Information for parents on diabetes in children

Childhood diabetes

WHAT IS DIABETES?
Diabetes is a disorder in which the body is unable to control the level of sugar in the blood, so that abnormally high levels of sugar develop with potentially serious consequences if left untreated. Common symtoms of diabetes are excessive thirst, craving for sweet foods, passing urine frequently, tiredness and weight loss.

Diabetes (or diabetes mellitus to give it it's full name) is quite a common condition, there are over 30 million diabetics worldwide, and in the UK more than 600,000 people have diabetes, of whom over 30,000 are children. The incidence of the disorder in children is increasing, and we don't really know why.

In diabetics, the pancreas, an organ lying beneath the stomach inside the abdomen, fails to produce adequate quantities of a substance called insulin, which helps to keep the blood sugar level within normal levels. The reason for this failure is not fully understood, but there is some evidence to suggest that there may be a genetic defect present that can be passed on to family members, and in some children it is thought that certain viral infections may cause this defect.

TYPES OF DIABETES.
There are two main types of diabetes, one that primarily affects young people known as Type I or `juvenile diabetes', and the other affecting the older person is called Type ll or `maturity onset diabetes'.

The Type I or younger diabetic, produces very little or no insulin themselves, and so most of these patients have to receive insulin by injection on a twice daily basis. This type of diabetes often termed `insulin dependent diabetes' tends to develop very quickly and can produce rapid weight loss, dehydration, vomiting and even diabetic coma. In Type II diabetes, the onset is usually more gradual, less severe and diabetic coma rarely occurs.

DADS AND DIABETES!
Research has shown that:

* Diabetic fathers are twice as likely to have a child affected by the disease as diabetic mothers.
* Children who developed diabetes before the age of 5 years were very likely to have a parent with diabetes.
* The age of onset of the child's diabetes closely matched the age of onset of the fathers diabetes!

TREATMENT.
Childhood or `juvenile' diabetes cannot be `cured', but it can be controlled and normal health restored. As insulin treatment which is vital for this type of the disorder, cannot be given by mouth, the patient must receive injections every day for life! Special attention must also be paid to the diet, to avoid excessive intake of sugars, and the patient has to become an expert at checking their own blood for sugar levels. It's remarkable to see how diabetic children and teenagers cope with their daily discipline of dieting, blood testing and injection giving!

COMPLICATIONS.
To avoid the complications of diabetes, keeping the blood sugar levels within the normal range is vital for a child who has to face a lifetime with diabetes.

Diabetics are more prone to high blood pressure, heart disease and poor circulation especially affecting the legs and feet, and because these particular problems are also more common in smokers, no diabetic should smoke and the parents of diabetic children should not smoke.

Other serious problems that can affect diabetics are blindness, kidney disorders and many types of different infections a common one being `thrush' which can affect the mouth and the genital regions.

All of this sounds very frightening and depressing, but the fact is that if the young diabetic is regularly checked by the GP or hospital specialist, and ensures that their sugar levels are controlled, good health can be maintained and even an active sporting life can be enjoyed to the full.

Excellent information and help can be obtained from the British Diabetic Association, 10 Queen Anne Street, London W1M 0BD. This association, which was the first self help charity in Britain, was founded in 1934 by the novelist H.G. Wells and Dr. R.D. Lawrence, both of whom had juvenile type diabetes.
IMPORTANT NOTICE : This content is from the Dr Chris Steele personal archive and is provided for convenience only. Information contained here may no longer agree with the most up to date medical advice. Please check with a medical professional before taking any action.

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