Children Diabetes Symptoms That Should Not Be Overlooked

• Insulin is needed to allow your body’s cells to use up the glucose in your blood for energy. Without insulin, your body can’t use that sugar and you have a build-up of sugar in your blood.
• Signs include: an increase in urinating, an increase in fatigue and slowly healing cuts.

One of the most serious, chronic diseases that can affect the young is diabetes. Recognizing children diabetes symptoms is critical because it leads to faster treatments, as well as a reduction in the risk of developing diabetic complications. However, noticing these symptoms can be difficult.

Diabetes Explained

Diabetes is a problem associated with insulin production. Insulin is needed to allow your body’s cells to use up the glucose in your blood for energy. Without insulin, your body can’t use that sugar and you have a build-up of sugar in your blood. The sugar can cause damage to other parts of your body and can affect circulation.

Two types of diabetes affect children. Type 1 diabetes (also known as insulin-dependent) occurs because the immune system wrongly begins attacking cells within the pancreas (the organ that produces insulin in the body). As a result, the damaged pancreas cannot produce any insulin. To survive, people afflicted with this type of diabetes must take insulin injections for the rest of their lives. Annually, about 13,000 children and adolescents are diagnosed with this type of diabetes which is sometimes also called juvenile diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes was less common in children until recent years. Today, the number of children under the age of 18 being diagnosed has risen considerably. The main difference is that this type of diabetes can be controlled through exercise, diet, and other lifestyle changes. However, some patients do still require insulin injections to minimize the risk of complications.

Diabetes Symptoms in Children

The signs of type 2 diabetes and juvenile diabetes are almost identical. In both cases, you should watch for increased thirst and urination in your child. For example, if your child suddenly begins waking up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom or to get a drink of water, he or she may be showing some of the most common symptoms of diabetes in children.

Because the cells are begin deprived of the energy they need, your child may begin to tire easily and may show signs of fatigue. This is often quite noticeable with young children. Children may also become hungrier but may end up losing weight despite consuming more food.

If your child has injuries, such as cuts, that seem to heal more slowly than they should, this could also be a sign of diabetes. The excess blood sugar can hinder circulation which is necessary for effective healing.

Misconceptions

Many children who suffer from Type 1 diabetes have their symptoms ignored by their families because they believe only overweight people suffer from this disease. That is not the case with either type of diabetes. However, most young people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes are obese. Since Type 1 diabetes is not related to nutrition but to a problem with how the body operates, it can strike any child, regardless of weight.

Because diabetes can lead to severe complications, including coma and blindness, parents who see any of these symptoms of diabetes in children should immediately contact their physician so their child can be tested for the disease.

The information supplied in this article is not to be considered as medical advice and is for educational purposes only.