The prevalence of diabetes in children is increasing on a daily basis, so the article is devoted to mentioning the most important information about diabetes of both types in children. Usually, the incidence of diabetes in children was limited to the first type only, so that it was called juvenile diabetes, but in the past years, many cases of children with diabetes were recorded from
The second type too.
Let us learn about diabetes in children of both types in the following
Diabetes in children: type 1
Type 1 diabetes is the most common disease among children and adolescents, and in the event of this type of diabetes, the pancreas is unable to secrete insulin.
Insulin is a hormone that converts sugar or glucose in the blood into energy, so without insulin your blood sugar levels will be higher than normal.
Symptoms of type 1 diabetes
Here are the most common symptoms of type 1 diabetes in children
increased thirst
Frequent urination.
weight loss
Constant fatigue.
Feeling uncomfortable.
change in mouth odor
breathing difficulties.
Blurred vision.
It should also be noted that females are more susceptible to yeast infection.
From here stems the importance of monitoring the child well, the symptoms mentioned earlier, and seeking medical help if they appear.
Diabetes in children: type 2
Over the past few years, many cases of type 2 diabetes have been reported among children and adolescents.
It is likely that the reason behind this is due to the change in lifestyle and the focus on urbanization and laziness, in addition to adopting electronic devices as a source of entertainment instead of playing outside, for example, which results in overweight and obesity in children.
Obesity is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, where the body is unable to produce enough insulin or does not use it properly.
A child is more likely to develop type 2 diabetes if
Overweight or obesity.
Having a family history of the disease.
Lack of physical activity.
An unhealthy diet.
Type 2 diabetes is usually managed through lifestyle changes and exercise, and in some cases the patient may need to take medications, in contrast, type 1 diabetes requires insulin treatment.
Symptoms of type 2 diabetes
Symptoms of type 2 diabetes in children include
Continuous and frequent urination, especially at night.
Increased feeling of thirst.
Tired.
Unexplained weight loss.
Itching around the genitals.
Slow in the wound healing process.
Dry eyes and blurred vision.
It should be noted that the symptoms of this disease develop slowly, which delays the diagnosis of the disease by several months or years at times.
When should you consult a doctor?
In the event that a child is diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, his health status, diet, and medications prescribed by the doctor must be monitored.
Every diabetes center should have a multidisciplinary team that includes
Pediatric diabetes specialist.
nutrition specialist.
Psychologist.
The team develops a customized care plan tailored to the child''s needs. The team also works closely with the family and school nurses to ensure that the child follows the plan as specified, and makes adjustments to it as needed.
But the disease can cause major disturbances in blood sugar levels in a child, which would be dangerous, so if these symptoms appear, it is important to seek immediate medical help:
Blurry and double vision.
Coolness of the skin.
Feeling confused or dizzy.
Feeling of sudden or extreme hunger.
Headache.
fast heartbeat
shortness of breath.
sweating.
General weakness in the body.
