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Understanding Pediatric Diabetes

8th July, 2010 - Posted by health news - No Comments

Sadly, the frequency of diabetes in children has risen sharply in the past decade. This may be due to a number of circumstances, but the most apparent one is the fact that childhood obesity has become a growing factor. In turn, more cases of type 2 diabetes have been discovered with younger children, whereas the statistics have shown that type 1 diabetes has been the standard for pediatric diabetes. Children always have type 1 (previously known as insulin dependent diabetes mellitus) or juvenile diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed before age 40,and most commonly in children aged two to sixteen.Pediatric diabetes is difficult to detect, but regular checkups can often lower the chances of it continuing undiscovered.

Symptoms of diabetes in children are: Frequent trips to the bathroom (urination), constantly drinking water (dehydration) and weight loss. Other known symptoms include an increased appetite, fatigue (signs of being drowsy during unusual times of the day) and a change in emotional behavior. If any of these symptoms occur, it is important to see a pediatrician, rather than letting them continue. Oftentimes, parents may assume that an increased desire to drink fluids or water simply means that the child is more active, or an increased frequency of urination may be caused by drinking more water. This may not be the case-increased activity observed of any of the above symptoms should be examined more carefully.

Diabetes insipidus and diabetes mellitus are very close in relation with some varying characteristics to distinguish between the two. Diabetes insipidus is a condition most commonly characterized by severe dehydration and excessive urination. Diabetes mellitus has these same characteristics, yet differs because of the high glucose content in the urine. Also, there is a danger of hyperglycemia with diabetes mellitus. In order to obtain a proper diagnosis, tests need to be taken to determine the levels of glucose, bicarbonates and calcium in the body. There is also a test known as fluid deprivation, which can determine the cause of the symptoms.

A dangerous result of diabetes mellitus is ketoacidosis. Ketoacidosis is caused by a high level of ketone, which is created by the breakdown of fatty acids. One distinct symptom of ketoacidosis is the high level of blood sugar. Diabetic ketoacidosis can lead to such problems as a diabetic coma and sometimes even death. It is important to catch the warning signs early, as they usually appear within a 24-hour period. The signs to watch for are: Nausea (which may lead to vomiting), dehydration, significantly high amount of urine production and pain in the abdominal region. Young children can be susceptible to cerebral edema, which is a swelling of the brain tissue. Extremely dangerous if left untreated, the swelling may cause headaches, a coma and eventually lead to death.

Pediatric diabetes cure

If discovered early on, pediatric diabetes can be averted. As with adults, prevention tools are relatively the same: Exercise, healthy diet and regular visits to the doctor. Children are more sensitive than adults, and the effects of diabetes on a young system may be more detrimental if not treated early. Exercise will continue to keep the glucose level in the blood low and reduce weight. A healthy diet will teach younger children proper eating habits that can carry into adulthood, which will prevent any future issues with diabetes. Seeing a doctor on a regular basis, especially if the child is at risk for pediatric diabetes, will keep the damage to a minimal and can present alternatives to avoid any future complications.

The importance of diabetes test for diabetic children