Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning

Diabetes in children, commonly known as type 1 diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, is the shutdown of insulin production by the pancreas, an organ in the body that naturally produces insulin. Insulin is an important hormone with the function of regulating the amount of sugar (glucose) in the blood and transferring glucose to the cells to provide energy for the body. If insulin is not produced, the amount of glucose builds up in the blood and blood sugar levels can rise too high. Type 1 diabetes can theoretically develop at any age, but it actually occurs in people under the age of 30 and is the most common form of diabetes in children. Symptoms of childhood diabetes usually develop rapidly after onset. Diagnosis of type 1 diabetes in children should be made as soon as possible, as it worsens over time and can lead to serious health problems such as kidney failure, coma, and even more. death.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Recognize early and existing symptoms

1. 

   
   
   Observe the phenomenon of thirst. All symptoms of type 1 diabetes are the result of hyperglycemia, which means that the amount of glucose in the body is high, and the body is working to rebalance. Increased thirst (polydipsia) is one of the most common symptoms. The intense thirst is a sign that the body is trying to get rid of the glucose from the bloodstream because it cannot be used (because there is no insulin to send glucose to the cells). Children may always be thirsty or drink an unusually large amount of water, far exceeding the daily amount of fluid they normally drink.
   • According to the standard guidelines, children should drink 5 to 8 glasses of fluids per day. Younger children (5-8 years old) can drink less (about 5 drinks) and older children can drink more (8 cups).
   • However, these are general guidelines, and only you will know how much water your child actually drinks each day. Therefore, the assessment of increased thirst depends on the amount of water the child usually drinks every day. If your child normally only drinks three glasses of water and one glass of milk at dinner, but now keeps asking for water, and the amount of fluid he or she drinks in exceeds 3 to 4 glasses a day, maybe this is a good sign. fear.
   • Children may be so thirsty that no matter how much they drink, they will not stop thirst, and even show signs of dehydration.

2. 

   
   
   Notice if your baby is urinating more often than usual. Increased urination, also known as polyuria, is caused by the body's effort to filter glucose through the urine. Of course, this could also be the result of drinking lots of water.When you drink more water, your body produces more urine, resulting in more frequent urination.
   • Pay special attention to the night time and check if your baby is urinating more at night than usual.
   • There is no average number of urination per day. This depends on the food and the amount of water the child drinks, so the usual number of urination in one child is not necessarily normal for another. However, you can compare the number of times your baby pee in the present time with in the past. In general, if a child used to go to the toilet 7 times a day, but now goes to the toilet 12 times a day, this is worrying. That's also why the night is a good time to observe and take note. If your child has never woken up to urinate at night but is now up 3-4 times a night, then you should take him or her to the doctor for a checkup.
   • Watch for signs of dehydration due to excessive urination. These include sunken eyes, dry mouth and loss of elasticity in the skin (try pinching the back of the child's hand and lift it up. If the skin does not immediately return, it is a sign of dehydration).
   • You should also watch out if your baby wives again. This is especially important if your baby has dropped diapers and has long ceased to wetting.

3. 

   
   
   Watch out for unexplained weight loss. Type 1 diabetes often causes a lot of weight loss due to a metabolic disorder associated with elevated blood sugar levels. Usually weight loss occurs quickly, but sometimes it progresses slowly.
   • Your child may lose weight and even appear thin and weak from type 1 diabetes. Note that type 1 diabetes often reduces the muscle mass associated with weight loss.
   • As a general rule, unintentional weight loss requires consultation with a doctor.

4. 

   Notice if the baby suddenly becomes more hungry. The destruction of fat and muscle plus the calorie loss due to type 1 diabetes leads to more energy loss, and as a result, increased hunger. This is a paradox - babies can lose weight even when clearly eating well.
   • Polyphagia or extreme hunger occurs when the body attempts to absorb the glucose its cells need for blood supply. The child's body requires more food when it tries to load glucose for energy but fails. Without insulin, no matter how much the child eats, the glucose in the food will only float in the bloodstream and never get into the cells.
   • Understand that there are no scientific standards for measuring a child's hunger level. Some children naturally eat more than others. Don't forget that children are often more hungry during a period of growth. It is best to compare your child's current and past behavior to assess if the child's hunger level is far above normal. For example, if your child used to be fussy about eating and eating little, but in the last few weeks he has not only eaten everything on his plate but also asks for more, this is a warning sign of diabetes. Moreover, if the child is still thirsty and has to go to the toilet a lot, it may not be because the child is in a period of spike in growth.

5. 

   Notice if the child suddenly feels tired all the time. The loss of calories and glucose for energy, plus the destruction of fat and muscle often leads to fatigue and loss of interest in the normal games and activities children still love.
   • Children also sometimes tend to become irritable and moody due to fatigue.
   • Along with the symptoms described above, you also need to observe your child's sleep pattern relative to normal. You should pay attention if the child used to sleep 7 hours at night, but now sleeps up to 10 hours and still complains of fatigue or appears sleepy, sluggish or lethargic even after a night of heavy sleep. This may be a sign that the child is not simply in a period of rapid growth or is in a period of fatigue, but possibly due to diabetes.

6. 

   Note if your child complains of blurred vision. High blood sugar levels change the water content of the lens, causing the lens to swell, so children see opaque or blurred vision. If your child complains about blurred vision and the exam does not work, talk with your doctor to rule out type 1 diabetes.
   • Blurred vision can be resolved by stabilizing blood sugar levels.
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Method 2 of 3: Watch for for late or coaxial symptoms

1. 

