and less than 2% of children attending large paediatric diabetes centres fall into the under three-year age group.
To understand neonatal diabetes, OnlyMyHealth team interacted with Dr Geetanjali Ingaale, Consultant - Paediatrics, Manipal Hospital, Kharadi, Pune.
Explaining Neonatal diabetes, Dr said, “Neonatal diabetes can create special difficulties for diagnosis and treatment. Its early onset sets it apart from both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Clinical symptoms, blood tests for measuring glucose levels, and genetic testing to identify mutations related to the illness are commonly used in the diagnosis process.”
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Diagnosis
Diagnosis of a chronic condition like diabetes in a newborn is very difficult. According to Dr Ingaale, diagnosis can occur at several stages as symptoms can show up at birth or soon after that. “When symptoms of hyperglycemia including excessive thirst, frequent urination, lethargy, not gaining or losing weight, are seen in an infant, it should be looked at right away. At times, normal glucose levels found during routine screening tests during the baby’s initial period can lead to additional testing and diagnosis.
Causes
Neonatal diabetes primarily develops as the outcome of genetic defects. The balance of glucose regulation, which is very delicate, can be disturbed by these mutations. This can impact several genes related to insulin synthesis, secretion or signalling pathways.
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Treatment
Maintaining optimal blood sugar levels being the major goal, it is important to ensure normal growth and development of the infant through medications for newborn diabetes. Dr Ingaale said, “Infants may initially need insulin therapy given by continuous subcutaneous infusion pumps or injections. It takes frequent monitoring and dosage modifications to ensure that blood glucose levels are properly controlled.”
Also read: Diabetes And Itching: Expert Explains The Connection Between The Two
How Can Parents Ensure Extra Care?
Keeping a constant tab on a child's blood sugar levels and following the recommended treatment is vital for parents of children diagnosed with neonatal diabetes.
Dr Ingaale said, “Educating themselves and seeking training on insulin administration, recognizing signs of hypo-hyperglycemia and managing glucose fluctuations effectively. Staying in touch with doctors is important for handling any possible issues or difficulties that could arise.”
Concluding, Dr Ingaale said, “Being a rare but treatable disease, neonatal diabetes requires early identification, genetic testing and treatment plans. Babies with neonatal diabetes can have healthy, happy lives if they receive the right medical attention, parental guidance, and education.”