Tag Archives: child diabetes

Diabetes Affecting Children – Symptoms

Leave a reply

The medical records reveal that except a very few cases, all the children suffering from diabetes belonged to type-1 diabetes. The main reason attributed for this condition is genetic disorder which renders the pancreas ineffective for insulin release. The reason why children are not victims of the type 2 diabetes is that their lifestyle is different from that of adults. Coming to symptoms, all the symptoms that adult patients exhibit are exhibited by children too including excessive urination and thirst.

Apart from the common symptoms the children also show distinct symptoms like behavioral problems. Although the second type of diabetes is rare in childhood its incidence is on the rise owing to lack of exercise and poor diet. The exact cause for the first type of diabetes remains a mystery as most of the victims do not belong to a diabetic lineage. Insulin is a must for these patients. For many children insulin is administered on a daily basis. Both types of insulin-those slow and fast in action are used.

The moral responsibility of the parents

The role that parents have to play in maintaining the sugar levels of their kids is an important one. They should understand clearly the basics of the disease. Apart from ensuring that the insulin is being administered to their kids every day, they must provide a healthy diet to their kids to restrict the sugar levels in the blood which is equally important as giving insulin. For this they should know the sugar levels contained in various beverages and foodstuffs. The daily diet of the family has to be modified accordingly.

We cannot expect the child to act maturely and so it is the sole responsibility of parents to maintain the blood sugar levels of their wards. Parents must check the sugar levels in the blood of their diseased progeny frequently as insisted by the doctor. If the sugar levels are on the increase they should be more strict in diet intake of their wards than they were before. They must know how to give the insulin injection, for instance the injection should be administered perpendicular to the body for better results.

The child unable to understand the seriousness may not co-operate in the process. However parents have to be patient enough and convince the child. Parents should impart the knowledge they have gained to their progeny at young ages of the latter so that the future generations are well aware of the disease and can act proactively to prevent the incidence of the disease.

Learn More About Diabetes Diet

1 Reply

The diet of the diabetic child is as it should be that of any other child his age, with a variety of foods that provide calories needed for growth, only one has to take into account small variations in the number of meals and distribution throughout the day.

- Usually a child with diabetes must take three meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner, interspersing three additional food intake: a mid-morning, when the snack and midnight. The daily distribution of food is justified by the need to adjust the intake of carbohydrates to the use of injected insulin. This case is very important to set meal times with the team treating you, avoid eating “between hours” to perform intake and supplementation where necessary: hypoglycemia, exercise is not programmed, and so on.

- The recommended daily intake of carbohydrates is usually between 55-60% of the total, avoid using foods rich in carbohydrates rapid absorption (sweet, some fruit, juices and soft drinks, etc.), foods rich in saturated fats, and in general, any food that is not known composition ( “sweets”).

- The recommended daily intake of protein is usually around 15% of the total decline this rate as the child grows.

- The recommended daily intake of fat is usually around 25 to 30% of the total, giving preference to the intake of unsaturated fats.

- The additional contribution of vitamins and minerals is generally not necessary if the food is varied and complete, if necessary is the pediatrician who will decide on the use of extra inputs.

- The water intake should be sufficient, being made a special contribution in case of hyperglycemia.

Physical Exercise

Improves glucose control and also improves the use of insulin. The child with diabetes can and should make daily exercise like other children his age.

The type of exercise recommended for these children is the low-resistance (aerobic). Before carrying out physical exercise should be controlled blood sugar and take appropriate precautions (extra food and reducing the dose of insulin), and the child must carry carbohydrate absorption quickly (glucose tablets, sugar cubes or juice fruit).

The extraordinary exercise, especially if intense, can cause severe hypoglycemia while performing and even in 12 or 24 hours later, so that a tight glucose control and, where appropriate, to combat those extra meals hypoglycemia .

If the child is poorly controlled, with levels of blood glucose greater than 240mg/dl and / or ketones in the urine, the exercise is contraindicated.