   Watch for recurrent fungal infections. People with diabetes have very high levels of sugar and glucose in their blood and vaginal discharge. This is the ideal environment for yeast cells to grow and cause inflammation. As a result, your child may get a fungal skin infection and come back many times.
   • Note if your child is experiencing itching in the genitals. In girls, you can see that your baby often has a yeast infection that is itchy and uncomfortable in the genital area, the vaginal discharge is white or yellowish and has a bad smell.
   • Another type of fungal infection that can result from immunodeficiency in type 1 diabetics is fungal foot skin disease, which causes discoloration and peeling of the skin between the toes and the soles of the feet.
   • Boys, especially those who are not circumcised, can also have a yeast / yeast infection around the tip of the penis.

2. 

   Monitor recurrent fungal skin infections. Diabetes interferes with the ability to react that normally helps the body fight off infection, since the disease disrupts immune function. Furthermore, the high amount of glucose in the bloodstream also allows harmful bacteria to multiply, causing bacterial infections on the skin such as blisters or abscesses, toxic boils and ulcers to occur frequently.
   • Another feature of recurrent skin infections is long-lasting wound healing. Even minor cuts, abrasions or minor wounds take a long time to heal. Pay attention to any wound that doesn't heal as it should.

3. 

   Observe the loss of pigmentation (vitiligo). Vitiligo is an autoimmune disorder that results in a decrease in melanin pigmentation in the skin. Melanin is a pigment that gives hair, skin and eyes color. When you have type 1 diabetes, the body develops autoimmune antibodies that destroy melanin. As a result, white patches appear on the skin.
   • Although it occurs very late in type 1 diabetes and is not very common, you should still think about diabetes if your child has white growing patches on the skin.

4. 

   Watch for vomiting or strong breathing. These symptoms can occur as diabetes progresses. If you notice your baby is vomiting or breathing too deeply, that is a sign of danger and you should immediately take your baby to the hospital for treatment.
   • These symptoms could be an indication that a child has diabetic ketoacidosis, a condition that can lead to a fatal coma. These symptoms come on very quickly, sometimes in as little as 24 hours. If left untreated, diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) can be fatal.
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Method 3 of 3: See a doctor

1. 

   Know when to consult a doctor. In many cases, type 1 diabetes is diagnosed only for the first time in the emergency room, when the child is identified as diabetic coma or DKA. While it can be treated with fluids and insulin, it's best to avoid it by consulting your doctor if you suspect your child has diabetes. Do not wait until the child is lethargic due to the DKA to confirm your suspicions. Get your child tested!
   • Symptoms that need urgent medical attention include: loss of appetite, nausea or vomiting, high fever, stomach pain, fruity breath odor (your child cannot smell it but you can smell it).

2. 

   See your doctor for a checkup. When you suspect that your child has type 1 diabetes, you should promptly take your child to the doctor. To diagnose diabetes, your doctor will order a blood test to measure your blood sugar. The two common types of tests are a hemoglobin test and a rapid or random blood glucose test.
   • Glycated hemoglobin (A1C) test This is a blood test that provides information about your blood sugar level over the past two or three months by measuring the percentage of blood sugar that is bound to hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a protein responsible for oxygen transport in red blood cells.The higher the blood sugar level, the greater the amount of sugar that is bound to hemoglobin. A blood sugar level of 6.5% or more on two separate tests signals diabetes. This is the standard test for diabetes assessment, management, and research.
   • Blood sugar test With this test, your doctor will take a random blood sample. Regardless of whether or not your child has eaten, a random blood sugar level of 200 milligrams / deciliter (mg / dL) can indicate diabetes, especially when accompanied by other symptoms. Your doctor may also order a blood test after asking your baby to fast overnight. In this test, a blood sugar level of 100 to 125 mg / dL indicates prediabetes, and a blood sugar level of 126 mg / dL (7 mmol / L) or more in two separate tests shows that the child is you already have diabetes.
   • Your doctor may also order a urine test to determine type 1 diabetes. The presence of ketones (resulting from the breakdown of body fat) in the urine is a sign of type 1 diabetes. with type 2 diabetes. Glucose in the urine is also indicative of diabetes.

3. 

   Receive diagnosis and treatment regimen. Once the tests are completed, your doctor will make a diagnosis based on the test results and American Diabetes Association (ADA) standards. Once a child is diagnosed with diabetes, he or she will be treated until the blood sugar is stable. The doctor will have to determine the right insulin and dosage right for your child. You may need the consultation of an endocrinologist, an expert in hormone disorders, to combine the treatment of your child's diabetes.
   • After your baby has been on a basic insulin regimen, you will have to have your baby periodically checked every few months and do some of the above tests to make sure his or her blood sugar is at the right level.
   • Children also need to have their eyes and feet checked regularly, as symptoms from poor diabetes control often manifest in these parts first.
   • Although there is no cure for diabetes, with the advancement of technology and treatments, most children with type 1 diabetes can live happily and healthy lives if they know how to manage them. diabetes.
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Advice

• Remember that type 1 diabetes, formerly known as childhood diabetes, has nothing to do with diet and weight.
• If there is an immediate family member (such as a brother, sister, father, mother) with diabetes, the child should be seen at least once a year between the ages of 5-10 to make sure the child is not have diabetes.

Warning

• Many of the symptoms of type 1 diabetes (such as lethargy, thirst, hunger) are relative, and are therefore often easily overlooked. If you suspect that your child has any of these symptoms or has associated symptoms, seek immediate medical attention.
• Early diagnosis, treatment, and management of type 1 diabetes are essential to reduce the risk of dangerous complications, including heart disease, nerve damage, blindness, kidney failure and even dead.