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Diabetes, which can be seen in childhood and is a serious endocrine problem, can cause serious problems if not controlled.
If you are wondering how diabetes occurs in children, what are the symptoms, how to treat it, you should read our article.
What causes diabetes in children?
The cause of diabetes in children is thought to be consuming very sugary, sweet foods. Of course, unhealthy diet also plays a big role in this. However, the development of diabetes in children is not different from others.
Diabetes is actually an immune system disease. It occurs because the insulin produced by the pancreas is perceived by the body as a foreign substance and is broken down. As such, blood sugar cannot be lowered and the problem of diabetes arises. Of course, there are environmental and genetic factors underlying this. Apart from these;
- premature birth ,
- Advanced age of the mother in pregnancy
- gestational diabetes ,
- Factors such as infections are also thought to be effective in diabetes.
The problem of diabetes in children has started to increase in recent years. Experts say that previously they encountered 2-3 cases of diabetes in children a year, but this number increased to 2-3 per month.
What are the symptoms of diabetes in children?
The most important symptoms of diabetes in children are the urge to urinate frequently and drink water. In these two cases, a noticeable increase begins, especially school-age children tend to go to the toilet with the permission of their teachers. Although this situation may seem like an excuse to slack off at the beginning, it should be examined when it gets a remarkable dimension.
Apart from these;
- Increased appetite and weight loss despite this increase,
- poor performance,
- Don’t get tired quickly,
- dry mouth,
- respiratory distress,
- Vomiting,
- abdominal pain ,
- genital fungus in girls,
- In cases such as bad breath, it is one of the symptoms of diabetes in children.
By the way, diabetes can be seen in all babies after 6 months. So what are the symptoms of diabetes in babies ?
- The baby starts wetting the diaper more often,
- Unrest,
- Change in the baby’s smell (the smell of ketones rising in the body due to diabetes),
- Hard -to- heal rash
- Stopping weight gain is one of the signs of diabetes in babies.
How is diabetes diagnosed in children?
As the above symptoms are very specific and appear suddenly, it immediately brings to mind the idea of diabetes. To confirm this idea, a blood test is done and fasting blood sugar is checked. “How much sugar should children have?” Let’s answer the question. A blood sugar level of 150-200 when full and above 125 when hungry is sufficient to diagnose diabetes in children. Blood evaluation can also be done a second time to reach a definitive conclusion.
If diabetes cannot be determined despite all these tests, a sugar challenge test can be applied. This test is not harmful for the child.
What problems does diabetes cause in children?
Early diagnosis of diabetes in children is very important. Many organs can be adversely affected if this problem is not intervened and taken under control. Especially;
- Eyelash,
- Kidney,
- Heart,
- There may be conditions such as nerve problems.
How is diabetes treated in children and infants?
Diabetes is a chronic disease with no definite solution. So this problem will continue for life. Therefore, the child needs to control the increase in blood sugar.
In the treatment, insulin injections and some drugs are used to control blood sugar. This injection is very easy to apply and the doses are determined by the doctor. In addition, blood sugar levels should be checked frequently. The use of insulin injections can affect the social life of children. Therefore, it is important to acquire this habit correctly and to tell the child correctly that he or she has diabetes. A pedagogue can be helped to explain this situation correctly.
How should a child with diabetes be fed?
Sugary, calorie foods have a big place in children’s lives. Children enjoy consuming them and can even socialize around these foods. However, the biggest enemy of diabetes is these foods. Therefore, it is very important for the child to gain healthy eating habits. However, this does not mean that the child will not be able to eat chocolate or ice cream for the rest of his life! As long as it is measured and controlled, these foods can be given to the child by adjusting the insulin dose.
However, it is very important to always include low-carbohydrate and low-sugar foods in the diet of a child with diabetes. Mothers with children with diabetes have a great responsibility in this regard.
In addition, small and frequent feeding helps to control blood sugar. Thus, sudden drops in sugar are prevented.
Can children with diabetes play sports?
Of course, the effect of sports on controlling diabetes is quite large. Exercising for 30 minutes a day keeps blood sugar at the required values. However, heavy exercises should not be done especially in the evening, as it will cause blood sugar to drop.
