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What Is Pediatric Diabetes?

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic condition in which the body fails to metabolize food for energy efficiently. The condition is characterized by high blood sugar levels. There are two types of diabetes that impact pediatric age groups. Type 1 diabetes, sometimes referred to as juvenile diabetes, and Type 2 diabetes, known as adult onset diabetes, differ in their effects on the body and methods of control.

  1. Type 1 Diabetes

    • With Type 1 diabetes, insulin is not produced by the body. Insulin is a hormone that aids the conversion of glucose into energy that can be used by the body. This form of diabetes is typically diagnosed in children and in people younger than age 20. For this reason, Type 1 diabetes is also known as juvenile diabetes. The American Diabetes Association reports that only five to 10 percent of people diagnosed with diabetes have Type 1 diabetes.

    Type 2 Diabetes

    • Type 2 diabetes is the most prevalent form of diabetes mellitus. With this form of diabetes, the body either does not produce sufficient quantities of insulin, or the cells of the body fail to respond to the insulin. This leads to abnormally high blood sugar levels in affected persons, which causes complications if left untreated. Risk factors for Type 2 diabetes include having a family history of the disease, being overweight, or being of African-American, Asian Pacific Islander, Native American or Latino descent. Older populations are also more at risk for developing diabetes. However, Type 2 diabetes is becoming increasingly more common in pediatric age groups, a trend that the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control attribute to increased rates of childhood obesity.

    Symptoms and Diagnosis

    • Often, diabetes is a silent killer, going undetected in patients who either fail to recognize the signs or whose symptoms begin so gradually that they go unnoticed. Symptoms commonly include excessive thirst, sudden weight loss, urinary tract infections, frequent urination and slow healing of wounds, in addition to abnormally high blood glucose levels. Hunger, fatigue and blurry vision are also symptoms of both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Diagnosis of the disease is made based on the results of a fasting blood glucose test, a glucose tolerance test or a random blood glucose test.

    Complications

    • If not controlled, excessive glucose in the blood can cause serious medical issues. Diabetes patients have an increased risk of heart attack or stroke. Glaucoma and cataracts can occur, necessitating regular checkups with trained eye specialists. People with diabetes are susceptible to skin infections, as well as nerve damage and kidney disease. Regular screenings and efficient management and control of blood glucose levels will help prevent complications of pediatric onset of diabetes.

    Treatment

    • According to the American Diabetes Association, there is no cure for diabetes, but treatment and lifestyle changes are used to manage blood glucose levels and prevent medical complications. Type 1 diabetes is also known as insulin-dependent diabetes. Patients with this form of diabetes must take insulin to make up for the body’s lack of production. In both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, moderate weight loss and dietary changes to control the intake of foods that might cause an increase of blood glucose levels is the key to limiting the impact of the disease. Additionally, some oral medications are necessary to increase the body’s efficiency in metabolizing blood glucose in the cells. Blood glucose levels are monitored several times a day using a glucose monitor. Diabetes can be successfully managed with lifestyle changes without sacrificing quality of life.

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