... Read More
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookie Policy.
Written By: Priyanka Golikeri | Updated : May 21, 2014 12:10 PM IST
Bangalore: It is not exactly a lifestyle issue. Nor does it spread through human contact or viruses. Nevertheless, it is raging ahead, disrupting lives of many children, making them dependent on syringes and pumps for insulin. Juvenile or type-I diabetes, which forces dependency on insulin, is on a rapid rise in the city.
It is only when parents consult doctors after noticing symptoms like sudden weight loss, frequent urination, restlessness, fatigue, increased hunger and thirst in their child, that this dark truth stems out.
Dr Sharath Chandran from a diabetes centre, Diabetacare, says many children and adolescents are getting detected, 'some as young as a few months, to those in their late teens.'
Doctors say that unlike type-II diabetes, which generally strikes during adulthood and is a consequence of lifestyle reasons like obesity, juvenile diabetes does not have any particular lifestyle causes.
'It is usually owing to the destruction of the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. But why exactly does this happens to some kids is not really known,' says Dr Anjana Hulse, paediatric endocrinologist from Apollo Hospital. However, if one parent has type-I diabetes, chances of the child being a juvenile diabetic are high, says Dr Hulse. (Read: Diabetes: Tackling the menace)
Challenges for kids
Furthermore, the ailment hampers social and emotional well-being of children to a certain extent, say doctors.
'The child has to be cautious of his or her sugar levels, since they can experience very high or low sugar. And control their diets. All this requires lot of preparations and acceptance, specially on the part of the child,' says
Dr Hulse. Deepa Lokhande, a diabetes educator in the city, says counselling and confidence-building are important among children.
'Since it calls for insulin, helping them overcome needle phobia and training them to take their insulin shots is crucial as it involves specified areas for taking insulin, right time etc.'
Meanwhile, parents say being diagnosed with juvenile diabetes affects children in every possible way, right from playing, eating, school, friends to birthday parties and so on.
Diet restrictions at a tender age
Madhu L, mother of a 14-year-old diabetic boy in the city, says, though her son has accepted his ailment, there are times when he broods as he cannot eat everything like his friends do.
'Initially, it was really tough to convince him that insulin is good for him and he needs to take it regularly. He would often ask why his friends don't take it.'
While Prakash Kumar, father of a 15-year-old diabetic boy, says monitoring if the child has taken insulin on time during the school and tuition hours is difficult.
'My son has to be physically active to control his diabetes. With increasing studies and tuitions, it is not always possible to find time for exercises,' says Prakash.
Treatment
There is no cure for juvenile diabetes, just like adult diabetes. Kids need to take their regular quota of insulin to keep the ailment under control. Regular blood sugar checks are also compulsory and so is exercising and diet control. Nowadays, insulin pumps are also being used for controlling the ailment. The pump is a mechanical device that is worn outside the body, often on the belt or kept in the pocket. It delivers fast-acting insulin in precise amounts and at pre-programmed times into the body through a tube.
Read more about causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of diabetes.
On the rise
Juvenile or type-I diabetes occurs when the body's beta cells which produce insulin are destroyed, forcing patients to take insulin from external sources. There are more than 10 lakh juvenile diabetics in India. Left untreated, type-I diabetes can prove to be fatal. Estimates state that about 12,000 out of those affected die every year. About 70% of juvenile diabetics are from poor families.
Content Source: https://dnasyndication.com/
You may also like to read:
For more articles on diabetes, check out our diabetes section and Diabetes page. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter. And to join discussions on health topics of your choice, visit our forum.
