Tips to Help Your toddlers With Diabetes mellitus type 1

In almost every second, a child is diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when there is a real threat to his life hyperglycemia sometimes up to a severe hyperglycemic coma. The child is taken to the emergency ward, and then the parents are informed about the disorder.

Not many people know what diabetes is terrible with prolonged poor control, it provokes cardiovascular disease, kidney failure, heart attack, arterial hypertension, stroke, poor wound healing, and gangrene (threat of limb amputation), coma, and vision problems up to complete blindness.

A diagnosis of diabetes mellitus type 1, given to a child, is capable of causing shock. First of all, not even in the child himself, but in his parents, the first reaction is 'it cannot be' or ‘this is some kind of mistake’.

The second – ‘for what? Why did my baby or little one have such a fate’?

Some of the parents, disagreeing at first with a "terrible" diagnosis.

Since the child patient himself, most likely, does not yet understand anything about the disease, with which he will henceforth have to coexist for the rest of his life, the responsibility for how it develops rests on the shoulders of the parents.

That is why they must thoroughly know how to help their child and how to teach him how to properly organize his life and take care of his health.

For this reason, some parents try to find other methods of treatment, often turns to alternative medicine for help. Such behavior not only will not help the child to cope with the disease, but also can cause irreparable harm to him.

Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes mellitus type 1 in Toddlers, Babies & Infants

The disease does not make itself felt immediately, the symptoms increase gradually. And to prevent the development of hyperglycemic coma, which can end in tragedy. Hence, parents are simply obliged to closely monitor their children. And if something happens unfavorable, immediately take him to a doctor for a better examination. It is better not to bring any critical situations.

What symptoms in the behavior and well-being of a child should alert parents?

Excessive thirst: The child often drinks a lot of water.

Frequent urination including at night.

Loss of activity, the feeling of weakness, desire to lie down even during the day.

Despite having a good appetite, the child noticeably loses weight. In patients with diabetes mellitus, due to a lack of insulin, glucose remains in the blood but "without use", while the cells of the body, meanwhile, "starved" and, begin to use the body's fat as a source of energy.

This is why weight loss is becoming one of the symptoms of diabetes type 1 in kids.

Other than this, in the process of burning fat in the cells, a large number of ketone bodies are produced in the blood, which eventually begins to be excreted in the urine in the form of acetone. In ignored cases, the child may develop diabetic ketoacidosis.

The described symptoms will help doctors choose a proper treatment option more accurately and rapidly.

The reasons for the development of diabetes in a child

No matter how far modern medicine has stepped, scientists still unable to give an exact answer to the question of the causes of diabetes. At the same time, it is reliably known that the risk of developing diabetes can be inherited. And, the closest relatives themselves may be healthy but have an increased predisposition to this disease.

And then children's infections, viral colds, flu, stress, and other reasons can come into play.

As for the excessive consumption of sweets, there is no scientific evidence that it can lead a child to diabetes. On the other hand, it can accelerate the onset of the disease, therefore, in families where there are patients with diabetes, children are not recommended to eat a lot of sweets.

After the diagnosis is made, in the first months of the disease, some children go into remission.

This happens because, after receiving insulin, the pancreas begins to secrete more insulin. Such remission can last from several weeks to 1–2 years, creating a deceptive impression that the disease has been curbed. Unfortunately, over time, the need for insulin always increases.

It happens that parents are trying to achieve remission, sharply reducing the child's intake of carbohydrates, switching to special diets. It is impossible to do this!

This is very dangerous for the child's body and can lead to serious consequences in the coming days.

Prevention

Unfortunately, it is impossible to prevent the onset of diabetes with the help of any preventive measures, but it is possible to diagnose in time and choose the appropriate therapy for a particular patient that the child will be able to live a full life if he observes the doctor's recommendations.

The main thing we urge parents to do is to pay attention to the symptoms in time. Excessive thirst, weight loss with increased appetite, frequent urination, especially at night should be alerted.

Special tips and suggestions for diabetes mellitus type 1

• It is important that protect yourselves from the threat of getting sick.

• Regular exercise, a friendly environment in the family will help the child to resist the provoking factors that trigger some disorders like stress and infections.

• Sweets, of course, better to exclude. Only an endocrinologist suggests how to eat sweets to avoid diabetes.

• Keep the child away from any type of sugary foodstuffs. For this purpose, limit the intake of sweets, including drinks with added sugar.

• If your child is diagnosed with diabetes, the kindergarten teacher and school teacher should know so that they can help.

• Most importantly, you must not allow the disease to be detected at a late stage. At the first symptoms, contact a pediatric endocrinologist immediately.

• Before starting to play sports, you need to consult a doctor and decide together on the type of physical activity, its duration, and intensity. Self-control remains mandatory, as well as adherence to diet and insulin therapy.

• For a child to lead a normal life, he must learn the basic rules of self-control.

• Conduct regular tests for glucose in the blood (glycemia), urine (glucosuria), observe diet and physical activity, and, depending on the circumstances, be able to change the dose of insulin.

• For each child, the dose of insulin is selected individually. The task of the parents is to teach the child how to draw the right amount of insulin and inject it correctly.

• In the diet of a child with diabetes mellitus, preference should be given to those products that do not increase blood glucose levels, contain few carbohydrates, green vegetables, and a large amount of fiber.

• If you call an ambulance if you suspect symptoms of hyperglycemia or hyperglycemic coma in a child, tell your doctor about your observations.

• Do not refuse hospitalization.

• Control of glucose levels is necessary. This is the only way to determine whether the dose of insulin is sufficient, whether to change it or the diet before exercise, during some illness, etc. Competent self-control their own will allow the child not to feel like a stranger in a children's company or among classmates.

Final prompt:

Diabetes is not a disease, but a way of life. This is the case, especially when it comes to children. Of course, diabetes imposes certain restrictions on a child's life, but unlike many other, more serious diseases, it does not interfere with the most important thing like living a complete life, study, communicating, playing games, develop and improve oneself.

The task of the parents, among other things, is to educate the child so that he would manage his illness calmly, not ashamed of it and not feeling his inferiority.

REFERENCE : https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/might-my-child-have-type-1-diabetes

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