Children and Diabetes: Information for Parents

Type 1, Diabetes is a potentially deadly disease, in which the body fails to produce
insulin and can cause severe complications such as, blindness, kidney disease, nerve
disease, amputations, heart disease and stroke. Diabetes in children may appear suddenly
but there are some symptoms you can be on the lookout for.

A child that has developed diabetes may urinate more than normal, as well as wet the
bed. The child may also seem as if they are very hungry and thirsty all the time, but still
be losing weight.

They may display mood changes; appear to be weak and tired. Have
nausea and vomiting for no apparent reason.

If your child develops any of these symptoms it is important that they be seen by their
doctor as soon as possible. Your childs pediatrician can easily check for diabetes with a
simple blood test to measure his level of sugar.

With the right lifestyle and care, this disease can be managed. This is often done with
insulin shots, a good diet and frequent exercise.

It is also becoming more common for children to be diagnosed with Type 2, Diabetes
which normally strikes older individuals. It is thought that this may be due to the increase
of obesity among children. The lifestyles of today are simply not as healthy as they once
were and a rise in diabetes in children is one of the unfortunate results.

There is a myth that diabetes is a mild disease and that it is caused from eating too much
sugar. Neither myth has any foundation in truth. Diabetes is a very serious and dangerous
disease, and should be detected and treated as early as possible.

If your child develops diabetes, it is important to be supportive of them and teach them
how important it is that they stick with their treatment, as well as living a healthy
lifestyle.

For new parents interested in helping to prevent their children from developing diabetes it
is important to teach your children good eating and exercise habits from the beginning.
This will not guarantee that your child will not develop the disease, but it is definitely a
step in the right direction.

Information Source

American Diabetes Association