Diabetes in children

Diabetes

HYDERABAD: Until recently, the common type of diabetes in children and teens was type 1. It was called juvenile diabetes. With Type 1 diabetes, the pancreas does not make insulin. Insulin is a hormone that helps glucose, or sugar get into your cells to give them energy. Without insulin, too much sugar stays in the blood.
But now younger people are also getting type 2 diabetes.  Type 2 diabetes used to be called adult-onset diabetes. But now it is becoming more common in children and teens, due to an increase in obesity.
Children have a higher risk of type 2 diabetes if they are obese, have a family history of diabetes, or are not active, and do not eat well.

To diagnose type 2 diabetes before it does serious damage, diabetes screening is recommended for all children and adolescents at high risk, even if they have no signs or symptoms of the condition.

Your child may be at high risk if he or she:

• Has a high body mass index (BMI)
• Has a sibling, parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle or cousin with type 2 diabetes
• Has signs of insulin resistance, such as darkened skin on the neck or armpits
• Talk to your child’s doctor if you’re concerned about diabetes or if you notice any of the signs or symptoms of type 2 diabetes - increased thirst and urination, increased hunger, weight loss, fatigue, blurred vision, slow-healing sores, or frequent infections.
• To lower the risk of type 2 diabetes in children
• Have them maintain a normalweight
• Be sure they are physically active
• Have them eat smaller portions of healthy foods
• Limit time with the TV, computer, and video
• It is important to keep a check on children as the prevalence of diabetes is in a rise in both adults and children all over.

(The writer is a Consultant, Endocrinologist with Apollo Sugar Clinics Limited, Hyderabad)