Childhood diabetes: what it is, symptoms, causes and treatment (contest online)

Childhood diabetes is a condition characterized by a high concentration of circulating glucose in the blood, resulting in an increase in the frequency of urination and sed, in addition to an increase in appetite, for example.

Type 1 diabetes is the most common in children and occurs due to the destruction of cells in the pancreas, responsible for the production of insulin, which is the hormone that promotes the transport of sugar inside the cells, to prevent accumulation in blood. This type of childhood diabetes does not have a cure, only control, which is carried out mainly with the use of insulin according to the pediatrician’s guidance.

Although type 1 diabetes is more frequent, children who have unhealthy lifestyle habits can develop type 2 diabetes, which can be reversed at an early stage through the adoption of healthy habits, such as a balanced diet and practice of physical activity.

Type 1 diabetes symptoms

This is the most common type of diabetes in children and can be identified by the presence of some signs and symptoms. Select the symptoms that your son presents below:

In these cases, the child does not necessarily have to be having an inadequate diet, as this type of diabetes arises due to genetic and non-hereditary alterations, which cause the pancreas to produce less insulin, making it difficult for the body to work to reduce levels. of sugar in the blood.

This type of diabetes can develop suddenly, presenting intense symptoms; however, many cases develop little by little and silently, therefore, in case one or more of these symptoms persist, it is important to schedule a consultation with the pediatrician for a more exhaustive investigation.

Type 2 diabetes symptoms

Type 2 diabetes is more common in children who do not have an adequate diet and who, for this reason, are usually overweight. Know if your child could have type 2 diabetes answering our test a continuation:

Asimismo, it is possible that the child has a light weight loss and without an apparent cause and dark coloration in areas of folds, such as armpits and skin, a sign known as acanthosis nigricans, also called acanthosis pigmentaria.

However, in many cases, this type of diabetes can cause no symptoms, developing silently. Therefore, even if the child does not have symptoms, but is overweight, it is advisable to consult a pediatrician to assess the blood sugar levels and determine the risk of developing the illness.

Type 2 diabetes develops little by little due to the lack of control in food, having an excess of sweets, pastas, fats and fried foods, in addition to a sedentary lifestyle; reason why, this illness is more common in obese children.

main causes

The most common type of diabetes in childhood is type 1 diabetes, which has a genetic cause, and the child is born with this condition. In this type of diabetes, the cells of the body destroy the cells of the pancreas responsible for the production of insulin, which causes the glucose to remain at high concentrations in the blood. Despite having a genetic cause, diet and lack of physical activity, they can also increase the amount of glucose in blood and worsen the symptoms.

In the case of type 2 childhood diabetes, the main cause is an unbalanced diet rich in sweets, pastas, fried foods and refreshments, in addition to a lack of physical activity.

Diagnosing childhood diabetes

To diagnose diabetes, the doctor will request blood glucose tests, which may be glucose in days, capillary glucose with pinches on the finger or through the glucose tolerance test, which is performed after the consumption of a very sweet drink . In this way, it is possible to identify which type of diabetes is and establish the ideal treatment for each child.

Find out how the tests that confirm diabetes are performed.

How is the treatment performed?

Controlling blood glucose is essential and must be carried out daily, it is very important to have healthy habits, such as moderate consumption of sugar, small meals and more times a day and chewing twice before swallowing.

The practice of physical activity is also a strategy both to control the disease and to prevent its complications on other organs, such as the heart, eyes and kidneys.

This type of control can be difficult for children who have poor eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle, but it must be kept in mind that these attitudes are correct for the health of both the child and any person.

type 1 diabetes

In the case of the child with type 1 diabetes, the treatment is carried out through injections of insulin a few times a day, with the aim of imitating this hormone produced by the pancreas in a natural way. In this way, different types of insulin are needed, one of slow action, applied at fixed times; and another one of quick action, applied luego de las Comidas.

Today there are several insulin options that can be applied through small jerryas, feathers and even an insulin pump that can remain attached to the body and carry out applications at scheduled times. Know which are the main types of insulin and how to apply them.

Type 2 diabetes

The treatment for childhood type 2 diabetes is initially carried out through the use of pills to reduce blood glucose levels and try to maintain the action of the pancreas. In very serious cases or in which the pancreas is insufficiency, it may also be necessary to use insulin.

The most used drug to treat type 2 diabetes is Metformin; however, there are several options defined by the doctor that have forms of action adapted to each person. Understand what are the medications used for the treatment of diabetes.