It was believed a few years ago that diabetes only affects people over 50. But now it’s also seen in children. There is no exact figure of children with diabetes, but it is clear that this number is increasing day by day. Children with diabetes may have increased tiredness, vaginal infections, and many more symptoms. Change in period or non-period in adolescent girls are also diabetes symptoms. Those concerned parents usually ask me this question, being a diabetes expert, “Dr. Jambu Sir, How do I prevent my child from falling prey to diabetes.”
What Causes Diabetes in Children?
Diabetes is a disease that affects glucose in the body. When you eat something, glucose produced from food enters your blood. The pancreas produces an insulin hormone. This helps glucose pass through the body’s cells, giving it what it needs. In people with diabetes, the body either loses the ability to produce insulin, or the insulin does not work as efficiently as it should. It hinders glucose flow in body cells and causes hyperglycemia.
Now let’s discuss about the two types of diabetes can affect your child.
Types of diabetes in children
Children, like adults, have two types of diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes
With type 1 diabetes, the pancreas of the child cannot produce insulin in the body. Insulin is really important for our body. It helps move glucose from food to cells. This gives cells the energy to work, but this process is affected if insulin is not produced. In such situations, food-derived glucose and sugar remain in the blood, causing diabetes. So how to deal with such Children?
- Dealing with Children with Type 1 Diabetes
- Regularly check their sugar level.
- Make sure they do exercise daily.
- See your doctor for regular check-ups and eat healthily.
Type 2 diabetes
The pancreas in this type of diabetes cannot produce the right amount of insulin or, in some cases, cannot be used to reach cells. In these situations, blood sugar levels gradually rise.
Dealing with Children with Type 2 Diabetes
Take care of the health and weight of your child honestly. Tell your kids to discuss their concerns.
Encourage him to spend time with his teammates, not in his room. Diabetes can affect self-esteem.
Consult the doctor regularly.
Pay attention to his meals
Now the point arises how you know that your child is diabetic.
How to recognize diabetic symptoms in children
If your child’s often thirsty, hungry, or urinates, don’t assume it’s normal. Diabetes is so dangerous that it can affect the eyes and kidneys. How to identify my child’s diabetes symptoms?
High thirst
Children with high sugar can be very thirsty. Besides drinking water, he wants to eat more liquid items like juices and cold drinks. If your child’s thirst grows suddenly, see a doctor.
Frequent urination
This is the most common diabetes symptom affecting the child. As a child become thirsty and drinks more fluids, he must urinate frequently. Be careful if your child has such symptoms. This symptom can be the starting point of diabetes.
Weight loss as your appetite increases.
Children with diabetes often have an increase in their appetite. Because of insufficient energy, the body must eat to overcome this deficiency but still loses weight. This is the most common symptom in diabetic children.
Being tired
Diabetic children are less active than others. As insulin levels drop, kids run out of energy. They look tired and dull compared to other kids.
If you recognize these symptoms in your child in the beginning, then your child can get rid of this problem quickly. Diabetes requires special care and avoidance. Once you recognize his illness, then treatment of your child will be possible. But, how you can prevent diabetes in children.
Can you prevent diabetes in children?
Type-1 diabetes is difficult to avoid, as it is usually a genetic problem, but type-2 diabetes can be prevented. Let us know the important things related to this rescue through some points.
- Stop the habit of overeating.
- Pay special attention to children’s physical activities and exercise.
- Keep in mind that instead of overeating, the child should eat a little every once in a while. Give them time to eat. Do not rush at all.
- Keep them away from junk foods.
- Reduce the use of soda and sweet drinks.
- Do not spend too much time on TV, mobile, and computer.
- Have a balanced diet, do exercise, and eat nutritious food in your life too so that children develop this habit by looking at you.
After reading the article, you must have now understood well why diabetes is a problem in children and what are the main reasons for it. By keeping the points mentioned above in mind, you can keep this disease away from your child and let him enjoy his/her childhood.