Diabetes is a lifestyle disease which can affect children. There are different types of diabetes found in children. The most common diabetes found in children is Type 1 diabetes or insulin dependent diabetes mellitus.
Diabetes in children has turned out to be a widespread chronic disease in the present days. There has been a significant rise of diabetes cases in children since the past two decades. When the pancreas is not able to produce the desired amount of insulin and/or the beta cells get affected, it is a diabetic condition.
The symptoms of diabetes in children are so similar in relation to the types, which is quite difficult to classify the symptoms in accordance with the variant of diabetes. This definitely makes it a difficult proposition for the parents and other care providers at home or school. Given below are the major types of diabetes that are found to occur in children:
Type 1 Diabetes
What is Type 1 Diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes is alternatively known as insulin dependent diabetes mellitus or IDDM. Since it mostly occurs in children and adolescents, it is commonly referred as juvenile diabetes. In this condition the beta cells found in the lining of the pancreas gets destroyed and is rendered incapacitate. The insulin production gets hampered as they cannot produce the desired insulin. This is for this reason that type 1 diabetes is known as an autoimmune disease.
Symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes in Children
This is a very serious condition as the most common symptoms are unusual thirst and frequent urination. And the cells of the pancreas begin to get affected or degenerate much before these symptoms appear. So the damage actually sets in before medication is resorted to.
Treatment for Type 1 Diabetes
The condition is treated by administering insulin through regular injections. Doctors nowadays also suggest the use of insulin pumps so as to ensure a continuous insulin infusion. It is vital to monitor the glucose or sugar levels in the blood at regular intervals along with the urine. Maintaining a proper diet plan is equally important apart from taking serious note of several other associative factors.
Kids who contract type 1 diabetes are usually not found to be overweight and only 5% amongst them are found to have a family history of the diabetes.
Type 2 Diabetes
What is Type 2 Diabetes?
This is alternately known as non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus or NIDDM. It is also referred to as adult-onset diabetes. Around 90-95% of the adults are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes but these days it is also diagnosed in children too. Though it is mostly diagnosed in people with advanced age and there are several other factors like family history and racial factors.
In type 2 diabetes, the adequate amount of insulin is not produced by the body. Or the case is like the body becomes insulin resistant, that is, the cells end up ignoring the insulin and eventually result in an escalated glucose levels in the blood.
Signs of Type 2 Diabetes
Today the children who are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are found to be overweight and obese. These children are also found to lead a sedentary lifestyle with no active exercise whatsoever. In children it is a difficult proposition as type 2 diabetes cannot be diagnosed easily in children as in most of the cases very mild or no symptoms at all were visible.
MODY
This is an abbreviation for maturity onset diabetes of the young. This is a rare variant of diabetes and just about 2% children get affected by it. There is no racial pattern to it and it happens in people who are below 25 years of age. The insulin production is too little, but in this variant do not require insulin treatment, but simple diabetic pills and diet control.
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